Community development corporations (CDCs), community-based organizations (CBOs), universities, private developers and public agencies can enhance their missions and effectiveness by incorporating the following sustainable development principles into their programs and practices:

Promote Vibrant and Diverse Communities
* Support economic self-sufficiency and strong local economies
* Maximize fairness and efficiency in distribution of resources
* Promote democratic decision-making and civic engagement among diverse groups

Work Within Nature's Limits
* Use resources efficiently and productively
* Minimize use of fossil fuels and toxic materials
* Protect and restore ecosystems

Now in its sixth year, the Annual Regional Sustainable Development Forum will focus on the importance of considering the links between the different "pieces of the sustainability puzzle." Sustainable development is an overarching concept that reaches into many sectors of our society. Real estate development, environmental justice, urban agriculture and transit-oriented development - just to name a few - are all encompassed within the sustainability umbrella. Sustainable development concepts, as reflected in the organizations that espouse them and projects that emphasize them, are gaining prominence and respect in our region and moving toward more mainstream acceptance. New England is unique in that we have all of the pieces of the sustainability puzzle in our midst. We have non-profit and for-profit organizations, world-class universities, and forward thinking public agencies that have embraced sustainable development in all its forms. What is needed now is to take stock of how all these players contribute to sustainability and figure out how we can work collectively to take sustainable development to the next level.

This year's Forum will work toward that goal by emphasizing knowledge and skills related to fundraising, coalition building, communicating sustainability, regional linkages, and successful technologies and practices, and discuss how each of these subject areas are linked to the bigger sustainability picture. As always, the Forum will provide a unique opportunity for practitioners, policymakers, and funders to share best practices, explore ideas, and develop new collaborations.

Focusing on community and peer-to-peer learning, the forum will once again accommodate newcomers to sustainable development by offering a workshop that reviews the basics principals of sustainability. This approach allows for participants at all levels of experience with sustainable development to join in the interactive workshops planned throughout the rest of the day.

Purpose of the Forum:
* To promote the linkages that will strengthen the sustainability movement in our region.
* To provide sustainability practitioners the tools necessary to make their programs and projects as successful as possible.
* To demonstrate successful projects through case studies and discussion of "how-to's."
* To build a larger network of sustainable development practitioners.
* To make it easier for CDCs, CBOs, universities, private developers, and public agencies to promote and implement socially, economically, and environmentally responsible projects.

Desired Forum Outcomes:
* Heightened awareness of how sustainable development principles can be applied.
* An increased understanding of how the political climate relates to sustainability.
* Access to technical and financial resources.
* A more comprehensive and active network of sustainable development practitioners.
* Platform for ongoing dialogue and networking

Date, Time, Place and Fee:
* Friday, October 21, 2005
* 8:00 AM-5:30 PM
* Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 10-250, Cambridge, MA
* $95/person for non-profits, CBOs, and government employees $125/person all others
* Student rate: $50

If you are interested in receiving a paper version of the forum registration form, please email your name and mailing address to New Ecology, Inc. at forum@newecology.org.

FORUM SCHEDULE:

8am-8:30am Registration and Refreshments

8:30- 8:45 Welcome and Logistics

Edward Connelly, President, New Ecology, Inc.
Phillip Clay, Chancellor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Madeline Fraser Cook, Vice President, New Ecology, Inc.

8:45-10:00 Morning Keynote Address: "Challenging the Public Sector to Push Sustainability Forward: The Role of
Empowered Leaders"

Enrique Peñalosa - Former Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia and current Presidential candidate of Colombia

10:15-11:45 Morning Sessions:

Workshop A: "Sustainability 101: Understanding The Fundamentals, Emerging Issues and What They Mean for Your Career, Your Community and the World"

Facilitator: Paul Lipke, Sustainable Step New England, Montague, MA

Description: This interactive workshop will define sustainable development, help you put it into practice, and summarize emerging trends, all based on specific examples. The goal is to enable you to get the most out of the other workshops.

Workshop B: "Using the Internet to Bridge Gaps and Bring People Together"

Moderator: Richard O'Bryant, Assistant Professor, Political Science Department, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Presenter 1: Ami Dar, Executive Director, Idealist.org, New York, NY
Presenter 2: David Cavallo, Research Scientist, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, MA

Description: How do we create a virtual sustainable development network in New England? What new technologies would allow us to connect professionals and citizens to the resources that they need and want? Join us for a discussion on the role that the internet can play in connecting people and ideas for advancing sustainable development in our region.

Workshop C: "Suburban and Urban Systems: Sustainability Linkages"

Moderator: Peter Lowitt, Director, Devens Enterprise Commission, Devens, MA
Presenter 1: Amy Cotter, Senior Program Manager, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Boston, MA
Presenter 2: Jeff Cole, Executive Director, Federation of Massachusetts Farmers' Markets, Waltham, MA

Description: Urban, suburban, and rural areas have their own identities and their own unique sustainability challenges. Join us for a discussion of what sustainability looks like in these different environments as well as the role that their interdependence plays in regional sustainability.

Workshop D: "Creating a Financing Climate that Values Sustainability"

Moderator: Robert Pratt, Director, Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust, Westborough, MA
Presenter 1: David Feinberg, Board of Directors, Investor's Circle, Boston, MA/ San Francisco, CA
Presenter 2: Dewitt Jones, Loan Fund President and COO, Boston Community Capital, Roxbury, MA

Description: What are the challenges that face organizations pursuing funding for sustainability projects? How do we foster a financing climate that values sustainability? This session will focus on the current funding
climate for sustainability-based projects, and visions for the future.

