About Sustainable OKC
Sustainable OKC began in spring 2005 as a local chapter of the Oklahoma Sustainability Network (OSN).
For more information about OSN and the history of the organization, visit www.oksustainability.org.
What is sustainability?
Sustainable OKC uses the United Nations definition of sustainability:
Sustainability: meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
At Sustainable OKC, sustainability is based on the interaction of business, environment, and social justice. We feel that these topics should be addressed not separately but rather in a way that acknowledges the inherent and beneficial interaction among them. We envision an Oklahoma City in which businesses are socially and environmentally responsible; in which the improvement of our environment is a mainstream, non-political activity that contributes to our economy; and in which social justice is given equal weight with business and environment in establishing community priorities.
A History of Sustainable OKC Events
Green Drinks: Green Drinks started in the Fall of 2005 as a way for community members to meet and greet, discuss sustainability in and around Oklahoma City, and network to help each other provide and find services and solutions related to sustainability. This successful event continues to be enjoyed by hundreds in Oklahoma City. Green Drinks began as a monthly get-together held on the third Tuesday evening of each month, and evolved into a quarterly event held in January, April, July and October of each year. Sustainable OKC hosts this event in partnership with Trattoria il Centro, a green restaurant in downtown OKC.
Movie Night: Sustainable OKC hosted movie nights in partnership with Sierra Club of Oklahoma. Movie nights were held at the Gold Dome on 23rd and Classen near downtown Oklahoma City. Movies shown included: “Kilowatt Ours,” “The Next Industrial Revolution,” “The Future of Food,” and included the movie screening and a discussion following the movie.
Sustainable Solutions Workshop Series: This series of events was held in partnership with the Midwest City Library. Workshops were held one Saturday each month for ten months and focused on an aspect of sustainability. Topics included: organic gardening techniques; composting and vermiculture; home weatherization; garbage and recycling; and home energy efficiency.
Smart Growth Series: Sustainable OKC implemented the Smart Growth series to serve as an education tool for the Oklahoma City area. This series was implemented in partnership with the Oklahoma City University Vivian Wimberly Center for Ethics and Servant Leadership. The first event, “Building a Great City: The Next Fifty Years for Central Oklahoma,” was a panel discussion hosted in November 2005. The panel discussion included: Miles Tolbert, Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment; Hans Butzer, TAP Architecture/Butzer Studio; Russell Claus, Oklahoma City Planning Department; Richard McKown, Ideal Homes; Lee Fithian, Lee A. Fithian Consulting; and Kelly Parker, Guaranteed Watt Saver Systems, Inc.
“City on the Move,” held in August 2006, featured speakers such as: Dick Pryor (moderator), OETA; Zach Taylor, ACOG; John Dugan, Oklahoma City Planning Department; Willa Johnson, Oklahoma City Council; and Dean Schirf, Greater OKC Chamber of Commerce.
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