‘Early-bird’ registration closing soon for 12th Annual Sustainable Communities Workshop

Event to be held on Nov. 30 at Girl Scouts conference center on Cattlemen Road

Attendees participate in a past Sustainable Communities Workshop, sharing thoughts at a discussion table. Image courtesy Sarasota County

Reduced-rate registration for the 12th Annual Sustainable Communities Workshop, set for Nov. 30, will end on Oct. 30, Sarasota County has announced.

The event will be held at the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida Event and Conference Center, located at 4750 Cattlemen Road in Sarasota.

The workshop’s “early-bird” rate is $35, with registration rising to $45 afterward, a news release notes.

Sarasota County’s Sustainable Communities Workshop brings together individuals, as well as representatives of businesses, institutions and government agencies, to learn about and share ideas for community solutions on the environmental, economic and social aspects of sustainability, the release explains.

It creates opportunities for participants to “be inspired to make positive changes for important and timely issues,” said Sara Kane, Sarasota County sustainability outreach coordinator, in the release.

“Everyone attending the workshop will feel energized by our expert speakers sharing their success stories, and they’ll learn practical knowledge that they can take home and apply,” she added in the release.

The 12th annual workshop will feature a Building a Better Future, Together theme, with speakers sharing the latest strategies on the following topics, the release notes:

  • Solar energy.
  • Sustainable living.
  • Climate change.
  • Social equity.
  • Green building.

This year’s workshop also will offer attendees the opportunity to take part in small-group, hands-on demonstrations on permaculture, composting, and alternative modes of transportation, the release points out.

The scheduled keynote speakers are Nathaniel Smith, founder and chief equity officer of the Partnership for Southern Equity, an Atlanta-based firm that promotes balanced growth and inclusive prosperity; and Randall Wells, director of the Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program.

Registration includes a continental breakfast, lunch and snacks made with local and organic ingredients, the release says. Students receive a discounted rate of $20. Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are available for a limited time.

Visit scgov.net/SustainableCommunities or call 861-5000 to register or for information.