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Sustainable CT Recognizes 26 in '26
Awards Celebration Scheduled for November 10
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BOZRAH, CT, October 5, 2026 – Sustainable CT is proud to recognize the achievements of 26 communities for their exceptional commitment to sustainability.
A total of 31 awards – 24 municipal certifications and seven Climate Leader Designations – have been earned by Connecticut municipalities in 2026.
All 2026 certifications and Climate Leader Designations will be awarded at Sustainable CT’s 2026 Awards Celebration on November 10 at The Wadsworth in Hartford from 4 to 7 p.m.
READ the FULL PRESS RELEASE>
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The Next Sustainable CT Coffee Hour:
Thursday, October 15, at 10 a.m.
Building Decarbonization Without the Capital Burden -
How BDaaS Works for Municipalities and Schools
Municipal buildings and public schools are among the hardest facilities to decarbonize. Tight budgets, aging infrastructure, and competing capital priorities make deep energy retrofits feel out of reach. PowerOptions' Building Decarbonization as a Service (BDaaS) program was designed to change that. Join PowerOptions and Energy Systems Group for a webinar introducing BDaaS to Sustainable CT communities. We'll cover how the program works — turnkey delivery, zero or low capital upfront, energy savings that fund the project over time — and walk through real examples of what these projects look like for municipal buildings and K–12 schools.
REGISTER for OCTOBER 15>
You can 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.
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October's IMPACT: The Wadsworth
Come for the art, stay for the history
Chief Curator Dr. Vanessa Sigalas joins us to talk about all things Wadsworth - the art, the history, the people, and the programs. The Wadsworth is dedicated to advancing knowledge and inspiring everyone to experience and appreciate excellence in art and culture - like the IMPACT. And don't forget to join us at The Wadsworth for our 2026 Awards Celebration on November 10. It'll be a masterpiece!
This month's episode of the IMPACT will be available on October 15 at sustainablect.org, and wherever you get your podcasts.
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The Community Match Fund
Chester - Save Our Stones
The Chester Cemetery Association is committed to doing what maintenance they can on a volunteer basis (with ongoing support from the Town of Chester), which includes burial management, record keeping, and monument cleaning, among other projects. Funding from this campaign will allow them to complete the restoration of three historical gravestones, and possibly more. It's a grave situation!
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No-cost Assistance Partner of the Month
Charging Smart
Connecticut municipalities can receive free technical assistance to improve local readiness for electric vehicles and EV charging through Charging Smart, a national designation program that recognizes communities for taking steps to make EV charging easier and more accessible. Participating municipalities will receive hands-on assistance to review local policies and practices, identify opportunities for improvement, and work toward Charging Smart designation. Assistance can address topics such as zoning and permitting, planning for public EV charging, municipal fleets, community engagement, and other strategies that help communities prepare for growing EV adoption. Connecticut communities will also have opportunities to participate in workshops, webinars, and technical-assistance sessions designed to help them complete Charging Smart actions and put EV-ready policies into practice. Please contact info@sustainablect.org if you are interested in this no-cost assistance program.
Actions Targeted: 6.4 Encourage and Support Transportation Options, and 6.6 Manage Municipal Fleets
| Learn about all the no-cost assistance programs we're making available to communities working on Sustainable CT actions. | |
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CT Town & City Magazine:
A Full-Circle Journey
Our program assistant extraordinaire, Lilly Adamo, was featured in the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) Connecticut Town & City Magazine.
"When Lilly Adamo returned to Sustainable CT in 2025, she wasn't just starting a new job—she was coming home to the program that helped shape her future.
"Just a few years earlier, Adamo was a Sustainable CT Fellow, working with municipalities to advance local sustainability initiatives while completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Connecticut. Since then, she has earned a master's degree from the University of Cambridge, London, and now serves as a program assistant, helping to lead the Fellowship Program."
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Bill McKibben: We Weren't Built for a World Like This
The New York Times (subscription required) ran a guest essay by Bill McKibben in which he posits that we're becoming exhausted and demoralized by rapid change. "The climate crisis now consists of walls of water sweeping down Nepali rivers... and we're confronting the birth and Bunyanesque growth of a new technology... we definitely weren't designed to cope with all this."
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LymeLine: Mural Celebrates Public Art for Racial Justice Education Initiative
Two Wrasslin’ Cats Coffee House in East Haddam celebrated the completion of a new community mural depicting East Haddam’s history. The project was funded through community donations with support from Public Art for Racial Justice Education (PARJE) and a matching grant from Sustainable CT.
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Hartford Courant: Former CT Landfill Transforming Into Park, Wildlife Sanctuary
Stephen Underwood writes in the Hartford Courant that "Midden Lookout Park, located at 180 Johnson Ave., [Middletown], is the new name for the once abandoned landfill that closed in the early 1990s. The property, which was abandoned for decades by the city, is now undergoing a massive transformation." A Sustainable CT crowdfunding campaign supported a wildlife viewing shelter, a critical component of the newly envisioned green space.
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Connecticut Age Well Collaborative Announces 2026 Wellspring Award Winners
Connecticut is a wellspring of energy in fostering deeper inclusivity for older adults, and each year, the Connecticut Age Well Collaborative Wellspring Awards honor towns, partners, organizations and individuals who are leading efforts to dismantle ageism. 2026 winners are announced.
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DEEP'S September Municipal Connections Newsletter
The most recent Municipal Connections Newsletter from the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection is full of funding opportunities, events, announcements and more.
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Patronicity's Newsletter
Sustainable CT's crowdfunding partner, Patronicity, has a newsletter that includes challenge grants, employment opportunities, event information, and links to impactful programs and informative articles.
