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ACTIONS

&IMPACT


Monday, February 3, 2025

volume v, number 2

Sustainable CT Names New Members

to its Board of Directors

A wealth of experience and expertise

We're thrilled to announce the appointment of three new members to our Board of Directors. These individuals bring a wealth of experience and expertise in sustainability, municipal governance, and community engagement to our organization:


Cecelia Drayton. Cecelia serves as the Director of Sustainability for the City of Hartford. She is responsible for advancing the City’s economy, improving public health, and promoting social equity through environmental stewardship initiatives in the Climate Action Plan.


Steve Stephanou. Steve is currently the Town Manager for the Town of Manchester. In this role, he serves as Chief Executive for a full-service municipality that includes 550 full time employees and an annual budget of $275 million.


Ashley Stewart Brown. Ashley is the Manager for Community Engagement at the CT Green Bank and a long-time friend of Sustainable CT. At the CT Green Bank, she supports the development of partnerships between communities and the state in investments in our environmental infrastructure.


Welcome aboard the Board!


We especially want to thank our departing Board members for their extraordinary service and support: Bryan Garcia, president and CEO of Connecticut Green Bank; Latha Swamy, director, Food System Policy Division for the City of New Haven; and Sheila McKay, associate executive director for government relations with the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education. 

READ the FULL PRESS RELEASE>

The Next Sustainable CT Coffee Hour: 

THURSDAY, February 20 at 10 a.m.

Understanding the Roles of Municipal Sustainability Staff in Connecticut

 

Put Groundhog Day behind you and join Sustainable CT for the toasty warmth of our February Coffee Hour. We'll be talking all about the roles of municipal sustainability staff in Connecticut. Cecelia Drayton, Director of Sustainability for the City of Hartford (and brand new Sustainable CT Board of Directors member), Megan Granato, Sustainability and Resilience Manager for the Town of Groton, and Danielle Petretta, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Stamford will be speaking about their work, how their communities are tackling sustainability, and answering your questions.

REGISTER for FEBRUARY 20>


Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal discussions most third THURSDAYS of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.

February's IMPACT:

Senator Tony Hwang of the 28th District

Southwest Connecticut's "Environmental Champion"


The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters calls Hwang “the only Republican Senator who has consistently supported major climate legislation, emphasizing practical, nature-based solutions that promote responsible stewardship of the lands, forests, wetlands, and waterways of the state.” We find out why his reputation for common sense, bi-partisanship and good humor is well-deserved.


This month's episode of the IMPACT will be available on February 15 on the Sustainable CT website, and wherever you get your podcasts.

The Community Match Fund

Old Saybrook SOS Trees - Save Our Shade 2025


SOS Trees is a community group that has been organized to promote the planting of trees in Old Saybrook. They want to increase the number of shade-bearing trees to build and restore the tree canopy. Their goal is to raise funds to provide 150 trees to residents and business partners in Old Saybrook. A strong and healthy tree canopy cleans the air, reduces stormwater runoff, intakes carbon, cools summer air, buffers wind and noise, and increases property values. C'mon, throw 'em some shade!

LEARN MORE about the Sustainable CT Community Match Fund

Sustainable CT is independently funded.

Discover how you can become a Sustainable CT sponsor.

We'll Be There at Any COST

Sustainable CT attended the Council of Small Towns (COST) Town Meeting 2025 last week - COST's "golden anniversary celebration." Our dynamic duo, Program Manager Dorothy Piszczek and Sustainable Communities Fellow Summer Mitchell, networked with state and local officials, and learned about how the legislative session may impact the state's small towns. They heard from Governor Lamont, Lt. Governor Bysiewicz, State Comptroller Scanlon, and a host of other interesting and influential speakers. As always, a fun and informative event!

Fairfield Celebrates Gold

Fairfield achieved Gold certification and Climate Leader designation in the fall of 2024, and they all got together to celebrate the win on January 15. Our humble Communications Director Jim Hunt was honored to be there as well - with congratulations for all, especially Mary Hogue and Bob Wall who do so much to advance sustainability in the Fairfield community and beyond. Way to go, Fairfield!

CFECT: End Child Poverty NOW

As the 2025 legislative session begins, we all have a critical opportunity to push for policy changes that will help end child poverty in Connecticut. The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut (CFECT) needs your help to ensure lawmakers take action. Together, we can raise awareness, build momentum, and advocate for legislation that will improve the lives of children across our communities.

LEARN MORE>

PURA and DEEP Would Like Your Opinion, Please

The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) are inviting participation in a short survey. These agencies have funding available to promote innovative energy technologies and residential solar in Connecticut communities. PURA and DEEP want to better understand the energy challenges and needs of Connecticut’s neighborhoods, towns, and cities. Your response to this survey will help them identify potential partners and locations for future pilot projects. So, it's enlightened self-interest to take the survey, and if you have any questions, reach out to info@ct-ies.com.

YPCCC's New Report: "Climate Change in the American Mind - Politics & Policy, Fall 2024"

The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC) released a new report, “Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy, Fall 2024,” based on their latest national survey, conducted December 11 - 22, 2024, after the November 2024 presidential election. In his first week in office, President Trump signed multiple executive orders restricting the nation's actions on climate change and renewable energy, but registered voters across the political spectrum support many policies designed to reduce carbon pollution and fossil fuel dependence and promote clean energy.