12:00-1:00 Lunch / Networking and Poster Sessions (Lobby 13)

Poster Session Participants:
* ReVision House - Urban Agriculture Project
* Fitchburg Line Working Group - Rt. 2/Fitchburg Line Transportation Project
* Homeowner's Rehab, Inc. - Columbia Street Apartments
* Franklin County CDC - Food Processing Center
* The Institute for Sustainable Communities - Burlington Legacy Project
* Alternatives for Community and Environment - On the Move: Transportation Justice Coalition
* City Sprouts - Schoolyard Gardening Program in Cambridge, MA
* Somerville CDC - Linden Street Apartments
* City Life/Vida Urbana - Collective Barginning Model of Radical Organizing
* Lawrence Community Works - Our House for Design and Technology

1:15 - 2:45 Afternoon Sessions

Workshop E: "Relationships for Results: How to Build Effective Coalitions to Promote Sustainability"

Moderator: Lisa Clauson, Director, Community Labor United, Boston, MA
Presenter 1: Penn Loh, Executive Director, Alternatives for Community and Environment, Roxbury, MA
Presenter 2: Marvin Martin, Director, Greater Four Corners Action Coalition, Dorchester, MA

Description: How can innovative coalition building help move your project and the sustainability movement forward? What is the difference between an institutional and programmatic relationship? How does one build a diverse network of support? Join us for a discussion of these topics and a panel of organizations who have engaged in and benefited from unique coalitions.

Workshop F: "Demystifying Green Design Standards: Commercial and Residential"

Moderator: John Dalzell, Senior Architect, Boston Redevelopment Authority, Boston, MA
Presenter 1: Barbra Batshalom, Executive Director, Green Roundtable, Cambridge, MA
Presenter 2: Ellen Tohn, Principal, ERT Associates, Wayland, MA
Presenter 3: Robert Murray, Program Manager, GreenHomes Northeast, Cambridge, MA
Presenter 4: Bill Ravanesi Ma, Boston Campaign Director, Healthcare Without Harm, Longmeadow, MA

Description: This workshop is designed for participants who are looking to better understand new and effective green design and technology. Learn how to make sense of new design standards and how to evaluate which standards are relevant and important to your projects.

Workshop G: "Advancing Sustainability through Public Health Initiatives"

Moderator: Anne McHugh, Boston Public Health Commission, Boston, MA
Presenter 1: Dr. Megan Sandel, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA
Presenter 2: Wendy Landman, Executive Director, WalkBoston, Boston, MA

Description: How are public health and sustainability inextricably linked? By what mechanisms might sustainability be achieved through public health policy and how can health concerns inform and drive sustainability policy? Join us for a discussion of this topic which is crucial to the field of sustainability.

Workshop H: "Communicating Sustainable Development to Different Audiences"

Moderator: Julian Agyeman, Assistant Professor, Department of Urban and Environmental Studies, Tufts University, Medford, MA
Presenter 1: Jan Aceti, President, Aceti Associates, Arlington, MA
Presenter 2: Karen Yacos, Senior Project Director, The Orton Family Foundation, Manchester Village, VT

Description: How does one communicate the ideas and concepts of sustainability to a diverse public? This session will be a discussion of how understanding your audience is a vital component to planning and
implementing a successful sustainability project. Speakers will provide participants with the tools to begin to analyze and communicate with different audiences more effectively.

3:00-4:00 Afternoon Keynote Address: "Applying Lessons Learned: How Sustainability Can Be a Part of Major City Initiatives"

Andrew Altman - Former Director of D.C.'s Planning Office and current CEO of the
Anacostia Waterfront Corporation

4:00-5:30 Poster Sessions Continue, Wrap-Up, Raffle and Reception

Workshop Structure
The workshops in this forum are structured in order to provide attendees with not only a thorough understanding of the issues being presented, but to facilitate maximum audience participation. Active discussions between presenters and audience members is strongly encouraged!

Attendees/Target Audience
Up to 250 participants from community development corporations, community-based organizations, local, state and federal government agencies, foundations, universities, and planning and development firms.

Event Organizers
New Ecology, Inc. (NEI) is the main organizer with support from its Green CDCs Initiative partners, LISC, MACDC, and Tellus Institute as well as MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning.

Sponsors to Date:

Title Sponsors
NEI, LISC, MACDC, Tellus Institute, MIT School of Architecture and Planning and Department of Urban Studies and Planning, AIG Environmental, Boston Community Capital, EPA Region 1/ New England, Main Street Resources, Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust, Mostue & Associates Architects, Inc., The Orton Family Foundation, USAFund and Olmsted Green Development by Lena New Boston

Supporters
Energy Federation Incorporated, Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, Global Insurance Network, ICON architects, In Business: The Magazine for Sustainable Enterprises and Communities, KeySpan Energy Delivery, MassEnergy Consumers Alliance, Trust for Public Land

Endorsing Organizations
Boston Society of Architects, Congress for New Urbanism/ New England, Equal Exchange, Conservation Law Foundation, Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University, Green Roundtable, The Intervale Foundation, Massachusetts Audubon Society, Massachusetts Chapter of the American Planning Association, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Sarah James and Associates, Steven Winter Associates, Inc., Sustainable Step New England, WasteCap of Massachusetts, ZipCar

Raffle Contributors
Building Green, Inc., Harvest Coop, Massachusetts Audubon Society, Needham Garden Center, Patagonia, PlanetTran, Rocky Mountain Institute, Seventh Generation, Veggie Planet, Whole Foods Market, Zipcar

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