Local leaders, institutions and businesses describe how they are addressing global environmental challenges

The Sierra Club will host a panel of local municipalities, businesses and institutions to talk about how they are enacting best environmental practices from 7 -9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 28 at the Blacksburg Public Library (200 Miller St.) in Blacksburg.

The forum, called “Best Environmental Practices: Challenges and Opportunities”.

“We all spend times talking about local solutions to global problems, and perhaps fail to recognize that a lot of environmental management is incremental,” Joe Scarpaci from the Sierra Club of the New River Valley.”

Panelists gathered represent local sustainability policy and philosophy bring together green businesses, municipal waste management, forest management and energy production and use.

Panelists include Dennis Cochrane Office of Sustainability, Virginia Tech, Ed Tucher, Shelter Alternatives, Pat Bixler, Baseline Solar Solutions, Allan Cummins, Montgomery County Waste Management, Mayor Michael Barber, Town of Christiansburg, Sustainability Manager Carol L. Davis, Town of Blacksburg;

Mayor David Horton, City of Radford. Also represented will be energy company American Electric Power and the United States Forest Service, which manages large land tracts in the NRV.

“These public and private leaders will, hopefully, shed light on the challenges and opportunities for keeping the quality of life in the NRV both sustainable and affordable,” Scarpaci said.

A question-and-answer session will follow the panel presentation.

For more information contact joescarpaci@gmail.com Sponsored by of the New River Valley

— Liz Kirchner