Eco-Briefs

EarthCraft Sustainable Preservation (ECSP), a third-party green building certification program created specifically for historic buildings in the Southeast, has launched to evaluate and highlight what is inherently sustainable about historic buildings while providing guidance on appropriate alterations to make them more energy and water efficient. The ECSP program was designed concurrently with the green rehabilitation of historic Rhodes Hall, headquarters of The Georgia Trust, in Midtown.

Trees Atlanta has announced plans for a Members’ Woodland to be part of the new playground and path projects in Chastain Park . The grove of up to 200 native specimen trees – including oaks, elms and dogwoods – will honor those who have contributed to Trees Atlanta’s efforts to preserve and expand Atlanta’s tree canopy. The Chastain Park Woodland will offer opportunities for Atlanta’s children to learn about native trees. Trees Atlanta is working in partnership with Chastain Park Conservancy on this special initiative. To learn more or to become a member, visit treesatlanta.org.

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners has approved environmental legislation aimed at protecting local neighborhoods from pipelines that contain hazardous liquid and gas. The new ordinance strengthens regulations regarding petroleum pipeline easements near and around residential properties. Vice Chair Emma I. Darnell sponsored the legislation.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Decatur a $200,000 assessment grant to clean up a brownfield site to create the East Decatur Greenway The greenway will feature biking and walking trails that will link with the PATH system and connect to the Avondale MARTA station.

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

By any measure, a small business that has endured for 40 years is something to celebrate. The fact that it’s a bookstore – and a specialized one at that – in this age of Amazon and eBooks makes the anniversary even more special.

The oldest feminist bookstore in the south and one of the few remaining in the country, Charis Books & More has been a landmark in Little Five Points since it opened its doors in 1974. For the last 20 years, it’s occupied the little purple house on Euclid Avenue in the heart of the neighborhood.

Before the global financial crisis, there was talk of possibly moving Charis to Decatur for more space and better parking, but the nonprofit Charis Circle board, now under the direction of Elizabeth Anderson, steered the conversation back to Little Five Points.

“Of course, we would like more space, more parking and be closer to a MARTA station, but being in Little Five is a large part of Charis’ heart and soul, “ Anderson said. “Rather than move, we decided to focus on what’s special about this space. That and we had customers telling us, ‘we don’t want you to move.’”

While Charis’ roots are firmly planted in Little Five Points, weathering the upheaval in how people consume books has