It’s that magical time of year again when 3,800 pages worth of unneeded phone books arrive, uninvited, on my front porch. Out with the old, in with the new…but with a twist: The old phone books are 100% recyclable.  You can just throw them right into your blue curbside bins, and Charleston County Recycling will [...]

Recycling only takes a little knowledge, a little time, and a little motivation. If you see a neighbor throwing away materials that can be recycled, don’t be afraid to help them out. They may be missing the recyclable materials list, confused about their recycling pickup day, or unaware how important this basic civic activity really [...]

Not only has it been a while since we’ve updated the blog (sorry, you know, summer…3 kids…2 jobs…eek!), but we have quite a backlog in local businesses/organizations to add to the Local Guide. We’ve also done some housekeeping, moving the majority of the listings to the Local Guide page. With over 150 entries and new [...]

Did you participate in Carrotmob Charleston last April? If not, here’s your chance to get a feel for the project and what it was able to accomplish. Carrotmob was organized by Green Drinks Charleston and Carolina’s Eco-Unit, and helped raise $1600 to help the Queen Street Grocery green up their building. Carrotmob is a great [...]

The Sustainability Institute has been hosting Charleston Water Week to help encourage local residents to conserve this precious resource. And since we want to help the cause, we’re featuring different water-related nonprofits that serve our local community. The Coastal Conservation League, who is celebrating their 20 year anniversary, is working hard every day to preserve [...]

The Sustainability Institute is sponsoring Charleston Water Week to increase awareness around the conservation of our most precious resource – H2O. We want to help the cause, so each day this week we are featuring a different water-related nonprofit serving our local community. Charleston Waterkeeper was founded in September 2008 to preserve and protect the [...]

The great peeps over at The Sustainability Institute are sponsoring Charleston Water Week – a week-long celebration and educational series about water-related issues facing our community and planet. Water conservation and protection is becoming more and more important as potable water supplies diminish, so I think it’s great that the extra attention is being given [...]

Buying locally is a big part of living sustainably – both for us AND our community. Lowcountry Local First is asking local residents to take the 10% Shift Pledge and start buying more from local businesses. The goal is for local businesses, organizations, and families to shift an additional 10% of their annual spending to [...]

The Sustainability Institute and the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association are hosting the Atlantic Green Conference on June 19th and 20th. The 2-day event features 18 workshops covering nearly every aspect of green building. Titles include: Green Roof Systems, Advanced Lighting Solutions, Greening Historic Structures, and Green Infrastructure & LEED. The event also features keynote [...]

Wow, did we really leave that poll up for 4 months? When the year is new, you never know what people are going to do. We asked you what your priorities were for 2009, and the results were interesting. At first, supporting the local economy had a strong lead, but in the end, 43% of [...]

Jen and I like to use bikes as auto alternatives when we can, which is difficult out in the ‘burbs. With connector roads and 5-lane speedways, a simple trek to the grocery can be scary. Things aren’t getting easier. When Whipple Road was given a make-over, we thought this important vein in Mount Pleasant would [...]

I just wanted to wish all of you the happiest of Earth Days. We’ve been so inspired by you, this community, and the momentum our area is creating for sustainability. I truly believe that the work we’re all are doing is laying the foundation for a future we can be proud of. Earth Day is [...]

Cheers to Green Drinks Charleston and Carolina’s Eco-Unit for bringing Carrotmob Charleston to the Queen Street Grocery last Saturday. Over 400 shoppers showed up and spent $4870 (breaking the old Saturday record of $1400). Not only does this show the power of focused community action, but Queen Street Grocery will be spending around $1600 on [...]

Wow, Earth Day 2009 is fast approaching (April 22 – also our 2nd anniversary!), and with it comes many chances to celebrate with our green community. Here’s a quick set of links to help make your Earth Day plans: April 18 – Charleston County Earth Day Festival April 18 – Green Village Tour Run April [...]

Recycling Fail takes a look at ways people botch this basic green action. It’s funny…’cause it’s true. Here’s a shot where it looks like someone had some semi-useful items (wood scraps and a used window?), so they left them for “someone else to pick-up.” I bet they got their wish. I like how the glass [...]

If you’ve ever wanted to directly support the green initiatives of a local business, now’s your chance! This Saturday, April 11th, Carrotmob Charleston will be in action at Queen Street Grocery (map | street view). We often talk about “voting with our dollars” when it comes to green purchasing, but it’s often difficult to see [...]

I just wanted to thank the SC Aquarium for featuring Jen and I in the latest edition of Tributaries, their quarterly member newsletter. Members on a Mission is a new program that recognizes SC Aquarium members who are doing work in our community that aligns with the Aquarium’s mission. We were certainly honored to be [...]

A few times a year I travel to far off cities and speak with nonprofits about how social media can help their cause. While on the road, I always keep my green eyes peeled for interesting, innovative, and clever sustainability ideas. When I visit places like San Francisco, Portland, Vancouver, and Montreal, I always notice [...]

The Sustainability Institute has been chosen as the Whole Foods Market 5% nonprofit recipient for Tuesday, March 31st. The Whole Foods 5% Day project is part of the company’s community giving program, and does a great job supporting local nonprofits around the country. If you want to support The Sustainability Instititute, be sure to stop [...]

On April 18th, The Green Village Tour will once again wind its way through the streets of North Charleston’s Park Circle neighborhood. The 8k race will begin at 8 a.m. sharp, and will end at the after party in the Mixson development. There is also a 5k walk for non-runners, so there’s no reason not [...]