Sustainable Communities 2008

Sustainable Communities 2008 will bring together leading innovators Sim Van der Ryn, Paul Hawken, Peter Calthorpe, Stewart Brand, Jerry Brown and Peter Schwartz in San Francisco on September 26, 2008 for a rare one-day seminar on the past and future of sustainable communities. With Jacky Grimshaw of the Center for Neighborhood Technology moderating, they will explore the juncture of ecology and urbanism that's more critical than ever. As energy prices, greenhouse gas emissions, water concerns, and food production issues point to the need to refashion how our communities are built, this seminar is a must for design professionals and citizens alike. The event's host is the Congress for the New Urbanism, a leading national organization promoting walkable, neighborhood-based development as an alternative to sprawl. And at a special luncheon, included with full registration or available by separate ticket, CNU will honor Van der Ryn described by the New York Times as "the intrepid pioneer of the eco-frontier" with an Athena Award. The award is given to design and development leaders who laid the groundwork for today's re-emergence of urbanism and green community design. Starting with their collaboration on groundbreaking green policies and designs for the State of California under then-Governor Brown, the incredible group of people featured at Sustainable Communities 2008 introduced and advanced many of the innovations that form the backbone of the green building and sustainability movements. And they helped show that environmentalism must extend beyond conservation of natural lands and resources to encompass a comprehensive vision for human habitats sustainable cities and towns. The participants in Sustainable Communities 2008 are the ultimate guides to the transformation our society must make to move forward and prosper. Visit the event website and register today to take advantage of the early registration discount. http://cnu.org/sustainablecommunities08