Sustainable Norcross, Inc.: In Sync

What Is Sustainable Norcross?

Do you recycle, compost, xeriscape, use rain barrels? Would you like to learn how? Are you interested in organic and locally grown produce but cannot find it? Do you admire the fabulous tree canopy in Norcross? Ever wondered how to certify your yard as a Wildlife Habitat? Are you concerned about the quantity and quality of our water? Is it better to use paper or plastic bags at the grocery? What natural products are safe but effective? Ever considered sustainable alternatives for flooring, clothing and other products? Where can you discard old electronics?

Well, let’s learn together.

Starting a new organization can be a daunting task. Then an online training manual advised:

"Don’t wait - Get started without funding, expertise, or fear of adverse consequences.

Seek useful resources - Information on the web, in literature, in the community, in person, from experts.

Seek ways to scale up - Transform successful solutions into a movement of local significance.

Have fun projects – enjoy doing. Your efforts can result in important benefits, and you can have a good time while you’re at it!"

And that is exactly what a group of like minded citizens did. The organizational meeting was held June 1, 2008 and we've been busy ever since.

Learn more about us here on our blog or contact us now.

Sunday, September 20, 2015

In Sync

Through an intergovernmental agreement Gwinnett County DOT manages the county and state roads inside Norcross city limits. Over multiple years and with federal grants, SPLOST, and other funding, several sets of traffic signals on busy Norcross roads have been synchronized for improved traffic low, less idling time, and quicker commutes. Less idling reduces fuel consumption for drivers and also reduces air pollution for everyone. On a per corridor analysis it has been estimated from before and after studies that annual fuel consumption can be lowered by 7% and CO/VOC emissions lowered by 17 & 12% respectively with these synchronized traffic signals. Here are some of the sets of synchronized lights in and near Norcross: 9 cameras, 15 traffic signals on 3.6 miles of Indian Trail Road between Beaver Ruin Road and US Highway 29/Lawrenceville Highway. Peachtree Industrial Blvd from Holcomb Bridge to Rogers Bridge and upgrade of existing infrastructure along Jimmy Carter Blvd from US 29 to Holcomb Bridge at the river. A similar project from Beaver Ruin Rd SR 378 from Buford Hwy SR 13/US 23 to Lawrenceville Hwy US 29 was completed around May 2010. Buford Hwy SR 13/US 23 from Global Forum Blvd to Sugarloaf Pkwy. The portion inside Norcross city limits includes 6 intersections of Buford Hwy with: Jimmy Carter Blvd, North Norcross - Tucker Rd, Cemetery St, Mitchell Rd, Beaver Ruin Rd/Lawrenceville St, Langford Rd/Old Norcross Rd. Construction started Fall 2009 and was finished in approximately April 2011. The Vision Statement of Gwinnett County Department of Transportation lists among its aspirations to “…be known as the place with …synchronized traffic signals…”among other things. To this end the division maintains over 700 signals, 170 flashers, over 200 miles of fiber optic communications cable, 207 CCTV cameras and the operation of the Traffic Control Center. Some of these signals are synchronized and we are pleased that some of them are in and around Norcross. They aid Norcross in becoming and remaining a Green Community.

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Recycling Mega Event Saturday September 26, 2015

Sustainable Norcross, Inc.

We are a volunteer grassroots non-profit organization committed to education, communication and implementation of strategies and initiatives that foster sustainable living.

Our participants have identified their top two priorities as:

1) Recycling and Waste Reduction, and
2) Trees and Green Space

Additional priorities include Water Conservation, Energy Conservation, Transportation and Air Quality, Land Use and Green Building.

Please join us as we build an active and knowledgeable volunteer and outreach organization to engage and educate our local community about environmental resources and initiatives in the greater Norcross, Georgia area.

For volunteer opportunities, classes, ideas and suggestions please contact us.

Parks and Rec Master Plan Adopted

Update of this important City Wide Parks Master Plan is coming soon in Fall 2015. Watch for details.

Thanks to your input and participation a comprehensive master plan will guide parks, green space and recreation plans for the city of Norcross over the next 10 years. The Mayor and City Council adopted the plan February 7.

The project was promoted by the citizen advocates of the Parks and Green Space Commission, Tree Board, Sustainable Norcross and others. It was months in the making and the result of public input, staff support and professional consultation at the direction of the city leaders.

Two main priorities are adding resources in underserved areas and ensuring connectivity to existing resources and points of interest.

Spring is for Volunteering

Can you believe the busy season is upon us? Norcross, gaining a reputation as the Festivals and Events City, is about to explode with exciting activity and fun things to do that will take us right up to the end of the year.

And we can't do it without YOU.

