MORPC Summit will Include a Variety of Workshops to Help Communities Go Green

The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission’s 2010 Summit on Sustainability & the Environment will take place Tuesday, October 5 from 8:30 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. at COSI, 333 West Broad Street in Columbus. The Summit is an environmental conference held annually for both professionals and community activists to face the challenges in going green, to learn from experts and to network with other concerned members of the community. This year’s Summit will address “bridging the divide to create healthy and sustainable communities”.

Following the morning keynote presentation, delivered by acclaimed environmental author Auden Schendler, a variety of breakout sessions are tailored to focus on policy, consumers, business or trails. Breakout sessions will take place at 9:45 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. and will cover the following topics:

9:45 – 11:15 AM
Policy: Getting Green for Green
Consumer: Influencing Consumers to Choose Green
Business: Sustainable Development Superstars
Trails: Impact of a Sustainable Active Transportation System on a Community

2:00 – 3:30 PM
Policy: Communities that get Green Done
Consumer: Diversity as an Engine for Getting Green Done
Business: Going Green in a Bottom-Line World
Trails: Active Transportation: What is it and Why is it Critical to Long-Term Sustainability?

3:45 – 5:15 PM
Policy: Planning for Balanced Growth, Complete Streets, and Economic Development
Consumer: How Residential Energy Efficiency Gets Done
Business: Preparing for Water Shortages
Trails: Crossing the Divide to Build Sustainable Active Transportation Systems

The sessions will feature presenters from a variety of backgrounds including the business community, government agencies and universities. Among the many presenters will be Former Chairman of the National Wildlife Federation Jerome Ringo (Diversity as an Engine for Getting Green Done) and former Ohio Congressman Ralph Regula (Getting Green for Green). Ringo and Regula will also speak at the pre-event fundraising reception Monday, October 4 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Westin Hotel, 310 South High Street in Columbus.

An agenda for the 2010 Summit can be found at www.greenregion.org. The cost to register is $65 for the Summit or $75 including registration to the Pre-Summit Fundraising Reception. Registrations can be made online at www.greenregion.org no later than September 24.

About MORPC

Designated as central Ohio's metropolitan planning agency, MORPC is a voluntary association of 47 local governments. The Center for Energy & Environment at MORPC serves as a community resource in the region by offering a variety of services including: daily air quality forecasts, trail coordination, educational presentations, watershed planning, home weatherization, government carbon footprint analysis and more.