2024 Annual Report
Sustainable Newton is proud to summarize 2024 in this report. Once again, we put into action our commitment to creating a world where people and the planet are as important as profit and future generations matter.
Serving the Community with Clean, Abundant Power from the Sun
We started the year on a high note in February by going live with a 21-kW rooftop solar system for McIntosh Trail Early Childhood Development Council’s Newton County campus. The project, begun in 2023, was funded through the Meta Community Action Grant program. By powering the non-profit’s facility with clean, renewable energy, McIntosh will save an estimated $165,000 over the 30-year life of the system and avoid 330 tons of CO2 emissions. The savings will allow the early learning facility to direct more resources to serve local youth and families. |
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During 2024, we remained steadfast in our mission to drive solution-oriented local responses to the global issues of climate change and sustainability. Our board of volunteers determined that the best way to approach the year was in two parts. First, to educate our community and promote awareness, we hosted nine 30-45 minute educational sessions. Topics included water conservation, protecting our pollinators, climatology, transportation, solar, clean power, organic farming, glass recycling and a presentation from our UGA Capstone project team. You can watch replays of these sessions with subject matter experts on our website.
Our second strategy to further our mission was to continue and expand our committee structure to allow more in-depth focus in six specific areas: transportation, Ethylene Oxide (EtO), communications, waste diversion, IRA, and events.
Our Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Committee continued to educate people in our community about household electrification and energy conservation incentives available through the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and connect them to Rewiring America, a resource featuring online tools to help identify which IRA incentives individuals qualify for. We promoted the IRA at these community events:
Our second strategy to further our mission was to continue and expand our committee structure to allow more in-depth focus in six specific areas: transportation, Ethylene Oxide (EtO), communications, waste diversion, IRA, and events.
Our Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Committee continued to educate people in our community about household electrification and energy conservation incentives available through the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and connect them to Rewiring America, a resource featuring online tools to help identify which IRA incentives individuals qualify for. We promoted the IRA at these community events:
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In August, we hosted our Pizza, Pollinators, & Clean Power event at Yellow Hen Farm. The program successfully promoted IRA incentives, in addition to the Great Southeast Pollinator Census. We hosted over 60 attendees. Exhibitors included Better Tomorrow Solar and Georgia Interfaith Power and Light. Speakers included PSC Commissioner Tim Echols, Newton County Manager Harold Cooper, and Georgia Conservation Voters representative Jesus Rubio.
Rewiring America provided key support for the event -- including press relations -- and helped expand the original concept to include a ribbon cutting as a tie-in to Rewiring America’s national campaign to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the IRA being signed into law . |
"Incredible work, ya'll. Thank you for joining our ribbon cutting idea to your pollinator event. The photos were incredible. Sustainable Newton definitely punches above its weight." -- Alex @ Rewiring America
Sustainable Newton celebrated a decision by the Covington City Council in November to adopt an ordinance change whereby commercial non-demand accounts implementing distributed solar energy systems would pay the same standby fees as residential accounts. Although seemingly a small win, this is very important for nonprofits and churches who wish to pursue solar.
Environmental Protection: During late spring and early summer of 2024, the EtO committee drafted and submitted comments to GaEPD regarding BD’s application for the newly required air quality permit for the Global Distribution facility. Further, the committee developed a close relationship with Ms. Heather Brown, GaEPD air quality specialist, to ensure comments were timely and delivered to the appropriate office. The committee met twice during the year with Michael Geoffrey, a local attorney, who represents a number of local cancer patients who were impacted by EtO. The committee contacted a few of these residents to discuss their progress. The committee contacted Lydia Hoadley with CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to discuss that agency’s efforts regarding Sterigenics in Cobb County and BD in Newton and Morgan counties. The committee will continue to seek information from experts and local officials about EtO and the recent BioLab fire both of which affect Newton County residents. The Newton County Community Health Assessment Final Report is due out in June 2025 which will provide more information about these issues.
Waste Reduction Programs: In our pursuit of a zero-waste community, Sustainable Newton was instrumental in reestablishing glass recycling in the City of Covington. Ongoing efforts to secure a drop-off location managed by Ripple Glass will continue into 2025. Our collaboration with the City of Covington Sustainability Committee and the Newton County Landfill Director led to discussions and potential opportunities for grants related to food waste diversion. We were successful in working with the City of Covington to place recycling bins at Legion Field for public events.
