Super Tuesday Celebrates Atlanta’s Black Business Women
Posted by Sonja Ebron
The Atlanta Business League put on a fine celebration of the achievements of Black business women last week. ABL was established in 1933 as an affiliate of the National Business League, founded by Dr. Booker T. Washington. In 1984, under the leadership of Alice White Bussey (of Bussey’s Florist), ABL’s Women In Business committee created Super Tuesday to raise awareness of African American women business owners. Last week’s celebration marked the 25th anniversary of this sistah-fest, headlined by Radio One magnate Cathy Hughes. More than 1000 women (and quite a few men) gathered to meet and greet and do business with Atlanta’s best and brightest Black women leaders at the Atlanta Marriot Marquis.
Lisa Borders for Mayor of Atlanta
Posted by Sonja Ebron
Atlanta has earned its reputation as headquarters of the Dirty South. The city emits more than half a million metric tons of carbon dioxide, equal to the combined emissions of 150,000 households. Atlanta’s air pollution is one of the worst in the nation. Atlanta residents are projected to run out of water by 2030, and water quality declines every year. Urban sprawl and the need to commute lead to increasing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the city, and our street congestion is among the highest for any metro area. While state and federal governments play the major role in environmental outcomes, local policies and practices can set a tone for citizens that can lead to positive and lasting change. Lisa Borders has the most potential to set the right tone and the right example for a green Atlanta.
Lisa Borders
Lisa is a major advocate for the Atlanta Beltline, an alternative transportation program that will add 22 miles of light-rail transit and 1,200 acres of green space around the city while boosting the local economy. Mayor Shirley Franklin committed the city to reduce its carbon footprint to 7% below 1990 levels by 2012 and to be carbon neutral by 2030, and Lisa will follow through on that commitment. She is also a strong promoter of the Atlanta Sustainable Building Ordinance, which would reduce energy and water use in all city facilities.
Even the Borders campaign office is green. Staff are collecting food and paper waste in compost bins to fertilize gardens around town. There are recycle bins for glass, aluminum and plastic waste, and employees are encouraged to carpool or use MARTA. Just as Michelle Obama’s vegetable garden has inspired all Americans to rethink our food choices, Lisa Borders’ green office practices will challenge all Atlantans to treat our environment better. This is the leadership Atlanta needs and deserves.
Atlanta Conference Aims to Increase Participation in the ‘Green’ Movement
Posted by Sonja Ebron
The green movement is taking on more color as professionals from coast to coast prepare to convene at a first-of-its-kind conference in Atlanta, September. 23-26. Top African-American, Latino, Asian and Native American professionals from around the country in the academic, government, business, recreation and nonprofit sectors will share their expertise at the event: Breaking the Color Barrier in the Great American Outdoors.
The conference will encourage participation in the “green” economy and showcase people of color engaged in sports, such as mountain climbing, skiing, sailing and scuba diving. It also will highlight the efforts of Americans of diverse ethnic and cultural heritage to protect the environment and the scenic treasures in the nation’s public parks, forests and wildlife refuges.
Audrey and Frank Peterman, conference organizers and long-time outdoor enthusiasts, have been promoting America’s natural beauty to communities of color for the past 14 years. When the Petermans took a cross-country trip in 1995 and discovered the Badlands, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks, they saw very few other Black people in the parks. Inspired to alter that picture, they launched a campaign to publicize the parks to Americans of color.
School gardens teach going green
Posted by Lisa Gilbride
I was watching the news a couple of months ago when an interesting “good” news story caught my attention. It was about an elementary school in Atlanta where the students were growing their own garden on campus. I wish I remembered the name of the school so I could plot their progress as it was a brilliant idea! These kids were growing different kinds of vegetables, and the harvests were being used in the school cafeteria, thus saving the school money. They gave away what the school didn’t use to local food banks.
Now what if this trend caught on in schools and colleges all across America? Maybe they could go beyond gardening and learn how to make their schools even more self-sustaining. Perhaps they could learn how to harness the sun, wind and rain by building systems that would get them off the local utilities and cut the school system’s overhead costs. Maybe there would be more money for their education!
