Biography
Biography: Georgia M. Reash
Abstract
Workshop Goal: The goal of this workshop is to provide a valuable learning and information exchange experience that offers knowledge and tools that support renewable energy/energy efficiency action planning at the community implementation level. Attendees will gain knowledge in holistic/integrated strategic planning approaches to energy projects, neighborhood revitalization and sustainable community development designed to enhance the value intersection between technologies, economic development, social systems change and citizen engagement. Participants will receive supportive planning forms and resource information for applied use in work and community planning settings. Target Attendees: These include Municipal leaders and managers, community development organizations, urban planning/master planning strategists, grass roots neighborhood leaders, students engaged in sustainability, innovators in integrated community systems design. Overview: Few cities or villages across the globe have been left untouched by the past decade of economic tumult, market instability, globalization or the external pressures of poverty, disease, war or natural disaster. Economic stress has trickled down into every aspect of the community ecosystem including climate, governance, businesses, public services and citizenry. All combined, cities are thirsting for solutions that will help grow local economy including energy efficiency and sustainability strategies that foster renewal on multiple levels. Renewal is the key aim embodying Renewable Cities of Tomorrow; a vision of community sustainability that features renewable energy technologies as a central focus and catalyst for civic planning and economy building. Clean energy technologies provide a tangible anchor around which broader planning and change making can rally offering a platform for creating both a renewed environment and economy essential for the cities of tomorrow. The value of renewable energy technologies at the municipal level is optimized when the power of technology is coupled with the power of a local Sustainable Community Action Agenda; a plan of economic restoration rooted in a collaborative community engagement process designed stimulate awareness and the creation of sustainable enterprise. The workshop will provide a Renewable Cities of Tomorrow vision framework for table top discussion and a snapshot review of the core components that go into creating effective renewable energy cities including but not limited to: Effective Renewable Energy Leadership Consortiums; An Integrated Systems Strategy; Renewable Energy Shared Action Agenda for Cities, Business, Education and Citizens; Diversifying the Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Economic Engine; Conscious Learning-Conscious Leadership; Sustainable Systemic Change and Shared Solution Finding and Humanitarian Response Alongside Technologies