Early-bird registration open for 11th Annual Sustainable Communities Workshop

​SARASOTA COUNTY - Early-bird registration is now open for Sarasota County's 11th Annual Sustainable Communities Workshop, to be held Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida Event and Conference Center, 4740 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota.

Expert speakers will focus on the workshop's "Paths to a Sustainable Future" theme, sharing the latest local strategies and best practices from other communities. Information-rich sessions will provide approaches to grow a sustainable community. Topics include:

• Valuing Nature
• Strategies for Smarter Growth
• Building Community Resilience
• Edible Innovations

The morning keynote speaker will be Tampa Bay Times reporter and native Floridian Craig Pittman. He is a four-time recipient of the Waldo Proffitt Award for Distinguished Environmental Journalism in Florida, and twice has won the top investigative reporting award from the Society of Environmental Journalists. Ridhi D'Cruz, the associate director of the non-profit City Repair Project in Portland, Ore., will deliver the afternoon keynote address. Ridhi actively supports various community-building and neighborhood initiatives encompassing myriad issues, including diversity, cultural sustainability, homeless advocacy, social permaculture, and "Placemaking."

The Sustainable Communities Workshop brings together individuals, businesses, institutions and government agencies and organizations to learn and share community solutions on the environmental, economic and social aspects of sustainability. Early-bird registration of $35 is available through Nov. 1, then increases to $45 from Nov. 2 to Dec. 1. Students can register for $20. All registrations include continental breakfast and lunch. Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities also are available.

To register and for more information, visit www.scgov.net/SustainableCommunities or call the Sarasota County Contact Center at 941-861-5000.