Sustain SC

Learn more about Sustain SC Board member Susie Shannon, President, and CEO of South Carolina Council on Competitiveness (SC Competes). In her role at SC Competes, a business-led nonprofit organization, Susie works to enhance South Carolina’s long-term economic growth on a collaborative framework of industry, academia, and public sector partners. Under her leadership, SC Competes focuses on nurturing and managing key industry clusters, developing workforce talent, and fostering innovation through applied research that drive South Carolina’s competitiveness on a global scale.  As a Sustain SC Board member, Susie shares, “I am passionate about Sustain SC’s work to align environmental stewardship with business success. This work is critical to ensuring the long-term vitality of our state.”   

We’re excited to welcome the Open Space Institute (OSI) as a new Sustain SC member! Founded in 1974, OSI is a national conservation leader dedicated to protecting land across the eastern United States to benefit people, wildlife, and our planet. With over 2.5 million acres protected, OSI ensures clean drinking water, public recreation, healthy communities, wildlife habitats, and climate resilience.     Through innovative approaches such as land acquisition, conservation easements, grants, and advocacy, OSI has been instrumental in preserving scenic, natural, and historic landscapes for public enjoyment and ecological sustainability. Their work goes beyond protection—they make nature accessible by improving parks, enhancing trails, building visitor centers, and fostering grassroots conservation efforts.     Sustainability is at the heart of OSI’s mission. By safeguarding intact forests and floodplains, they help capture carbon, mitigate extreme weather, and ensure a healthier environment for future generations.     Recently, Maria Whitehead, SVP and Director of Land Southeast for OSI, joined our Board of Directors. We are excited to welcome her and for the conservation expertise she will bring to our organization.      Learn more about OSI’s incredible impact and dedication to conservation at https://lnkd.in/eEtTMpAB. 

Join us to hear from RMI's Lachlan Carey on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 11am on their recently released report on energy in South Carolina: Toward a Cleantech-Led Economic Development Strategy for South Carolina. Lachlan will discuss South Carolina’s “Three Cs” for Making Most of the Clean Energy Transition.    In this webinar, learn more as RMI discusses South Carolina’s unprecedented opportunity in the clean energy transition, along with an overview of industries where South Carolina is competitive, constraints that may hold it back, and opportunities to coordinate in a cleantech-led economic development strategy. 🔗 Register now using this link: https://bit.ly/4ahy6Z7  

📣 ICYMI: On January 30th we're hosting an exclusive luncheon with Myra Reece, the new Director of the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES).     🔗 There's still time for Sustain SC members to register using this link: https://bit.ly/3DNohpy

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." This insight resonates with the mission of Sustain SC, where we aim to harmonize economic growth with environmental stewardship, recognizing that the well-being of our communities and the health of our environment are linked. Dr. King's advocacy extended beyond civil rights. He was a pioneer in environmental justice, understanding that social and environmental issues are interconnected. His support for the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike highlighted the disproportionate environmental burdens faced by marginalized communities, marking a pivotal moment in the environmental justice movement.

This week’s #FellowFriday highlights Brandon Money. Brandon is the Global Energy and Efficiency Leader at AFL and has over 20 years of experience in sustainability and global energy management.   During the first session, hosted in Greenville, Brandon and his fellow classmates volunteered with Habitat for Humanity to winterize homes for low-income families.     Brandon said that this experience showed him that energy efficiency and sustainability are more difficult to achieve for low- or fixed-income families and highlighted the importance of making these initiatives more equitable for all. 

Our team had a great time last week at our annual South Carolina Department of Commerce appreciation breakfast. Thank you to SC Commerce for being great partners to Sustain SC and for all you do for the state.

Learn more about Sustain SC Board member Ashley McLeod, President of Heritage Landcare. As the second-generation owner and president of Heritage Landcare, Ashley has devoted over 30 years to the landscape industry, guiding the company’s growth with a focus on ecological stewardship and community impact. As a Sustain SC Board member, Ashley shares, “I am deeply committed to preserving South Carolina’s natural resources and fostering smart economic development to improve the lives of fellow South Carolinians. As a long-time member of Sustain SC, I've seen firsthand the meaningful strides the organization is making under the guidance of a strong and impactful board. I am eager to contribute to these efforts and help drive further progress.”

🌲 Really enjoyed reading this article from The Post and Courier today! It's full of great insights from our Board member Trip Chavis, President and CEO of Milliken Advisors. Forestry plays a crucial role in South Carolina's economy and environmental health and we're proud of the work Milliken Advisors does to protect our forests and bolster our economy.

Throughout 2025, we will host quarterly in-person Energy Roundtables exclusively for members. These interactive, two-hour sessions will tackle the most pressing energy opportunities and challenges we face, featuring insights from subject matter experts. Designed to foster collaboration, these events provide ample networking opportunities with leaders across industries, utilities, non-profits, government and energy providers. In our first session, we will focus on the “demand” side of energy, exploring opportunities to optimize residential, commercial and industrial efficiency. You’ll hear from experts on topics like understanding dispachable energy, how changing peak demand impacts use, and a panel discussion on available resources. Thank you to our platinum sponsor The Nature Conservancy and our gold sponsor Advanced Energy United. 🔗 follow this link for more information and to register for our first Energy Roundtable: https://lnkd.in/eQHmMiGG