Our Mission and Vision

Mission Statement 

“To meet the challenges of declining resources and climate change by helping our communities transition to sustainable practices.” 

Our Vision

“Our vision is to educate and advocate sustainable practices through out the city of Salinas.  By working with residents, businesses and the local government, Sustainable Salinas aims to encourage everyone within its reach to uphold Environmental Stewardship and Social Responsibility to improve the quality of Life in Salinas, Ca.”

 

Who We Are

Levi R. Jimenez
LEED AP Communications Coordinator

As founder of Viable Green Building Solutions, and an independent consultant, and Project Manager on over 40 Million square feet of commercial green building projects, Levi aspires to stimulate  measurable improvement to the existing building stock everywhere within reach.  As an advisor Levi has witnessed tremendous growth, recognizing leadership and performance across a broad spectrum of project types.  The applications under which projects have been certified are extensive, including commercial office,  industrial, manufacturing, multifamily residential and data centers. Levi carries his credential as a LEED Accredited Professional from the Green Business Certification, Inc. (GBCI) and Fitwel Ambassador from the Center for Active Design. Levi is the proud father of three, an artist, pinball enthusiast, and lifelong resident of the Monterey Bay. 

Robin Lee
Founding Member, Chair

Robin has a background in Geology, Residential Construction, Archeology, Waste Water Plant operations, and Urban and Regional development with an emphasis on the community participation and community outreach components of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. (NPDES) Robin is a cyclist including commuting, courier, and touring. She has successfully pushed for the inclusion of a bicycling green way to be included in the future growth area of the City of Salinas. As a member of the Parks, Recreation, and Libraries Master Plan steering committee, she has pushed for inclusion in the plan for a recreation trail along Alisal Creek from Salinas Airport to Carr Lake, as well as including a recreational path along Santa Rita Creek from Vanburen Avenue to Russell Road.  She has also been involved in obtaining state funding for a restoration project on Santa Rita Creek managed by the Central Coast Wetlands Group. She is a founding member of Santa Rita and Bolsa Knolls Watershed Group and Sustainable Salinas and is a board member of CSMC.”

Harriet Stevens
Steering Committee Member

Harriet joined Sustainable Salinas in January 2019. She grew up on an urban farm in the Central Valley before it was cool and continues that family tradition to this day. Her dad was a Deputy Ag Commissioner and taught her the basics of plant care and her further experience and education is self-taught. Harriet lives in Creekbridge where she farms fruits and vegetables 12 months out of the year and is very popular with all her neighbors. She also builds relationships and interacts with various community providers to source sustainable materials for her garden, including horse manure, straw, and various mulches and ground covers.  She keeps worms and diverts all possible food waste to her worm bins and hopes to keep bees in the near future.  Harriet follows agricultural news and techniques and is interested in fun and innovative farming topics that she exhibits for those she knows.  In the future, Harriet is interested in advocating with the City of Salinas to allow all community members to support themselves and their families with market gardens and raising chickens.