DETAILS
SUSTAINABLE TENNESSEE
Many voices. Common vision. Moving Tennessee toward a healthy and sustainable future
for its people, places and economy.
2010 SUSTAINABLE TENNESSEE AGENDA
Our goal is to create a statewide Sustainability Agenda with the broadest support from a diverse group of citizens, conservation groups, environmental policy experts, elected officials and representatives of private business and industry.
Click here to read/download the 2010 Sustainable Tennessee Agenda
Click here to read/download the 2010 Sustainable Tennessee Agenda Priorities (2 pages)
Help us get the Agenda into the hands of our Legislators. We are looking for individuals across Tennessee to meet with their Legislators, present a copy of the Sustainable TN Agenda and discuss the issues that are most important to you. If you are interested in helping please contact us.
MEETINGS & EVENTS
REGISTER NOW: AUGUST 25, 2010 POLICY MEETING
9am to 3pm at West End United Methodist Church in Nashville
This meeting is the kickoff for the development of the 2011 Sustainability Agenda and priorities. We will also be discussing the Middle TN Flood (click here for press release) and Gulf Oil Spill (click here for press release) and how the environmental community can best respond. For more information and to register, please click here.
SAVE THE DATE: NOVEMBER 5-6
2010 SUSTAINABLE TN SUMMIT, CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY, LEBANON, TN
This is our biggest event of the year with great speakers, a green exhibit area, and continuing our exciting work on the 2011 Sustainability Agenda. We will send details for registration as soon as they are available. If you are interested in attending, please click here to join our mailing list.
CONSERVATION EDUCATION DAY- 2010
The Third Annual Sustainable Tennessee Conservation Education Day on February 23, 2010 was the most successful ever with over 80 participants representing over 30 organizations and more than 20 display tables. The group helped advance the Forever Green Tennessee initiative and other priority issues in the 2010 Sustainable Tennessee Agenda. Tennessee Environmental Council partnered with Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association and Tennessee Parks and Greenways to host the event at Legislative Plaza in Nashville, TN. Click here for more details.
Conservation Education Day is an annual event. It is not the culmination but rather the start of a process that engages the conservation community and supporters of the Sustainable Tennessee agenda with their elected officials, and begins implementation of the initiatives presented in the Agenda. So few of us contact our state legislators that even a few phone calls or emails can make a HUGE difference. We encourage you to develop a relationship with your legislators (find them at www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators/) and schedule meetings throughout the year to discuss issues that are most important to a Sustainable TN.
Click here for the 2009-2010 DRAFT Sustainable TN Calendar
Click here for tips on meeting with Legislators from Stewart Clifton.
AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
Forever Green Tennessee - VICTORY
With bi-partisan support, on June 4, the Tennessee Senate and House passed a budget with FULL funding for land conservation. More than $16 million was restored for: State Parks Fund: $3.1 million; Local Parks Fund: $3.7 million; Wetlands Fund: $6.5 million; and Agricultural Fund: $3.2 million.
We are proud of the role Sustainable TN and the Tennessee Environmental Council members and supporters played in this great victory. This issue was the top priority in the 2010 Sustainable TN Agenda and we thank everyone who made phone calls, sent emails, posted yard signs and bumper stickers, visited with your legislators during Conservation Education Day and more. Please be sure to thank your state senator and representatives for supporting Forever Green Tennessee. For more information on the Forever Green TN initiative, click here.
Take Action: Nuclear Disposal in Tennessee
Stopping Tennessee from becoming the "nuclear" dumping ground of the world and protect Tennesseans from the dangers of nuclear weapons and power and associated waste disposal is one of the top priority items in the Agenda. Today we have an important opportunity for you to take action on this issue.
Three bills were introduced this year in the State Legislature to prohibit the currently allowed disposal of radioactive nuclear waste in Tennessee landfills. They are: Senate Bill 2801- House Bill 2911, Senate Bill 2735 - House Bill 2826, and Senate Bill 3221- House Bill 3402.
Call and or email your State Senator or Representative today (at www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators) to let them know you do not want dangerous radioactive materials from all over the country routinely disposed into the four Tennessee landfills currently accepting these wastes under the program called Bulk Survey for Release. So few of us contact our state legislators that every call, email and letter makes a difference. Learn more about nuclear issues in TN at: www.tectn.org/issues.php.
2010 Sustainable Tennessee Agenda Priorities
POLICY PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES & THE TENNESSEE LEGISLATURE
1) Real Estate Transfer Fund - Fully restore the Real Estate Transfer Fund by budget amendment (or other) to Forever Green Tennessee.
2) Energy & Water Building Codes - Institute commercial energy efficiency and water (storm and drinking water) building codes to reduce operational costs for buildings and promote clean water for drinking.
3) Nuclear Waste & Hazard - Stop Tennessee from becoming the nuclear dumping ground of the world and protect Tennesseans from the dangers of nuclear weapons and power and associated waste disposal.
4) Ban Open Burning - Promote a ban on open burning by TDOT and other developers to reduce toxics released into the air we breathe.
5) Regional Coordinated Development Plans - Develop regional coordinated development plans that address the conservation of natural resources
PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS & ORGANIZATIONS
1) Evaluate, Reduce & Green Up Energy Use - We encourage all Tennesseans to conduct a home Energy evaluation (click here) and act based on findings, to purchase at least one block of Green power (click here) and learn about, promote and participate as able in the TVA Generation Partners program (click here).
2) Tennessee Pollution Prevention Partnership (TP3)- We encourage all Tennesseans to become members (click here) and encourage Cities, and county governments and local Chambers of Commerce to use TP3 as a framework for business recruitment
3) Plant Trees - Plant and care for one native tree in the fall of each year. Plant a deciduous tree on the east, south or west of your home to save on cooling cost during the summer. Plant a row of evergreens on the north to block the cold north wind.
4) Sustainable Transportation - Use mass transit, bike or walk at least once per month instead of using the car.
5) Recycle - Recycle everything you can based on availability of local markets.
MEDIA & NEWS
Download tips on talking to reporters and building effective relationships with your elected officials.
Sustainable Tennessee Facebook Page
Press Release
The Tennessean November 8, 2009
The Tennessean November 4, 2009
RESOURCES
Read the 2010 Draft Tennessee Sustainability Agenda
Click here for 2009-2010 Summit Pledge
ABOUT SUSTAINABLE TENNESSEE
Natural resources are the backbone of our economy, our quality of life, and our Tennessee heritage. Tennessees leadership in environmental sustainability offers many benefits for our citizens. For example clean energy will create jobs, reduce health care costs, enhance national security, restore our environment, protect our children and make our state a leader in climate change solutions.
The Sustainable Tennessee coalition was founded in 2007, with the goal of developing a statewide Sustainability Agenda which includes the input of a broad group including citizens, conservation groups, environmental policy experts, elected officials, and representatives of private businesses, industry, educational institutions and more. The coalition focuses on issues related to land, air, water, energy, and quality growth & development.
The Sustainability Agenda includes the contributions and support of over 460 individuals and 230 organizations statewide over a three year period. The coalition meets throughout the year to develop and implement the Agenda, and each November the group comes together for the Annual Summit for a Sustainable Tennessee.
Sustainable Tennessee is a project of the Tennessee Environmental Council in association with Tennessee Conservation Voters. For more information or to join our coalition, contact tec(atsymbol)tectn.org.
Tennessees industries and cities have
an opportunity to profit from the race to
live, work and invest green.
