Spring of Celebrations The first quarter of the year flew by and we’ve enjoyed connecting with new faces and organizations across the state to share why sustainability matters. With each connection, we strive to live out our mission of connecting the sustainability goals of business in South Carolina with local solutions for the benefit of our economy, environment, and people. Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to.
March marked our 2nd anniversary! We are beyond grateful for every single person who has been with us along the way. It’s been an incredible journey growing our membership and establishing meaningful connections that pave the way for a more sustainable future for South Carolina. This is just the beginning!
SLI Graduation It’s official! Members of the second Sustainability Leadership Initiative (SLI) class are now certified SLI Fellows. On April 21, all 25 participants accepted their certificate of completion in Columbia. They were joined by members of the inaugural class of SLI Fellows, Trip Chavis of Milliken Advisors, Julia Dietz with Audubon South Carolina and Susan Johnson with the Medical University of South Carolina, for a special panel conversation to mark the end of the program, which runs from October to April.
Each fellow brought a unique perspective to the table. We cannot wait to see how these meaningful connections spark newfound opportunities and possibilities centered around sustainability in South Carolina. Congratulations!
Applications for the 2023-2024 SLI class open on May 15.
SLI Fellows Form Cross-Boundary Connections Fresh off graduation, SLI Fellows April Donnelly and Alex Sturgis both reflect on their experience in the program and share the big takeaways in our latest Insights article.
Young Voices Sustainability matters to the next generation. After all, they will inherit everything we leave behind—the good and the bad. It’s important to listen to their concerns, involve them in these conversations, and share their voice.
It’s why we invited one of Sustain SC’s Youth Ambassadors to write about her experience with our organization. Ellerbe Mendez is currently a senior at Ashley Hall in Charleston. She’ll be attending Swarthmore College in the fall. Her blog post offers some valuable insight. Thank you Ellerbe!
Litter Gitter On March 17, Sustain SC and Coca-Cola Consolidated installed a Litter Gitter on the University of South Carolina’s campus. The Litter Gitter is a floating structure designed to collect litter and debris into a “trash trap” to prevent it from going farther downstream. It deployed on the Rocky Branch Creek which is a magnet for litter that is left on campus as wind, rain, and gravity direct it toward the stream channel.
The partnership is part of Coca-Cola Consolidated’s Refresh Recycle Renew initiative, which invests in collaborations to establish, promote, and maximize recycling programs to ensure the company’s own recycled plastic and aluminum packages are turned into new bottles and cans.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our happy hour events in March. We hope you made some meaningful connections and enjoyed a beverage (or two). Stay tuned, Sips and Sustainability will be back in September!
Upcoming Events
Save the Date Our Sustainability Symposium is back later this year! Please save the date for October 26. Join us at Central Energy for an immersive meeting of the minds centered around elevating South Carolina as the future of commerce and conservation.
