Author Archives: Mark Lannaman

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) of the United Nations held its fifth session of negotiations in Busan, South Korea from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1.  Advocates went into the session hoping to finalize a legally binding international document on plastic pollution; instead, they’ll have to wade through another round of negotiations over the text of […]

HouseATL, a membership coalition aiming to engage civic leaders and promote the development of a housing affordability plan, announced its new advisory board last week.  The group elected four new directors to the board. In addition, six incumbent board members were reelected to their positions for three-year terms, to round out the 25-member board. The […]

A judge ruled earlier this month that lawsuits against the City of Calhoun and a number of manufacturers allegedly responsible for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in their waters can move forward. The City of Calhoun was sued in March of 2024 by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) on behalf of North Georgia […]

Sustainable Fashion Week (SFW) Atlanta celebrated America Recycles Day on Saturday, Nov. 16, with its free event: Conscious Couture Fashion Museum and Gallery. The purpose of the exhibit was to “educate visitors about the environmental and social impacts of the waste we incur and how we live on the planet, inspiring more eco-conscious choices,” according […]

Georgia State University just received its largest financial gift ever — an $80 million donation from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, which is set to define the campus for the future. The announcement came this past Tuesday, Nov. 12. The donation will make the bulk of a total of $107 million going towards campus upgrades […]

Local author Harold Michael Harvey released his latest book titled “Fantasy Five: An Unimaginable History, The Election of Macon’s First Black Councilmembers,” with hopes of preserving history in a time where many seem keen on forgetting it. The book, as the name might suggest, chronicles the historic election of five Black city council members in […]

Next Generation Men & Women (NextGen), a workforce development nonprofit focused on introducing opportunities to high school students from typically overlooked backgrounds, is celebrating a decade of work in Atlanta. NextGen was founded by Ian Cohen, Travis Salters and Ben Sperling, formerly public school educators themselves, for the purpose of “serving students traditionally overlooked for […]

A mobile solar microgrid has been aiding in recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, a powerful hurricane that rocked the Southeast in late September.  The Mobile Solar Power Station — an array of solar panels transported via a small trailer that can be unloaded anywhere —  debuted at the annual sustainability celebration Ray Day last year; […]

The DeKalb Green New Deal, a localized version of the Biden administration’s broader policies that champion sustainability and clean energy, just hit another milestone. On Sept. 17, a 100 percent Clean Energy and Transportation Transition Plan was presented to the DeKalb County Operations (OPS) Committee, outlining a path forward for DeKalb to transition away from […]

In the age of “standing on business,” the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative (AWBI) is doing just that. Their latest brief, titled “Standing on Business,” advocates for legacy Black businesses in Atlanta being crucial components of Black wealth and community prosperity. The report was made possible through the support of United Way, according to the AWBI. […]

A four-month training course called Tech Academy is being launched out of a partnership between Atlanta Metropolitan State College and the Center for Sustainable Communities, aimed at equipping 10 Southwest Atlanta residents with a basic technology and programming education for the job market. The Tech Academy application closes on Monday, Sept. 16, with the program […]

A three-story-high pile of mulch spontaneously caught fire on Sept. 5 and had been continuously ablaze until at least Sept. 9, according to a press release from the South River Watershed Alliance. The fire has since been reduced and is being monitored by the Atlanta Fire Department. The mulch pile was believed to be fertilized, […]

HBCU Green Fund, a nonprofit aimed at advancing “cultural, financial, and environmental sustainability” at HBCUs and their extended communities, hosted its first-ever GreenFest at Truly Living Well, an urban farm located adjacent to the Atlanta University Center, on Saturday, Sept. 7. The free event was a celebration of “sustainability, culture, and the power of unity […]

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), representing Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK), has filed a lawsuit against the City of Atlanta for violating the Clean Water Act. The lawsuit alleges that Atlanta’s largest wastewater treatment facility, R.M. Clayton has been dumping dangerously high levels of pollutants into the Chattahoochee River — including chemicals and harmful levels of […]

The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) held their annual Community Health Institute & Expo in Atlanta from Saturday August 24 to Monday the August 26, where they celebrated the work being done by community health centers.  Community Health Centers (CHCs) are a pillar of public health in communities all across the United States […]

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just released $26 million nationwide to help remove unsafe levels of lead found in children’s drinking water at schools.  The grant funds released last Thursday August 22 at the direction of the Biden-Harris administration includes $1,152,000 million for Georgia. The funding stems from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, passed in 2021, […]