Sustainable Norcross supports EVERY city sponsored event. Our volunteers do this in many ways. The most visible one is by ensuring temporary recycle containers are strategically placed for use at each event. Participants expect to continue their recycling habit even when away from home enjoying our world class activities. And volunteers supplement and support the City's efforts to ensure a quality experience for all.

Yet Sustainable Norcross is so much more. Our volunteers are active in the areas of Trees and Green Space,Water Conservation, Energy Conservation, Green Building, Transportation and Air Quality, Land Use, Education, Recycling and Waste Reduction and of course, Volunteerism.

Contact us today and learn how YOU can make a difference as a Sustainable Norcross volunteer.

Spring is for Planting

Check out Spring plans for Norcross Charity Garden here.

Rent your own raised garden bed. Enjoy the fruits of your labor. Eat from a safe, local, sustainably managed garden where you control what goes in and on your food. Donate some or all of the produce you grow to a local shelter for women and children. Or if you don't have a green thumb, donate the bed you buy and volunteers will tend your garden spot.

Join your neighbors at the first community garden in Norcross on Saturday April 10 for Spring Planting Day at Norcross Charity Garden.

Winter Gardening Tips for Wildlife

Create a haven for wildlife by following these four simple tips:

1. Provide food for wildlife with native plants that offer nuts, berries and seeds.

2. Clean and fill your birdbath on a regular basis. Since water can freeze here, invest in a birdbath heater.

3. Anchor your old holiday tree in a secluded part of your yard and wildlife will use it as shelter from winter weather.

4. Provide additional cover for wildlife by starting a compost pile of needles, pinecones and wreaths from your holiday decorations.

Create a wildlife-friendly yard officially certified by National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat program.

Enjoy "wildlife TV" watching the birds and critters out your windows. Visit www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife.

2009 MAYORS’ CHRISTMAS MOTORCADE

Here's your chance to repurpose new items in your closet and give a holiday gift to patients at our state mental hospitals who may otherwise not receive any holiday cheer.

Needed items include wrapping paper and bows and the following:

PERSONAL CARE ITEMS: Toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs/brushes, cosmetics, shaving lotion, deodorant, after-shave.

MISC: Stationery, pens/pencils, tote bags, cookies/snacks, movies (PG or G only), hair accessories.

NEW CLOTHING: (Women - Extra Large thru 4XXXX and Men - Small) Pajamas/nightgowns/bathrobes, socks, underwear, bedroom shoes, hats.

OTHER MISC: Board games, cards, T-Shirts, baseball caps, watches, walkman radios, top 40 CD’s/tapes, wallets.

Full details here.

Make A Difference - Be A Volunteer Now Through October

Friday, Saturday and Sunday October 2, 3 and 4 - Join the fun at Art Fest. Help before, during and after the premier city wide event.

Friday October 9 - Set up recycling for the final Concert in the Park for this season and
Saturday October 10 - 7 AM Retreive recycling from concert at Thrasher Park

Saturday October 17 from 9 AM to Noon - Get down and dirty with the annual Rivers Alive stream clean up.

Saturday October 24 assist with the city sponsored 4 in 1 Day: Electronics Recycling, Document Shredding, Clean Up and Non-Perishable Food Drive

Every Tuesday Through October - The Whistle Stop Farmers Market needs YOU to assist in set up and pack up.

Volunteer Today

Adopt A Stream Training

Adopt-A-Stream Training at Elachee, Friday, October 23, 6-10 pm, and Saturday, October 24, 9 am – 4 pm. Join water groupies at the 1.5-day workshop that will train you to effectively and accurately monitor streams. Learn to delineate your watershed, chemically analyze streams, and accurately identify macro invertebrates.

Upon completion you’ll be certified by Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, the state’s leading citizen science stream monitoring organization. Trainees under age 18 are welcome when
accompanied by an adult. Materials Fee: $5. Registration required. Contact Judith Cocus, judith@elachee.org or 770-535-1976.

Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville, GA 30504. http://www.elachee.org/.

Additional Adopt - A - Stream training classes at http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/aascd.home.html

Chamblee Garden and Wildlife Habitat Club Speaker - October 5

Next Monday night, October 5, will bring back the group's favorite speaker of all time – Bobby Wilson of the UGA Cooperative Extension Service. The requests for him to come and talk about fall and winter gardening – especially cool season veggies – has been overwhelming.

The meeting will be at 7:30 PM at D’Youville Clubhouse. Turn into D’Youville Trace off Chamblee Dunwoody Road across from the Chamblee Methodist Church and follow the road to the top of the hill – the clubhouse and pool will be on your right.

Go hear Bobby Wilson share his knowledge on gardening and meet nature enthusiasts of neighboring Chamblee, the first and only Community Wildlife Habitat in Georgia.