There's Still Time to be Awesome!

We're hiring a Program Assistant to help with the management of our Community Match Fund (along with a lot of other very cool stuff). If you care about sustainability, you'll love working with us. Apply by February 10!


~AND~


Don't forget that we are now accepting applications for our 2025 Fellowship Program. We place highly qualified college students across the state’s Councils of Governments (COGs) to help cities and towns become registered, certified, or recertified with Sustainable CT during the summer. This is serious and fun - a great opportunity for learning, collaboration, and direct impact. Apply by February 10.

Hixon Center Spring 2025 Speaker Series: Data-driven Urban Forestry

The intensifying threats of climate change, including flooding and extreme heat, are especially evident in cities - home to the majority of the globe's population. To address these challenges, there is growing investment in urban forests and tree planting as “nature-based solutions” to build resilience and reduce environmental inequities. Throughout this webinar series, urban forestry experts will share their use of data to effectively resolve management problems and measure the efficacy of different solutions. February dates (all 10:30-11:30 a.m.): 4, 11, 18 and 25.

REGISTER and LEARN MORE>

DEEP Featured Jobs - February Application Deadlines

The Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) has several job openings with application deadlines in February:

2nd Round of Long Island Sound Resilience Planning Support Program Now Available

This program provides planning support to advance climate resilience-focused projects by matching communities within the Long Island Sound coastal boundary across New York and Connecticut with qualified contractors to assist with assessing local climate risks, conceptualizing project ideas, and conducting preliminary planning efforts. The support is provided at no cost to the communities and no match is required. $1 million available. Deadline to apply is February 7.

INFORMATION and APPLICATION>

CTLCV and Sierra Club Testimony Training & Workshop

The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) and the Sierra Club of Connecticut will host a virtual testimony writing workshop and training on Monday, February 10, from 7- 8 p.m. Learn how to write and deliver impactful testimony, navigate the Connecticut General Assembly's website submission process, and practice your new skills through a guided workshop. 

REGISTRATION>

Environmental Justice for New England Grants Available

A total of $48 million will be awarded to New England community-based organizations, environmental justice organizations, nonprofits, Tribal governments, and other entities representing underserved, urban, rural, Indigenous, remote, and capacity-constrained communities. The funds will support organizations implementing projects to address local environmental and public health challenges across the region. Applications for this funding cycle are due by 5 p.m. ET on February 14.

INFORMATION and APPLICATION>

Energy Star: Ask the Expert

Every other Wednesday at noon, Energy Star holds a Portfolio Manager “Ask the Expert” session. It’s a live webinar that gives all users an opportunity to ask their questions directly to EPA experts in an open forum. Want to talk to a “real” person? Have a question about how Portfolio Manager calculates your score? Want to learn more about entering Green Power? Join Energy Star and they'll answer all your questions about Portfolio Manager in this public forum. February 19, 12-1 p.m.

INFORMATION and REGISTRATION>

CPES 2025 Annual Legislative Preview

Secure your seat at the Connecticut Power and Energy Society (CPES) 2025 Legislative Preview for firsthand access to discussions about the energy priorities that will be addressed during this year's legislative session. Wednesday, February 19, 5:30-9 p.m., at the UConn School of Law, Hartford. This is an in-person paid event; free to students and faculty. 

INFORMATION and REGISTRATION>

The Rockfall Foundation: Meet Your Greens Gathering Honoring Kim O'Rourke

Join the Rockfall Foundation for a special Meet Your Greens gathering as they celebrate Kim O’Rourke’s recent retirement after over 30 years of dedicated service to the City of Middletown. As the longtime Recycling Coordinator, Kim has made a lasting impact on sustainability efforts in the community. This will be an evening of conversation, stories, and reflections on Kim’s journey—sharing her experiences, the progress she’s led, and her outlook on what’s to come. An in-person event - February 20, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Perk on Main, 386 Main Street, Middletown.

REGISTER TODAY>

Connecticut Age Well Collaborative Launches "Daring Dialogue" Program

Daring Dialogues are community workshops designed to foster open and constructive communication, bringing together community members and local leaders to challenge assumptions about aging and disability and explore how our biases influence our thoughts and actions. Interested in bringing a Daring Dialogue to your community in 2025? Registration is now open; apply by February 28 to help your community raise awareness, reduce bias, and achieve more together.

INFORMATION and REGISTRATION>

For more fun and informative February events,

check out the Sustainable CT Trainings & Events Calendar.

Because Representation Matters Now More Than Ever

Teaching Communities of Color the Fundamentals to Run for Public Office 


With the backlash to "DEI" now emanating from the White House, it is more important than ever for communities of color to stand up, step in, and take part in defining the future of civic life in Connecticut and across the country. Our good friends at the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM), in partnership with The Campaign School at Yale University, is holding its fifth annual Representation Matters training - an inclusive and empowering two-day virtual discourse that encourages racially diverse candidates to run for public office or serve on boards and commissions. This free training will take place on March 1 and March 8, starting at 10 a.m. CCM and The Campaign School have crafted these seminars over five years to give attendees the tools to run for office and to hear success stories from people who have made that choice and won. Let's all stand up, step in, and take part. Register today.

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