Capital City Will Unveil 2020 Sustainability Roadmap

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (April 7, 2015) – The Little Rock Sustainability Summit will be held Thursday, April 9 in the Great Hall of the Clinton Presidential Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hosted by the Little Rock Sustainability Commission and the City of Little Rock, this annual event is an opportunity for residents to engage with industry professionals who have successfully integrated sustainable practices into their businesses and organizations.

The City of Little Rock will also present its 2020 Sustainability Roadmap, which includes a list of sustainability goals it plans to achieve within the next five years. This strategic plan was crafted after a series of public input meetings held last year.

The summit welcomes John Fisk, director of the Wallace Center at Winrock International, who will serve as keynote speaker.  Fisk will present on the topic of sustainable food systems.

“Forward-looking cities are investing in the development of local and regional food systems as a way to strengthen and diversify their economies by using the resources they already have," Fisk said. "This includes the passion and skill of their residents, the re-purposing of existing infrastructure and the desire for public-private partnerships."

Fisk will explain how the current food system directly impacts the environment, economy, communities and health. Attendees will receive information on innovative efforts that have been used to develop local and regional food systems and link rural and urban communities; offer access to healthy food; create business and job opportunities; and drive more sustainable land use.

The summit will also include presentations from local experts Steve Patterson, executive director of Arkansas Advanced Energy Association; Kathy Webb, executive director of Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance; and Jarod Varner, executive director of Central Arkansas Transit Authority. The group will discuss food security, transportation and energy efficiency.

The event will feature various personal empowerment learning opportunities for Little Rock residents, including a home energy efficiency showcase from the Pulaski Tech Weatherization Trailer.

The now sold-out summit was previously open for registration on a first-come, first-served basis.

Media is invited to attend the event.

###