Volunteer Opportunities June 2 - 8

Tuesday June 2 the Whistle Stop Farmers’ Market debuts at 4 PM and runs until 8 PM or sell out. Join us at Thrasher Park. Come early or stay late to assist with set up or clean up which includes placing and retrieving the special events recycling containers.

First Thursday arrives June 4 with special things going on in Historic Downtown Norcross from 5 – 9 PM. Help put out event recycling containers at 4 PM and retrieve at 9 PM.

Friday June 5 the Bel-Aires will bring us the sounds of the 60’s at newly refurbished Thrasher Park 7:30 – 9:30 PM. Set up recycle containers at 5 PM and collect them immediately after the free concert.

Wrapping around to the following week the Official Grand Opening of both Thrasher Park and the Whistle Stop Farmers’ Market is set for 4 PM and includes your favorite summer ice cream social hosted once again by Norcross Neighbors. Help us set up at 2 PM and break down at 8 PM.

Contact sustainablenorcross@gmail.com to volunteer.

Norcross Charity Garden

Located at the Wingo Street Cottages in Historic Norcross

We are a community sponsored garden whose produce benefits the health, finances and spirit of homeless families through the donation of the produce we grow.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
• Help prepare the soil
Saturday, May 9th starting at 9:00am
• Join us for planting day
Saturday May 16th, 9:00am–3:00pm.
• Make a donation.
• Stop by the garden on nice days to help with general
maintenance and harvesting throughout the summer.

Schedule a time for your group or company to volunteer today.

For more information, contact Laura Laszlo at sustainablenorcross@gmail.com .

10th Annual Chamblee Community Wildlife Habitat Garden Tour

Featuring Artists in the Garden

Saturday, May 30, 2009
10 AM – 4 PM
Tickets $10.00

Purchase tickets in advance at 770-451-6079, 770-458-4294, Ashe-Simpson Nursery or on May 30 at 3747 Longview Drive, first home on the tour.

All eight gardens are Certified Wildlife Habitats with National Wildlife Federation , providing food, water, shelter and places to raise young for native wildlife.

Chamblee Arts Alliance will display artwork in the gardens.
A plant sale will be held at 3747 Longview Drive. All funds will benefit the Chamblee Community Wildlife Habitat Continuing Education Program

Team Work Results

Thanks to the cooperation of the City, the Parks and Green Space Commission and the volunteers of Sustainable Norcross 5,280 pounds of metal were diverted from the construction landfill.

The deconstructed metal fence removed for the renovation of Thrasher Park netted $316.80 to fund filing for non profit and IRS tax exempt status and operating expenses and projects of Sustainable Norcross.

Special thanks to Craig, John, Marvin, Jose, LaMonte, Louis, Jennifer, Barbara, Jim, Kathy, Art, Betsy, Ken, Meryl and Connie.

Watch for more volunteer opportunities coming soon.

A VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

is available on Saturday February 14 (yep, Valentine’s Day) from 8 AM until? at Thrasher Park in downtown Norcross. If you have them, please bring work gloves, safety goggles, shovels, hammers and pick up trucks. In cooperation with the City Public Works Department and Parks and Green Space Commission we will assist in deconstruction of the metal fence at the playground, removal of concrete from the posts and loading. Community service workers will also help. The metal will be recycled or repurposed with proceeds to fund filing for non-profit and tax exempt status for Sustainable Norcross. Come show some love, save the planet and earn some green for Sustainable Norcross. For more details email sustainablenorcross@gmail.com.

Goals of Sustainable Norcross, Inc.

Volunteerism: Create an active and knowledgeable volunteer and outreach organization.

Education: Educate community about available environmental resources and initiatives in our area.

Recycling and Waste Reduction: Encourage the City to lead by example to buy and use recycled and post-consumer products, recycle all possible waste, compost yard debris; use vendors that recycle and use recycled materials. Encourage and incentivize all citizens to do the same. Encourage City to set up permanent recycling drop-off locations.

Trees and Green Space: Increase overall number of parks, acres of green space, trees, and locally grown food choices to improve energy use, a sense of place, healthy food and water, and fuel reduction.

Water Conservation: Significantly reduce water consumption through conservation and innovative practices and increase the overall water quality of our surface and ground water resources.

Energy Conservation: Reduce total energy consumption by the City, commercial, industrial and private individuals, while simultaneously increasing percentage of renewable energy sources used.

Transportation and Air Quality: Reduce overall emissions by providing local essential services and encouraging human-powered alternatives, efficient use of space, and conservative vehicle operating guidelines.

Land Use: Encourage City to provide incentives for redevelopment of grayfield and brownfield sites for commercial, industrial and government use. Encourage mixed-use development, appropriate in-fill development, and essential service businesses.

Green Building: Promote Leed certification for new municipal buildings and LEED-EB certification for existing municipal building renovations. Encourage City to provide incentives for residential, commercial and industrial construction that also meet green building guidelines.