Event to be held in Selby Auditorium at University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus on North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota
Registration has opened for Sarasota County’s 19th Annual Sustainable Communities Workshop, which will feature “expert information about building and maintaining thriving, healthy, resilient communities,” county staff has announced.
The Nov. 7 event, developed by Sarasota County Extension, “will explore the vital roles of earth, air, water, and fire within our ecosystem, along with strategies to tackle local ecological challenges,” a news release explains.
The workshop will be held in the Selby Auditorium and Pavilion on the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus, which is located at 8350 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Seating will be limited to 125, the release notes.
“This immersive workshop will highlight the intricate relationships among all living beings and the essential elements of earth, water, air, and fire,” said Alia Garrett, sustainability outreach coordinator for the Sarasota County University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension and Sustainability program, in the release.
“Sarasota County’s continuing growth in popularity has made the area a destination for many, while also highlighting the need to protect limited resources and foster sustainable, equitable communities that respond to change,” the release adds.
“The day-long workshop showcases the latest sustainability approaches,” the release explains. This year’s event will feature “a unique perspective from headline speaker John Francis,” the release continues. “Known as the ‘Planetwalker’ for his 17-year environmental journey across America, he advocates for environmental stewardship through silence,” the release points out.
“Francis adopted this approach after a prolonged period of listening more deeply to the world around him, particularly to the voices of nature and the communities he encountered,” the release continues. “This allowed him to foster a profound awareness and respect for the environment, demonstrating that meaningful change can often begin with thoughtful reflection and a deeper understanding of our connection to the Earth,” the release notes.
“Featuring an Elements of Sustainability theme,” the workshop will dive into those connections, Garrett of UF/IFAS said in the release.
The workshop will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with both online and in-person participation options available, the release points out. Tickets cost $20 to $45; for students, $5 to $30. In-person registration covers breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack provided by a Sarasota County Green Business Partner, the release adds. “Register early to save your seat,” the release advises interested persons.
To learn more about the event and to register, visit tiny.cc/ufsaraext_scw2024.
Anyone with questions may visit www.scgov.net/sustainablecommunities, email sustainablesarasota@scgov.net, or call 941-861-9901, the release adds.
Any person who requires special accommodations to attend the event may contact the UF/IFAS staff, in advance, at 941-861-9901 or sustainablesarasota@scgov.net.