The Atlanta-based nonprofit Captain Planet Foundation hosted its annual Benefit Gala on Saturday, March 15 — complete with an on-brand “green carpet” for guests’ arrival — and raised more than $500,000 through the night. The gala, one of the largest environmental fundraisers in the city, honored three awardees: The Captain Planet Foundation nonprofit has been […]
Category: Mark Lannaman
Mark Lannaman is a current graduate student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He holds a B.A. from Georgia State University and an M.S. from Georgia Tech. He has previously worked with WABE as an intern for the Atlanta Press Club. Mark was a 2021 National Association of Hispanic Journalists mentee, 2021 Every Learner Everywhere fellow, & 2022 Society of Environmental Journalists fellow. He enjoys reporting on topics including sustainability, environment, education and urban development. Born and raised in Metro Atlanta, his family comes from Jamaica and Colombia. One of his favorite quotes is, “You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore” -André Gide.
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Atlanta Science Festival returns to the city with something for everyone
For two weeks in March, science is taking center stage in Atlanta. Atlanta Science Festival (ASF) is making a return to the city, with the kickoff starting on March 8, 2025. The festival will feature over 140 exhibitions and events for people of all ages. It’s facilitated by Science ATL and has over 80 partners, […]
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Atlanta’s e-bike program pedals through a successful first year
Atlanta is putting the pedal to the metal — bike metal, that is. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) e-bike rebate program, which officially launched in July 2024, released the Atlanta E-Bike Rebate Program 2024 Year-End Report earlier this week detailing the early outcomes of its program — and found that most recipients are “riding often […]
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Congestion pricing runs into a speedbump, leaving it with an uncertain future
New York City’s congestion pricing — the policy that puts a toll on entering one of New York City’s historically most traffic-afflicted areas — has been met with strong reactions from residents. Now, one of the city’s most famous residents and current president is weighing in on the policy. President Trump has long been on […]
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Zoning out: Cambridge, MA delivers huge win for urbanists and residents worried about housing
The City of Cambridge, Mass., home to multiple colleges, including two of the nation’s most prominent universities, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, just voted to end what it calls exclusionary zoning. To the delight of urbanists around the country, Cambridge City Council voted 8-1 for proposed zoning reform, which will clear the way […]
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Cam Kirk Studios finds new home on the Beltline
A household name in the Atlanta creative scene is bringing his studio onto the Beltline. Cam Kirk Studios, named after its founder and Morehouse alum photographer Cameron Kirkland, who goes by Cam Kirk, completed its move from its previous Downtown space and opened its new studio location on the Beltline near Krog Street Market On […]
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Park Pride starts the year with more than $3 million in grants allocated to parks
Park Pride is flexing its green thumb — both in park stewardship and the funding behind those parks. The nonprofit announced today that it awarded over $3 million in grants to 23 park projects across the city, with over 60 percent of that funding to parks in historically underinvested communities. This comes as Park Pride enters […]
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Game changer: City of Atlanta opens hi-tech computer lab and e-sports gaming center
On Jan. 17, the City of Atlanta opened the MLK Jr. Recreation & Aquatic Center’s Hi-Speed Hi-Tech Computer Lab and E-sports Gaming Center with the goal of making a space to have fun and to learn technical skills in game development and design. The project was a joint effort between the Department of Parks and […]
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Latinos in Georgia make gains in electoral power in 2024 election
As the Georgia Latino community continues to grow, so too does its voting presence. A new 2024 Georgia Latino Vote Report was released earlier this month by GALEO, a Georgia nonprofit advocating for greater civic engagement from the Latino community, and the GALEO Impact Fund. The report details that the state added more than 113,000 […]
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Bold action from the Big Apple sparks mixed responses in congestion pricing: a pedestrian’s paradise or a driver’s nightmare?
Never one to shy away from the big moment, New York City is kicking off 2025 with bold action to curb the traffic in its streets: congestion pricing. It’s been over a week since New York City began its congestion pricing policy on Jan. 5 — officially called the Central Business District (CBD) Tolling Program […]
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It’s official: Last year was the hottest year on record — again
In what seems to be becoming a yearly tradition as constant as wishing someone a happy new year, last year — just like the year before it — was the hottest year on record. NASA confirmed late last week that 2024 now holds the title for the warmest year on record, knocking 2023 from the […]
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Mayoral climate coalition announces 2025 leadership team, includes Mayor Dickens as vice-chair
Climate Mayors, a nationwide coalition of over 350 mayors dedicated to climate action, announced their 2025 leadership team on Monday, Jan. 6 — which includes Atlanta mayor Andre Dickens as a new vice-chair along with Mayor Lauren McLean of Boise, Idaho. The coalition started in 2014 and has mayors representing 46 states. Six other mayors […]
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife announces plans to expand Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge by 22,000 acres
On Jan. 3, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced it is moving forward with a plan to expand the acquisition boundary of one of Georgia’s most precious natural resources — the Okefenokee swamp. The expanded acquisition boundary authorizes the FWS to purchase or conserve additional land around the Okefenokee. However, the decision remains […]
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The cost of holiday shopping goes beyond the price tag
The holiday season is in full swing, with Halloween and Thanksgiving in the rear-view mirror and Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s in the weeks to come. And with it, trash. A lot of trash. We tend to be excellent at throwing things “away,” but many would be challenged to truly describe what “away” looks […]
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Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park approaches official status as Georgia’s first National Park, 64th in the U.S.
Georgia is one of 20 U.S. states without a National Park, but that may soon change. The state is on the verge of getting its very own National Park through the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, located in Macon, Ga., which looks to become a National Park pending final approval from Congress. Georgia has several […]
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Make the urge to volunteer around the holidays a lasting habit
The holidays are a special time for self-reflection and sense of community. By extension, many nonprofits often see higher volumes of volunteers in the months around the winter holiday season. Claire Arnold, associate director of community and civic engagement with Hands On Atlanta, which connects interested people with volunteer opportunities, said community interest inquiries triple […]
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U.N. wraps up fifth session of negotiations on plastic pollution treaty in Korea, falls short of finalizing
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 […]
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HouseATL welcomes new advisory board directors
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 […]
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‘PFAS contamination of their land, water, blood and food’: farmers demand stricter PFAS regulation in sewage sludge
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 […]
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Sustainable Fashion Week Atlanta hosts Conscious Couture Fashion Museum & Gallery for America Recycles Day
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 […]