Transportation: With help from Sustainable Newton and Clean Cities Georgia, the Newton County School System applied by the February 14 deadline for 10 electric school buses under the US EPA’s Clean School Bus Rebate Program. Unfortunately, our school system was not selected to receive the grant. However, we remain hopeful that continuing to seek grant opportunities will result in a clean bus fleet for Newton County Schools.
The City of Covington will soon be installing eight more level-2 EV charging stations as a result of a Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) grant secured through a collaborative effort with Clean Cities Georgia and Sustainable Newton. Additionally, the City of Covington moved to the preliminary design phase for Turner Lake Road improvements advocated by Sustainable Newton including 35 mph speed limit, 10-foot-wide shared-use path on the east side of roadway, a 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the west side, multiple signalized pedestrian/bike crossings, street trees, and landscaping.
Ongoing collaboration:
As we move into 2025, we are very proud of our work. Sustainable Newton is an all-volunteer organization fully dependent on the dedication and passion of our membership and board. We look forward to this next year and the many opportunities for continuing to create a community and a world where future generations matter.
Note: We could not have achieved these important milestones without the support of our individual donors and our generous sponsors. Please thank them for their generosity by supporting their businesses and also by joining them in 2025.
Environmental Protection: During late spring and early summer of 2024, the EtO committee drafted and submitted comments to GaEPD regarding BD’s application for the newly required air quality permit for the Global Distribution facility. Further, the committee developed a close relationship with Ms. Heather Brown, GaEPD air quality specialist, to ensure comments were timely and delivered to the appropriate office. The committee met twice during the year with Michael Geoffrey, a local attorney, who represents a number of local cancer patients who were impacted by EtO. The committee contacted a few of these residents to discuss their progress. The committee contacted Lydia Hoadley with CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to discuss that agency’s efforts regarding Sterigenics in Cobb County and BD in Newton and Morgan counties. The committee will continue to seek information from experts and local officials about EtO and the recent BioLab fire both of which affect Newton County residents. The Newton County Community Health Assessment Final Report is due out in June 2025 which will provide more information about these issues.
Waste Reduction Programs: In our pursuit of a zero-waste community, Sustainable Newton was instrumental in reestablishing glass recycling in the City of Covington. Ongoing efforts to secure a drop-off location managed by Ripple Glass will continue into 2025. Our collaboration with the City of Covington Sustainability Committee and the Newton County Landfill Director led to discussions and potential opportunities for grants related to food waste diversion. We were successful in working with the City of Covington to place recycling bins at Legion Field for public events.
Transportation: With help from Sustainable Newton and Clean Cities Georgia, the Newton County School System applied by the February 14 deadline for 10 electric school buses under the US EPA’s Clean School Bus Rebate Program. Unfortunately, our school system was not selected to receive the grant. However, we remain hopeful that continuing to seek grant opportunities will result in a clean bus fleet for Newton County Schools.
The City of Covington will soon be installing eight more level-2 EV charging stations as a result of a Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) grant secured through a collaborative effort with Clean Cities Georgia and Sustainable Newton. Additionally, the City of Covington moved to the preliminary design phase for Turner Lake Road improvements advocated by Sustainable Newton including 35 mph speed limit, 10-foot-wide shared-use path on the east side of roadway, a 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the west side, multiple signalized pedestrian/bike crossings, street trees, and landscaping.
Ongoing collaboration:
- Joachim Herz Stiftung
- UGA Capstone Project
- City of Covington
- Clean Cities of Georgia
- Georgia Interfaith Power & Light (GIPL)
- Ripple Glass
As we move into 2025, we are very proud of our work. Sustainable Newton is an all-volunteer organization fully dependent on the dedication and passion of our membership and board. We look forward to this next year and the many opportunities for continuing to create a community and a world where future generations matter.
Note: We could not have achieved these important milestones without the support of our individual donors and our generous sponsors. Please thank them for their generosity by supporting their businesses and also by joining them in 2025.
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