The "carbon joy ride" is over and now it is time to count and reduce our carbon emissions for everything we do from eating to driving. This session provides background on why the “carbon joy ride” is over and how to begin a sustainable lifestyle in a new world of carbon constraints.

Part I: We Can Do This
Pam McVety, Biologist, Big Bend Climate Action Team

Part II: Making a Commitment
Elinor Elfner, Big Bend Climate Action Team
 

Learn what a carbon- and water-neutral yard looks like in Leon County. During this session, presenters go beyond the traditional thoughts of reduced fertilization and irrigation. Instead, they discuss how we can design, install and maintain our own piece of the earth’s surface to sequester carbon, compensate for some of the CO2 we generate in our lifestyle, capture runoff, recharge the groundwater, and harvest all of the irrigation water we need.
 

Landscaping Green
Will Sheftall, IFAS/Leon County, Cooperative Extension; Dennis Tober, Sustainable Irrigation and Landscaping, LLC; and Ed Oaksford, Extension Master Gardener  

Sustainable Landscaping and Rainwater Harvesting
Dennis Tober, Sustainable Irrigation and Landscaping, LLC

Leon County, along with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), is hosting a Climate Action Summit to create awareness and promote conservation strategies for businesses, citizens, civic groups, neighborhoods, and governments for the purpose of helping reduce our region’s contribution to global warming. In addition, the summit will be designed to engage the citizenry and encourage participation as the community moves forward to create a Community Climate Action Plan.

Saving Energy/Saving Money
David Byrne, City of Tallahassee

Energy Savings Through Innovative Solutions
Claudette Cromartie, Tallahassee Housing Authority

Energy Conservation
Presenter: Dan Ard, Talquin Electric
 

Many businesses are now discovering that Green Business is Good Business. Jill Buck, national consultant, discusses why this is so and the benefits that can be realized by businesses from reducing their contributions of greenhouse gases.

Green Business is Good Business
Jill Buck, Buck Consulting and Founder of the Go Green Initiative

 

Do you know everything that is required for Greening Your Business? The Florida Department of Environmental Protection can help. They, along with representatives from the Department of Management Services and our own Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department, help you take the first steps towards a more climate-friendly, energy-efficient business. Topics of discussion include: conducting efficiency audits for your business, using your carbon foot print as a measurement tool, best management practices in the area of purchasing and procurement and how to develop a sustainability plan for your office.

Greening Your Business
Jan Delaney, Department of Environmental Protection Pollution Prevention Program; Andrew Collins, Department of Management Services; and Zach Galloway, Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department

What are “Green Collar” jobs and why do we need them? States and communities are now competing for such jobs associated with clean industries and innovative companies. Panelists discuss the growing, competitive sector of green business. Kim Williams of Marpan Recycling discusses his new recycling and reuse facility and why “going green” makes good business sense.

 

Emerging Green Businesses and Attracting “Green Collar” Jobs
Kim Williams, Marpan Recycling

Lifecycle costing is an important component in construction projects to ascertain the long-term cost savings of building green. Panelists discuss the process of conducting such an analysis and the relativity of it in terms of looking at long-term financial gains. Did you know that there can be positive tax implications associated with building green and that progressive financial institutions, such as ProBank, now provide incentives and opportunities for green projects?

Building Green Government Incentives
Josh Phares, Prosolar Systems

New urbanism – what is it, why is it important and how can it be implemented through local and state-wide planning practices? In addition to learning the answers to these questions, Florida’s Babcock Ranch is presented as a case study for new urbanism – with an emphasis on the successes and challenges of developing such a comprehensive sustainable community.

New Urbanism as a Solution
Richard A. Hall, P.E., CNU, President of Hall Planning & Engineering, Inc.

Planning for Sustainable Community Development
Larry Peterson, Special Advisor-Energy and Sustainable Planning with Kitson and Partners for Babcock Ranch Communities 

What is a mixed-use, sustainable, healthy community and how do we need to begin retooling the Comprehensive Plan to better encourage the creation of such communities? Presenters discuss the full range of issues associated with developing sustainable communities, including the connection to climate change, alternative modes of transportation, building a better infrastructure, and garnering community buy-in. The discussion will also include a case study of the recently developed Evening Rose here in Leon County.

Supporting Sustainable, Healthy Communities
Daniel Parker, Department of Health

Evening Rose
Dave Wamsley, K2Urban Corporation, Inc.

Transportation, Land Use & Global Climate Change: A Local Perspective
Cherie Horne, Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department

What is a Carbon Market, and are there Leon County lands prime for participation in such a market? Panelists discuss the concept and recommended policies relating to carbon-offsets.

Cap. Trade. Grow.
Gerald “Jerry” Karnas, Environmental Defense Fund

Buildings, themselves, can make a substantial contribution to a community’s carbon emissions.  However, “Building Green” can mitigate much of that impact.  Furthermore, when building green, there are several certifications that exist.  Panelists discuss the differences and similarities between FGBC and LEED certifications, as well as the necessity, components, and process of achieving such certifications.  In addition, a representative of the Florida Building Commission has been invited to discuss the future of building codes in Florida.

 

Green Building:  Built Environment Impacts
Beth Lewis, AIA, LEED®AP, - Florida A&M University School of Architecture