Our History:

Sustainable Tallahassee began in spring 2007. Its parent, Greenovation, was a yearlong project of the Knight Creative Communities Initiative, financed by the Knight Foundation. Its purpose: to stimulate economic development by making Tallahassee more attractive to people whose livelihoods depend on imagination and brain power. ST would be the vehicle to sustain the objective: making Florida's capital a capital for green technology, business and living.

The challenge: ignite a civic movement by marrying economic and environmental interests, which often were at odds. Walls that blocked the ability of business and environmental interests to cooperate needed to be breached. Above all, "catalysts" promoted collaboration. When communications director Bill Berlow proposed a substantial expansion of the Leon County school district's recycling program while saving thousands of dollars in solid-waste costs, he described a potential School Board/city/county partnership. "If you support this plan," he said, "feel free to include that in your re-election literature. We don't care about credit. We only care about achieving objectives."

That was the first step toward iRecycle, one of several projects that ST is carrying forward or will use in future initiatives. They include:

• iRecycle. Greenovation was a catalyst for improving the environment, saving money, enhancing educational opportunities, and branding Tallahassee as green. In addition, a student Green Team is spearheading an Earth Day presentation at the Capitol and "enviro-mentors" will enable high-school students to be environmental role models for younger ones.
• Park-and-Ride Communities (PARC). Greenovation, in collaboration with Tallahassee's StarMetro transit system, launched a three-month project to increase bus ridership among people who can afford to not rely on public transportation. PARC coordinators hoped that 30 people from northeast Tallahassee would commute by bus at least twice a week between September and December. PARC succeeded in attracting 58 and many said they would continue to ride the bus occasionally.
• Sustainable Tallahassee. ST's initial focus was developing Website content, bylaws and articles of incorporation as a nonprofit, and setting up a yearlong sustainable living exhibit at the Brogan Museum. It secured a $2,900 contribution from Marpan Recycling to finance the Website. (See www.sustainabletallahassee.org)
• Grant Applications. Greenovation was the catalyst for submitting two state recycling grant proposals: from Leon County Schools, and Florida A&M and Florida State universities.
• Urban Design Studio. Greenovation began a dialogue to encourage sustainable practices in design and construction, and participated in a County Commission workshop.
• Greener Business Bureau. Tallahassee Memorial CEO Mark O'Bryant, a Greenovation catalyst and ST board member, began a hospital program that will be the foundation for GBB. Businesses will agree to high standards that will improve the environment and their profitability..
• Downtown Recycling. The Chamber of Commerce requested ST's support to create a Downtown Recycling Partnership. Partners include the City of Tallahassee and the Downtown Merchants and Business Association.

Almost 100 citizens attended a January meeting of ST, which continues to be a catalyst for citizens, governments, businesses and educational institutions to build a more sustainable community.

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