15th Annual Meeting & Pot Luck – Sustainability Action

Friday, 9 June 2023, 6:00pm pot luck, 7:00pm keynote talk
Flory Building, Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper St., Lawrence KS 66044

We’re back in person, after a two year hiatus!  The Sustainability Action Network annual meeting will feature two speakers who are knowledgeable and diligent in furthering ecological sustainability in City of Lawrence government.

  • Kathy Richardson, Lawrence Sustainability Director, will  explain the policy framework that she overseas with the city’s Sustainability Advisory Board.
  • Melinda Harger, Assistant Director of Municipal Services and Operations, will describe how her team is incorporating sustainable design, energy conservation, and renewables into new construction of all city facilities.

Sustainability Action has been advancing ecological sustainability since 2007.  We focus on helping individuals live a sustainable lifestyle, while pushing for institutional policy change that can impact the broader population.  We work in areas of energy conservation and renewables, prime agricultural soils preservation, biodiversity conservation, healthy climate, multi-modal transportation, local food, and permaculture.

Some of our 2022 actions and accomplishments include:

  • Hosted the largest electric vehicle showcase in our five years of events
  • Got Evergy to designate a trail alignment for the Atchison Creek Trail to traverse their new substation
  • Partnered with Sustainability Advisory Board urging City Commission to adopt plastic bag ban
  • Worked with a coalition to fend off the Kansas Legislature’s attempt to preempt local single-use plastics bans.
  • Got the City of Lawrence to budget for an electric street sweeper to clear bikeway debris
  • Raised alarm that Wakarusa Dr. bridge over Wakarusa River will be a huge sprawl driver
  • Partnered with Sustainability Advisory Board urging City Commission adopt Natural Landscaping Ordinance

The meeting will also include: an introduction to our Board, a review of our 2022 accomplishments, an open discussion on projects for the upcoming year, a brief financial report, and Board of Directors election.