As we hear all the time, our children are our future. It’s true!!! Kudos to the teachers and organizations that developed this learning experience for their students!! I hope to see more “good” news stories about our younger generations thinking outside the box. Like I said a couple of posts ago, no idea should go unnoticed, as one of them could spark a trend and get young people excited about helping not only themselves but those around them. That is what community is all about!
Come on young people everywhere! I challenge you to follow the lead of this Atlanta school and dream green! Anything is possible when you put your mind and passion into something you believe in. One person CAN make a difference!
– by Lisa Gilbride
Atlanta Light Swap 2009
Posted by Sonja Ebron
We gave away 700 bulbs last Sunday and expanded the event to serve three Black churches in metro Atlanta. See the press release below:
Saving Money One Light Bulb At A Time
2nd Annual Light Bulb Swap Helps Consumers Save Money Through Energy Conservation
April 26, 2009 (ATLANTA) – On Sunday, April 26, 2009, the Concerned Black Clergy of Metropolitan Atlanta, in partnership with blackEnergy and Georgia Interfaith Power & Light, distributed 700 compact fluorescent light bulbs in Metro Atlanta with a message of sustainable living during the 2nd Annual Light Bulb Swap. This free event was designed to introduce a cost effective way of “Going Green” to the African American community and in turn encourage them to be proactive in conserving energy and saving money.
After Service at True Light Baptist Church
2009 Energy Town Hall Meeting in Atlanta
Posted by Sonja Ebron
With a collapsing economy and stable gasoline prices, you wouldn’t expect Atlanta activists to come out strong for a discussion on energy. But like most places, Atlanta had a rough year energy-wise, and people want to know what happened last year, what’s happening now, and how to avoid the next crisis. On some level, most of us understand the link between energy and the economy, as well as the huge potential of green jobs. So all ears were open for blackEnergy’s first Energy Town Hall Meeting of 2009 on March 9th.
Jim Powell for Georgia PSC
Posted by Sonja Ebron
Georgians heading to the polls on December 2nd should be sure to vote in the race for Georgia Public Service Commission. Since we lost David Burgess in 2006, there have been no progressive or pro-consumer voices on the PSC, save for Angela Spier, a Republican who chose not to run for reelection this year. Her seat is sought by Jim Powell, a career U.S. Department of Energy executive and Democrat, and Bubba McDonald, a former commissioner who paid far too little attention to consumer rights during his tenure. Angela Spier crossed party lines to endorse Powell because of his commitment to fight for both consumers and for renewable energy sources. “I think it’s time to move Georgia out of the dark ages and into the 21st century,” Powell recently told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “We need to have a long-term plan, take a hard look at how we generate electricity 20 to 30 years out.” For an energy regulator in a coal-hungry southern state, you can’t get more progressive than that. Vote Jim Powell on December 2nd!
2008 Energy Town Hall Meeting In Atlanta
Posted by Sonja Ebron
We hear a lot about energy and the economy in Atlanta, and for good reason. While gasoline prices have come down, supply is still spotty due to Hurricane Gustav, and the almost daily reports of job losses are worse than I can ever recall. National pundits blame our economic crisis on the housing bubble bust, but historical oil prices have always predicted recessions. Despite a dramatic decline in oil prices, we’re still paying three times the historical average in today’s dollars. Like all crises, this one hits Black people first. Add the impact of climate change, and it’s clear we have some difficult times ahead.
Out Of Gas In The Dirty South
Posted by Sonja Ebron
Hurricanes Gustav and Ike have struck again, not with high waters and strong winds, but with the partial shutdown of a gasoline pipeline serving the southeast. Half the gas stations in Atlanta are out of gas. Those with gas inventories have long lines of cars with drivers willing to pay very high gas prices. Georgia officials recently negotiated a waiver of environmental regulations that required gas in Atlanta to carry anti-smog chemicals, so gas has been imported from surrounding areas. But even gas imports haven’t reduced the lines at gas stations, which are expected to last through mid-October.