New Yorkers are living through a period of remarkable change.  They face challenges and new opportunities few could have predicted even a decade ago. Among challenges faced are the loss of traditional economic bases, increasing local government costs, a global recession, land use changes, pressure to develop new energy resources in the face of climate change, and the weakening of traditional community-based civic organizations and decreasing civic engagement.

At the same time, new domestic and global markets are emerging, green technologies represent a growing employment sector, land use planning innovations are taking hold, the small farm sector is growing, environmental interests and concerns are influencing policy directions more generally, and communication technologies are bringing people together in new ways.   

In this context, the CaRDI Sustainable Communities Webinar Series is designed to address topics related to the long term social, economic, and ecological sustainability of communities.  We've chosen these topics with the goal of providing Extension educators, community and economic developers, elected officials and other local leaders with information that facilitates informed decision making at the community level – that is, information that helps communities identify, pursue, and achieve their development goals.  To do this, with every webinar, the goal is to bring together a panel of speakers that includes a researcher, agency representative, extension educator and/or other practitioner to share research, innovative outreach, and to foster dialogue.  The opinions articulated in each webinar do not necessarily reflect the position of Cornell University or of the Community and Regional Development Institute. 

Webinars:

2011:

March 14, 2011: Demographic Data: Uses, Sources and Tools

March 23, 2010: Exploring the Green Economy
April 27, 2010: Integrated Data System for School District and Community Planning
May  25, 2010: Green Entrepreneurship as an Economic Development Strategy
June 22, 2010: Prospects for Fighting Poverty in the 21st Century: Strategies and Methods for Communities 

September 28, 2010:Leadership Development as a Community and Economic Development Strategy

December 21, 2010:ttracting and Retaining Young Adults: Research and Initiatives from New York State

2009:

January 27: Sustainable Communities Overview
February 24: Engaging Constructively with Controversial Public Issues
March 24: Broadband - A Tool for Civic Engagement and Sustainability?
April 28: Understanding and Using Demographic Information
May 26: Agriculture and Farmland Protection in New York State
June 23: Wind Energy
December 14: Green Economy Investments: What Do Local Policy Makers Need to Know?

For more information, contact Heidi Mouillesseaux-Kunzman at hmm1@cornell.edu or 607-255-0417.

*Whenever possible, Sustainable Community webinars are recorded and archived for later viewing.

The CaRDI Sustainable Communities Webinar Series is funded in part by the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce through the Cornell Economic Development Administration University Center.