Ranked-choice voting (RCV) suffered a setback in Georgia this legislative session, with the Senate Ethics Committee passing SB355 — a bill that would ban RCV in Georgia. RCV has been gaining traction around the country and online, with supporters saying it would allow more third-party candidates to be elected, greatly reduce runoffs, and lead to […]
Author Archives: Mark Lannaman
Posted inLatest News
Goodwill launches electric vehicle workforce development program in Georgia
Goodwill of North Georgia just kicked off The Goodwill Clean Tech Infrastructure Academy (CTIA) on Monday, Jan. 29, an EV and green workforce development program in partnership with Accenture. The Atlanta pilot program is set to run from Jan. 29 through Feb. 23. The first run has 30 participants across three cohorts. This is the […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
Temple Sinai becomes first synagogue in Atlanta to install solar system on rooftop
Temple Sinai, located in Sandy Springs, just became the first synagogue in Atlanta to incorporate a solar system to power their operations. The system was installed by Cherry Street Energy, which has been installing solar systems throughout the city in partnership with the local government. The installation was finished mid-January, and paperwork to have it […]
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City of Atlanta to receive an electric bike rebate program. Can the city’s infrastructure support it?
The latest win for alternative transit was just announced in Atlanta — a joint rebate program between the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), the City of Atlanta, and Propel ATL to help residents buy their own electric bicycle (e-bike). The program is aimed at low and moderate income Atlanta residents. It doesn’t have a specific launch […]
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Atlanta welcomes the 1000th Whataburger in the country, thirteenth location in the metro area
Whataburger, the fast food chain headquartered in San Antonio, can officially call Atlanta home of its 1000th franchise in the nation thanks to the location that just opened in Vinings. The celebration was met with dozens of Whataburger executive leadership, along with representatives from Coca-Cola and Cobb County Chamber of Commerce. Other partners included the […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
Energy efficiency and housing justice walk scheduled on Martin Luther King Jr. Day postponed, but the mission moves forward
Street Teams for Energy Efficiency and Climate Resilience, a coalition born out of Atlanta advocating for energy efficiency, scheduled their annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service walk around energy efficiency in Virginia. Street Teams has grown to have coalitions marching in places as far as Hawaii, Michigan, Virginia and of course, Georgia. Due […]
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Nonprofit looks to increase rooftop solar accessibility for low income households
A nonprofit is seeking to increase access to rooftop solar for lower and moderate-income households in Georgia through a program called Georgia BRIGHT, which stands for Building Renewables & Investing for Green, Healthy, Thriving Communities. Capital Good Fund, the nonprofit running Georgia BRIGHT, is looking to install between 150 and 200 rooftop solar systems as part […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
Georgia Energy Exchange 2024 in review: Georgia keeps its foot on the gas for electric vehicles
The Georgia Energy Exchange was held in Buckhead on Friday and featured Public Service Commissioner (PSC) Tim Echols, who is seeking reelection. Echols has been a PSC commissioner since 2011. The Public Service Commission is the regulatory body for the state of Georgia which oversees utility providers in the state including Atlanta’s Georgia Power. The […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
Rivian EV manufacturing project moves forward in Morgan County after judge dismisses challenge
Supporters of the proposed $5 billion Rivian electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Morgan County, Ga., got a big win this week after a judge dismissed a zoning challenge that would have paused the project. The project was first announced in December 2021. Rivian, founded in 2009, has become a major player in the electric vehicle […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
First Mercedes-Benz charging hub in North America opens in Atlanta
Mercedes-Benz opened its first charging hub in North America in Metro Atlanta. The opening took place at Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Sandy Springs on Nov. 15. It marks the beginning of a $1 billion investment from Mercedes-Benz in partnership with MN8 Energy to build out “North America’s fastest electric vehicle (EV) charging network by the end […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
Atlanta-Charlotte high speed rail one of several projects to receive federal funding for studies
The dreams of high-speed rail (HSR) enthusiasts just came one step closer to reality. On Friday, Dec. 8, the White House announced $8.2 billion in funding for HSR projects and HSR corridor studies around the country — one of the largest investments of its kind. One of the HSR corridors to be studied would connect […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
‘City in the Forest’ gets a little greener: Multiple Georgia entities win Urban and Community Forestry Grants
The Urban and Community Forest program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has allocated billions in grant funding across the U.S. — including Georgia — to increase urban tree canopies and the workforce in this area equitably. Grant funding was made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds. The Urban and Community Forest program […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
Puente para la Gente survey reveals glimpse into Latino community’s priority on environmentalism, climate change
Georgia-based Latino organization GALEO and BSP Research recently released the results of their survey Puente para la Gente, which covered a range of issues — one of them being climate and environment. Approximately 500 people were surveyed across Georgia from Aug. 19 through Sept. 18, 2023. The survey had 29 questions total with some questions […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
11-year-old Atlanta native competes on national game show
Selah Thompson, an 11-year-old from Atlanta, represented herself and the city well when she competed in the show “Innovators of Awesome,” hosted by KiwiCo. The show launched last month and its grand finale aired early this month. It saw three kids competing in a series of challenges and engineering KiwiCo projects towards a $25,000 scholarship […]
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Georgia coalition wins $250 million grant for energy grid upgrades
The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), along with a coalition of partners, announced a grant on Oct. 18 from the Department of Energy for $250 million for the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program, which is aimed at enhancing resiliency and flexibility of the electric grid. GRIP is a product of the Bipartisan Infrastructure […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
Microgrid trailer debuts at sustainability event and exemplifies what future disaster resilience could look like
A traveling microgrid on a trailer debuted at Ray Day earlier this month, and looks to shift disaster response towards reliable renewables. Microgrids are what they sound like — a miniature version of an electric grid. The electricity grid the vast majority of us use is a centralized one, and microgrids are an alternative that […]
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Southface hosts annual Visionary Dinner at Agnes Scott
Southface Energy Institute, known colloquially as Southface, hosted its annual visionary dinner earlier this month on Tuesday, Oct.10 and raised nearly $165,000. The dinner celebrated the work from the past year while also acting as a fundraising event for the future. The night was filled with people, food and music at a venue in Agnes […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
ATL Trains project launches its website and makes its argument for a regional commuter train network
ATL Trains, a proposed mass transportation overhaul for the city, is more than a passion project — it’s Atlanta’s potential. Now, it has an official website to go with it. In early September, ATL Trains officially launched its website, and with it, a central point to direct advocates and skeptics alike to the idea. The […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza partner with Susan G. Komen for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Lenox Mall and Phipps Plaza are all in for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. On Saturday, Oct. 21, Lenox Square will host the annual Susan G. Komen Georgia MORE THAN PINK Walk, which is complemented by Shop with a Purpose campaign happening at the two shopping centers all month. Susan G. Komen is a national breast cancer organization […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
A new Georgia Tech exhibition explores the intersection of sustainability and art, hosts artist talk
A new art exhibit at Georgia Tech titled “Extension of Community: What it Means To Be Sustainable in a Digital World” opened last month on Georgia Tech’s campus. The exhibit examines “what it means to exist in today’s technology-enabled world while ensuring our planet can thrive,” according to the website, adding that it looks to […]
