Sustainable Communities Workshop

Attend the 2025 Sustainable Communities Workshop

Join us for the 20th Annual Sustainable Communities Workshop, where community members and experts come together to tackle key sustainability priorities. Engage with our speakers as they share insights on topics like resilient architecture, sustainable business, climate communication, and more. Connect with businesses and community groups at our exhibitor booths dedicated to building a sustainable future.

WHEN:	Nov. 06, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Awards and Social: 4-6 p.m.)
WHERE:	Harvest House, 3650 17th St., Sarasota » OR « Online/Digital
REGISTER:	tiny.cc/ufsaraext_scw2025

Theme: "Then, Now, Next: 20 Years of Sustainable Communities"

In celebration of the workshop's 20th anniversary, explore the historical progression and future vision of sustainability in our local communities. Journey with expert speakers as they share insight through the lenses of past, present, and future on resilient architecture, sustainable business, climate communication, and more. Learn about success stories achieved in our region, and help form a future vision for a more sustainable Sarasota County.

Meet Our Keynote Speakers

Emily Raboteau

portrait shot of emily raboteau Emily writes at the intersection of social and environmental justice, race, climate change, public art, and parenthood. Her latest book is "Lessons for Survival: Mothering Against the Apocalypse," shortlisted for the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. Since the release of the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, she has focused on writing longform essays about the climate crisis. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Nation, The New Yorker, the New York Times, Best American Science and Nature Writing, and elsewhere. A contributing editor at Orion Magazine and a regular contributor to the New York Review of Books, Raboteau’s distinctions include the Climate Narratives Prize and the Deadline Club Award in Feature Reporting. She serves as a full professor at the City College of New York, and lives with her family in the Bronx.

Don Hall

portrait shot of don hall Don has had the good fortune to serve the international Transition Towns Movement in a variety of capacities over the past 17 years. Initially serving for two years as education and outreach coordinator for Transition Colorado, the first official Transition Initiative in North America and a statewide hub, Don founded Transition Sarasota and became a certified Transition trainer in 2010. After six and a half years as Transition Sarasota’s executive director, he became co-director of Transition US in 2017, and then executive director in 2020. Don currently serves as training coordinator for Transition Network, and is the author of "The Regeneration Handbook: Transform Yourself to Transform the World." He also holds a master’s degree in environmental leadership from Naropa University, a certification in permaculture design from the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute, and lives in Boulder, Colorado.

John McCarthy

portrait shot of john mccarthy John is passionate about Florida ecology and history. A skilled storyteller, John is well known for his encyclopedic knowledge of the Sarasota region, which he shares through presentations, tours and publications. A native Floridian, John has lived in Sarasota since 1968 and attended Pine View School before earning a bachelor of science degree from Goshen College in Indiana. John worked with Sarasota County Government for 32 years as an environmental specialist, county historian, and director of the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department. He joined Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in 2020 when the organization adopted the Historic Spanish Point Campus, and serves as vice president there. His work in the community has been recognized by several awards, including the Historical Society of Sarasota County’s Hero of History, Junior League of Sarasota’s Partner of the Year, and Council of Neighborhood Associations’ Citizen of the Year. John champions sustainability, has attended Sustainable Community Workshops, and has served as workshop emcee.

Tickets

In-person
- Regular: $55
- Students: $30
Virtual
- Regular: $20
- Students: $5
Post-workshop awards and social RSVP: select "add-on" ticket when registering
Support others: Sponsor a ticket at checkout to help someone in need attend the workshop

Your registration fee includes access to the full-day workshop, featuring live sessions with expert speakers and valuable networking opportunities.

Need financial assistance? Contact us at SustainableSarasota@scgov.net or call 941-861-9874 to join the waiting list for sponsored tickets.

Special Accommodations: If you require special accommodations, please contact us in advance at 941-861-9874 or sustainablesarasota@scgov.net.

Register now and be part of the conversation to build a sustainable future!

Learn at the 2025 Sustainable Communities Workshop

In celebration of the workshop's 20th anniversary, join residents, business leaders, students, and organizations in person or online for an enriching experience at our 2025 Sustainable Communities Workshop. Engage with expert speakers and participate in panel discussions on key sustainability priorities and best practices, resilient architecture, sustainable business, climate communication, climate change, social equity, local projects, ways to get involved, and envisionment of the future for sustainable communities.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn and connect.

View the Agenda

See Speaker Bios

SCW Awards and Social

Continue the celebration with us after the workshop with an awards ceremony and social featuring live music, hors d'oeuvres, and drinks 4-6 p.m.

2025 Organizing Partners

We thank each of our organizing partners for their time and devotion to developing this event.

2025 Sponsors

We want to thank our incredible sponsors for their generous support of the Sustainable Communities Workshop! Their commitment to sustainability helps make this event possible, allowing us to come together and explore innovative solutions for a greener, more resilient future. We appreciate their dedication to our community and the environment.

Keynotes

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Scenes from the 2024 Sustainable Communities Workshop

Questions

For more information, e-mail us at SustainableSarasota@scgov.net or call 311 (or 941-861-5000) and ask about the 20th Annual Sustainable Communities Workshop.

Sarasota County, FL

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