Georgia WAND and Georgia Conservation Voters (GCV) teamed up to sue the state of Georgia over what they are calling illegal practices. The lawsuit alleges that “Georgia violated state constitution with HB-1312, which unilaterally blocked public service commissioner elections and allowed sitting members to rubberstamp controversial utility bill hikes, the highest in state history.” The […]
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.
Plastic recycling plant eyes Thomaston as its landing site, is met with mixed reception
A new organization, Upson Environmental & Government Transparency, was formed last month in response to a proposed $1 billion plastic pyrolysis facility from the California-based company Brightmark in Thomaston, Ga. Brightmark, founded in 2016, previously aimed to build a similar facility in Macon, Ga., which would have been the world’s largest plastic-to-fuel facility but was […]
New training program launches for emerging real estate developers in Atlanta
A new training program called the Equitable Development Initiative is looking to train investors to bring more affordable housing to Atlanta. The program is being organized by Capital Impact Partners, a community development financial institution (CDFI) and part of the Momentus Capital brand which focuses on financing for disinvested communities. The application period closed on […]
Georgia Tech team among three teams to win final phase of DOE Community Energy Innovation Prize
The U.S. Department of Energy announced three student-led teams as winners for the final phase of its Collegiate Track of the American-Made Community Energy Innovation Prize, including one team from Atlanta. This final phase called the IMPACT phase, awarded the three teams’ community partners a total of $100,000. The pitch to be selected as a […]
New report claims Georgia is leading the clean energy boom nearly two years after the Inflation Reduction Act
Politics are tricky and exhausting — just about anyone could tell you that, especially in an election year where Georgia is again a battleground state. Most politicians, however, can agree on a few things, at least in principle, and creating jobs is one of them. In fact, the United Nations agrees, too, with their Sustainable […]
Roots plants itself in Atlanta as a lucrative option in rental scene
Roots, a privately held Regulation A+ Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), is using a mutually beneficial “win-win” model to make renting more rewarding for their tenants and themselves. The “Live In It Like You Own It” model is simple: renters earn a rent rebate each quarter for being a good tenant. The relationship is designed […]
Atlanta’s e-bike program kicks into gear
In early 2024, the City of Atlanta announced a joint electric bike rebate program alongside the Atlanta Regional Commission and Propel ATL. That time has finally arrived. Starting Sunday June 16, City of Atlanta residents could apply for one of four rebate program tiers: Expecting a high demand of applicants, the city only gave a […]
Nearly 300 environmental advocates paddle down 107 miles of Georgia rivers to raise awareness for rivers
A week-long paddle expedition by a group of environmentalists called Paddle Georgia is drawing attention to Georgia’s rivers. On June 15, 290 paddlers took to their canoes and kayaks to paddle 107 miles down Georgia’s Altamaha River, with a goal of educating and raising awareness both for outsiders and the participants themselves. The Altamaha is […]
DeKalb hosts free tech bootcamp for immigrants and refugees
A free training program in DeKalb County called Bubble Tech Bootcamp is launching its first cohort in early June, aimed at teaching the software Bubble, a visual programming platform that requires little to no code from users, to participants from the immigrant and refugee community. The initiative, officially kicking off on June 11, is a […]
Norcross approves rezoning request to build 16 homes for students facing housing insecurity in extended stay motels
On May 6, the City of Norcross approved Gwinnett Housing Corporation’s rezoning request for a 1.33 acre property on Medlock Bridge Road to allow 16 townhomes for students and their families facing housing insecurity staying in extended-stay rooms — typically motels. The property is owned by Gwinnett County Water and Sewer Authority — a publicly […]
New aquaponics facility hosts groundbreaking ceremony in Clayton County
A Forever Young Aquaponics facility broke ground in Jonesboro last Thursday, which will be able to produce food locally for cities around the Southeast including Atlanta. Aquaponics is an agricultural technique that combines hydroponics — growing plants without soil, a technique often seen in vertical farms — and aquaculture — cultivating fish in an enclosed […]
Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative report outlines steps towards building Black prosperity
The Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative (AWBI) released its Beloved Economy report earlier this year. The report confirms Atlanta is one of the nation’s top cities for income inequality and economic injustice — a title it has held for years — and offers solutions to close the gap. According to the report, more than a third of households in Atlanta have […]
Cherry Street Energy opens new office with solar school
Cherry Street Energy opened their new office building, and with it, a “Solar School” earlier this month. With a growing team, along with big contracts like City of Atlanta, Fulton County, Emory, Savannah and Chatham County, the company decided it was time to move into a space that reflected that growth. The company moved from […]
Georgia nonprofit wins over $156 million grant from federal government to help rooftop solar adoption for low income homeowners
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced it’s sending $7 billion dollars out in a wave of funding for the Solar for All program, and a Georgia coalition is receiving over $156 million of it. Solar for All is a function of President Biden’s clean energy agenda; the program itself was born out of the […]
Spark 5k run makes a return to Piedmont Park as a partnership between two organizations
The Spark 5k run and walk is returning to Piedmont Park on May 9. This year all the proceeds will go towards two Atlanta-founded nonprofits. The race, sponsored by Roark Capital, will send dozens of participants racing through Piedmont Park. Funds will go towards the Kyle Pease Foundation (KFP), which advocates for people with disabilities […]
Sundance exploring potential new host cities, Savannah floated as a possible new home for the legendary film festival
The Sundance Film Festival, the nation’s largest independent film showcasing, could be looking for a new host city to call home for the legendary festival — and Savannah might just fit that bill. The festival has been held in Park City, Utah, since 1978 and is by far the biggest event held there. From the […]
The Atlanta Community Food Bank opens a new location in Jonesboro
On May 1, the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) held a ribbon cutting ceremony for their new community food center location in Jonesboro, which aims to increase access to fresh food in the area. ACFB serves 29 counties across Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. Jonesboro, located in Clayton County, has a median household income of […]
Earth Month may be ending, but the fight for the planet continues
Just because Earth Month is nearing its end, does not mean the work of activists and environmentalists does as well. On the contrary, the work must remain persistent — that’s according to Lowell E. Baier. Lowell E. Baier is an environmental attorney with over 30 years of experience, author of multiple books about environmentalism, and […]
Georgia Tech embraces artificial intelligence with new “digital sandbox” that will equip students with resources in the age of AI
The Georgia Institute of Technology is embracing the age of artificial intelligence. Earlier this month, Georgia Tech unveiled its new AI Makerspace on campus, described as a “digital sandbox”, that aims to facilitate access to resources for students to become proficient in emerging tools and advance AI. The makerspace is a project launched in conjunction […]
DeKalb commissioner proposes resident-led environmental justice commission
Last week, Commissioner Ted Terry (DeKalb District 6) introduced a resolution to create a resident-led environmental justice commission that would enable citizens to more directly influence environmental policy in their communities. The reason behind the introduced legislation and an increased focus on environmental justice is a simple matter of due diligence, Commissioner Terry said. “DeKalb […]