LCV Staff Retreats to Chesapeake Bay

LCV staff members were lucky to have the chance to take a full-day retreat to the ultra-hip and super-eco-friendly Merrill Environmental Center at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. We discussed our 2007 highs and lows, set goals for 2008 and beyond and enjoyed a day away from the bustle of downtown D.C.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation Headquarters building is recognized as one of the "greenest" buildings ever constructed. Sustainability issues ranging from energy use to material selection were given serious consideration throughout design and construction of this facility. It was the first building to receive a Platinum rating through the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System, version 1.0.

Covered in recycled cans and cars and heated by solar panels, the building is capable of using 70 percent less energy than a typical office building.

While we were there, Kerry snapped some great photos of the building itself, and of the beautiful waters which the Foundation works to protect.

Welcoming a new LCV staff member

Curt Coffing has accepted the position of State Services Director at LCV and will work to coordinate state league efforts through site visits and other communication. He begins work on Feb. 1.

Curt brings a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing state-based environmental advocates. For the past seven years he served as Research & Policy Director for the State Environmental Leadership Program, where he provided both programmatic and organizational capacity building assistance to a network of state-based environmental advocacy organizations. He has also worked on environmental policy issues in a variety of roles, including attorney, mediator, and analyst. He holds both a JD and MPA from Indiana University Schools of Law and Public and Environmental Affairs.

Welcome to our team, Curt!