“Mayor Demings has prioritized sustainability and resiliency because we live in Florida, and our state isn’t immune to a warming planet,” she said.

This is a big undertaking and will require cross-departmental collaboration and innovation, but I’m excited to work with our great staff and move from aspirational goals to accomplishments.”īlack is most enthusiastic about how accomplishing these goals will have positive effects on both County operations and residents. “There are challenges, as we’re not exempt from inflation and supply chain delays. “It comes down to decarbonizing our operations and moving towards clean, renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preserving our environmentally sensitive natural lands” she explained. The plan is comprehensive, and its goals aggressive, but Black is up for the challenge. The six focus areas in the SORAP include Energy and Climate Action, Buildings and Infrastructure, Water Use and Quality, Mobility and Fleet, Supply Chain and Materials Management, and Trees and Lands. “We’re the fifth largest county in the state, so helping to move the green needle as far as sustainability is concerned is a huge honor and a big responsibility.” “I definitely bounce among different topics as they apply to our operations, which is very dynamic,” she admitted. And in the afternoon, you might find her discussing grants to secure funding to keep various programs going. At lunchtime, she might be talking about alternative water supply and conversion. In the morning, you might find her having a conversation about electric vehicle charging facilities. By making sure our own house is in order, we can share our best practices and show we’re doing the work.”Ī typical day for Black is never the same, as she gets to work with individuals and businesses across the County. “We’re following these guidelines and using our resources wisely so we can encourage others to be good stewards as well. “My job is to implement this plan so we can lead by example,” asserted Black. Black, who comes to the position with 10 years in sustainability management efforts working for Jacksonville University, Valencia College and the Green Team Project, is charged with leading the execution of SORAP and managing climate mitigation efforts.

In order to continue to facilitate the plan, Mayor Demings recently named Carrie Black as the County’s new Chief Sustainability & Resilience Officer. The SORAP’s 17 goals are collaborative and align with regional and national objectives. Demings appointed a 40-member committee of sustainability and resilience subject matter experts from surrounding businesses, agencies, municipalities and universities to assist with the development of a 2030 Sustainable Operations and Resilience Action Plan (SORAP) for internal operations. In July 2020, Orange County Mayor Jerry L.

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