Watch this short UNC-TV interview with Sustain Charlotte Founder and Director Shannon Binns for an overview of our organization!
A Catalyst for Change
Sustain Charlotte is a nonprofit organization helping to advance a region-wide sustainability movement by serving as a catalyst for change. Our mission is to inspire, inform, and facilitate a holistic and collaborative approach to building a vibrant and sustainable future for the entire Charlotte metropolitan region.
The Need for A New Organization
Sustainability is the new driving factor affecting the economic well-being, quality of life, population trends, public health, environmental conditions and other measures of regional vitality. But the Charlotte region lags behind other metro areas in terms of sustainability, nor is there any one entity taking a long-term, regional perspective or leadership role in this important area. Sustain Charlotte was formed in January 2010 to fill this void.
Our Approach
To achieve our mission we focus on three key strategies:
Educate – We educate the public about the value to our community of sustainability and how it is achieved, including the best ideas and practices from other cities around the country.
Engage – We provide opportunities for increased public engagement in the discussions and decisions that determine our future’s sustainability.
Unite – We unite citizens, businesses, nonprofits, public agencies and academic institutions to develop shared visions, goals, and strategies for a sustainable region.
Our Vision
A region in which everyone has the knowledge, resources and opportunity to make choices with a clear awareness of their combined social, economic and environmental impacts
Our Logo
The three interwoven bands of color in our logo represent the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability and how they must be in balance to create the whole, as explained below.
The Definition of Sustainability
Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own.
Sustainability in an urban context recognizes that long-term economic vitality, environmental health, and social cohesion are interdependent: the health of one determines the health of all. An enduring economy depends on the sustainable use of natural resources. The sustainable use of natural resources depends on a strong social fabric of informed citizens, businesses and community leaders. And a vibrant society depends on a strong and resilient economy. Ultimately then, all efforts to lessen impacts to the natural environment and ensure a robust economy are efforts to secure a high quality of life for the community – that is, the people of the Charlotte region.
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