A message from Shannon Binns

As our valued partner we want you to know that your ongoing support continues to enable us to do important work to advance sustainability in our community. Below, please find some third quarter highlights, a partner spotlight, and upcoming events and opportunities to get involved. 

First, we want to acknowledge the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Helene, both closer to home in the Charlotte area and all across Western North Carolina. Our hearts go out to all of those who lost loved ones, homes, and a sense of normalcy in this disaster.

Unfortunately, “once in a lifetime” disasters like this are happening more frequently as the climate crisis escalates. We must all do everything we can to reduce our negative impact on the climate. That’s a primary reason Sustain Charlotte was started, and it’s what we continue to work toward every single day. Here are some ways that you can start making a change in your circle.

The state of North Carolina’s official disaster relief fund for Helene can be found here — and we’d also like to share this list from Blue Ridge Public Radio of vetted ways to help the Asheville and WNC community. 

Please share this newsletter with your colleagues and let us know what you’d like to see more of in next quarter’s update. 

With gratitude for your partnership,

Shannon Binns

Executive Director + Founder

Impacts in Quarter Two

Rise and Ride attendees with City Council Members (Photo: Zachary Turner/ WFAE)

Through your support, we have been able to advance wins on smart growth and transportation. Check out some of our main highlights below:

• In September Charlotte City Council voted to purchase railroad tracks from Norfolk Southern that can eventually be used for the planned commuter Red Line. Council members also approved a resolution to support draft legislation for a 1-cent sales tax that would help fund the Red Line and other vital transportation and road safety improvements. We want to thank all the individuals and organizations who advocated alongside us by calling or emailing their representatives and speaking at public hearings in support of these important developments. Together, we are moving forward to build a safe, affordable, equitable, and healthy transportation system! 

• We hosted two Rise and Ride events this quarter. This new series helps our community learn about the CATS bus system and how to navigate it in the hopes that they will feel comfortable using public transit regularly. We have been honored to be joined by Charlotte City Council Member Marjorie Molina, Mayor Pro Tem Dante Anderson, and Davidson Mayor Rusty Knox. These events are an interactive, exciting way for community members to have a discussion with government representatives about Charlotte’s transportation options. Check out this WFAE article about our September 24th Rise and Ride, where together, we explored the CATS Pass App, rode the bus to and from Uptown, and enjoyed a visit to the Uptown Farmers Market. 

• Our Build a Better Bus System Social on October 3rd was an interactive workshop about how to improve specific bus stops and bus routes in West Boulevard neighborhoods. With the recent news about the Charlotte region's transportation plan, we were eager to team up with the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), Charlotte Regional Transportation Coalition (CRTC), the West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition, and our community to brainstorm how we can improve public transit in and around Charlotte. We had a fantastic time connecting with folks, learning about our bus system, and discussing ways to improve public transportation for everyone. 

To learn more about what we’ve been working on, read our latest news.

Upcoming Events

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  • Our 10th annual Biketoberfest is quickly approaching on Sunday, October 27! You can experience this unique opportunity to explore our city on an epic, family-friendly scavenger hunt as you walk, run, or bike along a designated route and collect goodies and raffle tickets along the way. Based on your partnership level, you receive a number of complimentary tickets. Your discount code has been emailed. Please reply to this email if you’d like them to be resent. We encourage you to make a team and join our peer-to-peer fundraising challenge and hope to see you there! 

• • You can also sign up to volunteer for Biketoberfest! This is an excellent employee engagement opportunity to participate in with your colleagues. Please pass along the link!  

  
  

  • Join us for a stream clean on Saturday, November 9, at the Campbell Creek Greenway to clean the creek and preserve the beauty of our community. Meet at the Hindu Center of Charlotte (7400 City View Dr, Charlotte, NC 28212) at 10:00 a.m. Gloves, trash bags, litter pickers, and hip waders will be provided but supplies are limited, so please bring your own gloves and litter pickers if you have them. Sustain Charlotte is proud to co-host this event with AARP and CharlotteEAST. 

• • Do you want to learn more about urban design, smart growth, and transportation choices? Keep an eye on our events calendar to register for our Impact 704 Academy.  During this three-part series, we invite speakers representing the city government, educational institutions, nonprofits, and the private sector to engage our community and share advice for attendees to learn how to advocate for themselves and their communities. Impact 704 will be hosted on November 21, December 5, and December 11 from 6-8 p.m. Stay tuned for details! 

Partner Spotlight 

Stantec is a Sustain Charlotte Bronze Partner.

Stantec is a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting. Our professionals deliver the expertise, technology, and innovation communities need to manage aging infrastructure, demographic and population changes, the energy transition, and more.

We combine technical excellence, a creative spirit, and a vision for growth to help communities and clients reduce their environmental impacts and adapt to a changing climate. We balance innovation with evidence-based science and engineering best practices. 

Sustainability is part of who we are. It’s embedded in our people, projects, and direction. We know the value of working with other like-minded organizations to support a sustainable future and that includes Sustain Charlotte. 

Stantec’s Charlotte team of more than 40 professionals supports projects ranging from water resources planning, urban design, surveying, civil engineering, landscape architecture, stormwater management, traffic engineering, and city planning. Our local team is supported by our more than 31,000 colleagues working in over 450 locations across 6 continents. 

Stantec has worked with Charlotte Water and our contractor partners to design and install crucial pipelines for the utility’s water and wastewater network for more than 20 years. Our local Smart(ER) Mobility team is currently designing mobility hubs with NCDOT and supporting communities with their electric vehicle infrastructure across the region.

We’re honored to have received the Inspiring Large Business award at the 2024 Sustain Charlotte Awards and our team looks forward to our continued engagement with the local community and beyond.

With every community, we redefine what’s possible.

Thank You for Your Support

 Photo: Jim Mcguire

Thank you so much for your support as a Sustain Charlotte Partner. Your partnership helps us advance our mission to create a healthier, more equitable, more vibrant community! 

If you have any questions about our work or your partner benefits, let us know.