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The Store by Sustainable CT Launches This Month
Coming soon, our digital marketplace will offer a diverse range of branded, eco-friendly clothing and accessories designed to blend sustainability, style, and fun.
The Store will expand Sustainable CT's mission by providing supporters with a tangible way to showcase their commitment to sustainability. Every purchase will help fund our ongoing programs.
"We wanted to create a space where looking good and doing good go hand in hand," said Jessica LeClair, executive director at Sustainable CT. "The Store gives our community a fun, stylish way to support a sustainable future. Every purchase supports our work. We hope people will wear or carry our products with pride: their purchases help to build a more sustainable Connecticut for everyone."
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Info Session for CEED Program
The Center for Inclusive Growth and the Yale Center for Business and the Environment (CBEY) are holding an information session for the Clean and Equitable Energy Development (CEED) program. The CEED program equips participants with the knowledge and skills needed to advance clean energy initiatives and contribute to a more equitable energy future. October 7, 12-1 p.m.
REGISTER NOW>
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Sierra Club CT Holds West Hartford Sustainability Fair
Join the Sierra Club CT, Sustainable West Hartford Commission, and People's Action for Clean Energy (PACE) for the West Hartford Sustainability Fair. This 5th annual event will include:
- Electric vehicles, electric bikes and scooters, electric lawn care, solar power, heat pumps, battery charging
- Waste reduction, composting
- Nature-based solutions: trees, native plants, pollinator gardens
- Non profit environment and sustainability organizations
- Family friendly activities for kids
An in-person event - October 11, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., West Hartford Town Hall, 50 South Main Street, West Hartford. Free and open to the public - no registration is required.
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PACE Hosts Municipal EV-Readiness Workshop
Join municipal leaders from across Connecticut for a unique, interactive workshop focused on preparing communities for the transition to electric vehicles. Through presentations, peer learning, exhibits, and interactive sessions, participants will gain practical tools for EV-readiness and get on a fast track to a designation in the national "Charging Smart" program. An in-person event - October 16, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Hotel Marcel, 500 Sargent Drive, New Haven.
REGISTER TODAY>
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CT Energy Network 15th Annual Gathering
Connect with like-minded individuals passionate about what's happening in CT's energy/enviro landscape. Share ideas. Network. Learn from experts in the field. Rep. Steve Winter and Jayson Velazquez of Connecticut Green Bank will be on-hand with CTEN member-driven topics. This in-person event is a great opportunity to expand your knowledge and make valuable connections. Lunch provided. October 24, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Unitarian Society of New Haven, 700 Hartford Tpke, Hamden.
RESERVE a SPOT>
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Ridgefield Holds Car Show in Support of 4th Annual EV Road Trip
The Ridgefield Action Committee for the Environment (RACE) is supporting the 4th annual Leaf Peeping EV Road Trip by hosting an EV car show at their stop at the Nod Hill Brewery in Ridgefield. Bring your EV to Nod Hill, meet other EV enthusiasts, enjoy the Jazz band and a pint of locally brewed beer. October 24, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. No registration required.
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CIPWG To Hold Biennial Symposium
The Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG) symposium is beneficial to people from a diverse array of backgrounds, including land care and natural resource professionals, landscape architects, members of conservation organizations, community volunteers, master gardeners, home gardeners, and town committee members. A paid, in-person event - October 28, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., UConn Student Union, 2110 Hillside Road, Storrs. A recording of the event will also be available to purchase.
PURCHASE TICKETS>
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CPES 2026 Fall Conference: the Future of Energy
The Connecticut Power and Energy Society's (CPES) Fall Conference will bring together energy executives, innovators, policymakers, regulators, and industry professionals for a day of thought-provoking discussions, strategic networking, and insights into the trends and innovations driving the state's evolving energy landscape. This is an in-person, paid event with discounted nonprofit and student/faculty pricing available. October 29, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Dolan School of Business, Fairfield University, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield.
LEARN MORE and REGISTER>
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Connecticut Green Bank Seeks Senior Manager of Origination
The Environmental Infrastructure Programs team at the Connecticut Green Bank is hiring a Senior Manager of Origination with a focus on organic waste management solutions. This new teammate will drive the transaction lifecycle through sourcing, analysis, structuring, closing, and pipeline management of organic waste and broader environmental infrastructure lending transactions. Application deadline: October 31.
LEARN MORE and APPLY>
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It's a cultural experience!
Please join us on November 10, 4-7 p.m., at The Wadsworth in Hartford. We'll be honoring all of our 2026 certified towns and a brand new cohort of Climate Leaders.
Formerly known as the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, The Wadsworth honors the past and inspires the future through the power of human creativity. Guided by its founding belief that art can uplift society and ignite progress, The Wadsworth inspires reflection, dialogue, and cultural transformation through its outstanding collection, programs, and partnerships.
REGISTER to celebrate with us at this free event. Please register any guests you would like to bring with you as well. If you have questions, don't hesitate to contact us at info@sustainablect.org. We're always happy to connect with you.
Your hard work and continuing support are of vital importance to us, so we look forward to celebrating you on November 10th!
| | | | Our 2026 Annual Awards Celebration is generously sponsored by: | | With additional support from: | | |
Sponsorship Opportunities Are Available!
Join us in working for a better Connecticut. By sponsoring our 2026 Annual Awards Celebration, you'll be aligned with our reputation as a trusted and valuable support program for municipal leaders and an innovative thought-leader in building thriving, sustainable communities. Don't wait: contact Jessica LeClair, 860-259-4767, to discuss options and details.
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