Tracking sustainability news and events in Savannah, Georgia (and beyond)
Category
Business
-
09.29.09Mr. Jalopy vs. the culture of disposabilityI ride my bike past Scott TV repair just about every workday. Sometimes there are television carcasses sitting out front on the sidewalk. Sometimes I can see people moving around inside. Sometimes it's open. More often it's not. A bigger mystery than Scott TV's business hours is this: Who takes a television in for repair anymore? And perhaps an even more important question: Can a modern television set even be repaired by a local shop? When ride past Scott TV, I usually think of Mr. Jalopy, who I wrote about last year on my other blog. A leader in the "Makers Movement," ...
-
09.06.09Stage is set for a livable streets renaissance in SavannahAmong those who want to make Savannah a more sustainable community, this past week may be remembered as a particularly important one. It marked a growing awareness of the economic, environmental, social, public safety and public health benefits to be derived from encouraging Savannah's residents and visitors to move around the city on foot or by bicycle. Throughout the week there was evidence that local support for livable streets is gaining momentum, as residents and government officials came together to learn about how to make Savannah's streets more livable. Monday: A walking tour of downtown Savannah was led by staff from ...
-
05.14.09Making bikes work by taking them thereIt happens every now and then. I'll be riding my bike to work and I'll pass another person, dressed business attire, getting into his or her car. Later, as I'm nearing my office, I'll see the same person exiting the car or cruising in search of a parking spot. It makes me wonder how many of my neighbors work downtown and could easily ride their bikes there. According to the 2004 City of Savannah Neighborhood Demographic Profiles report, there are 1,236 households in my neighborhood. How many of these contain at least one adult who is physically capable of a ...
-
04.01.09Study finds shady streets are popular with tourists and good for businessMonday I was sitting in Calhoun Square, when a tourist struck up a conversation with me. "Are you lucky enough to live in this beautiful city?" she asked. I said I was. "I'm from Miami," she said. "We have trees, but nothing like this," pointing to the canopy overhead. This visitor's high opinion of Savannah's urban forest is not unique, according to a recently concluded three-year study conducted by researchers at the Georgia Forestry Commission and the West Virginia University. According to Susan Reich, urban and community forestry coordinator at the GFC and Jinyang Deng of WVU, Savannah was selected as a study area ...
-
03.27.09More options for local food, but ya gotta go to make it workYesterday's Savannah Morning News highlighted The Market at Trustees' Garden's expanded hours (now on Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings) as well as the up-and-coming Forsyth Farmers' Market (located at the south end of Forsyth Park starting May 9th). Check out the article HERE and GO!
-
02.16.09In search of Savannah’s hidden bike racksThe city's recent bicycle rack installations, placed in former car parking spaces, are a terrific way to provide bicycle parking close to the entrances of popular destinations and emphasize that bicycles belong on the street. Some local business also recognize their customers arrive by bike and they deploy bicycle racks accordingly. By doing so, they can encourage even more people to pedal. And spend money. Sadly, though, some store owners and shopping center managers just don't get the idea that their cycling customers are no different than those who drive, in that they would prefer to park their vehicles near the ...
-
01.29.09Another Opportunity to Rethink The Big Box ModelMartin Melaver of local sustainable development company Melaver, Inc., has an interesting post on the Chelsea Green about balancing business, sustainability and placemaking. An excerpt: "My hope is that the specific story of Circuit City will serve as something of a morality tale, one that will teach us to rewire the way we think of our communities, the ways in which we attend more to local businesses that need our support, the ways in which we address growth as something more long-term and more deliberate. Perhaps this specific bankruptcy will teach us to re-wire our own circuitry as communities where lasting ...
-
12.23.08GiveRegardless of your religious affiliation or lack thereof, it is difficult not to get wrapped up (pun intended) in this season of giving. Lousy economy be damned - Giving is Good. Since giving green is even better, I offer a short list of sustainable gift giving ideas . . . Give Dough. Once considered an impersonal gift, cold hard cash is making a big comeback in the year of worthless derivatives, tanking stock value and the latest, greatest ponzi scheme. Money is also relatively more environmentally friendly than the typical gift (no packaging required! fewer trips to the store! reuse potential ...
-
12.10.08Slumping car sales get Welch’s goatColorful local auto magnate O.C. Welch, who is known for including an image of a billy goat in his television commercials (can someone explain?) has made national news with his new series of radio spots. Apparently, some of the commercials blame consumers for Detroit's current problems. A WTOC story provides an excerpt from one of the ads: "One thing I wanna ask you, with those Japanese cars. Even when they are brand new, how come they don't smell like a new car? They are rice ready, not road ready," Welch says in the commercial. Racist overtones aside, the commercials make Welch seem ...
-
09.11.08GreenFest gets down to business this SaturdayTrustees Market will host this year's installment of GreenFest, which will have a slightly different focus than last year's, which was held at Starland. Savannah Morning News music writer Joel Weickgenant finds the angle in his preview and interview with GreenFest organizer Maria Fernanda Castro: The biggest change from last year's inaugural festival, which took place at the site of the Starland Farmers Market, will be the lack of a political message, Castro said. "Last year we partnered with Greenpeace, and we're not doing that this year," Castro said, adding that the decision encouraged a larger number of restaurants and vendors ...
-
About
Transportation, land use, local farming and green building are all potential topics for Sustainable Savannah. The goal is to aggregate content about local events and projects, so there will be a central place to review everything that’s happening. The site is aimed at encouraging collaboration and information sharing between groups and individuals currently engaged in sustainability efforts. The site can also provide a snapshot of Savannah for green-minded people who are considering visiting or moving to the area.
