The Sierra Club and United Steelworkers are holding a conference this fall on the environmentally sustainable rebuilding of New Orleans, and they're looking for people with ideas to share.

If you'd be interested in presenting a paper or poster for the gathering, which is planned for Nov. 8 and 9, you're invited to submit a two-paragraph abstract to Sierra Club environmental justice organizer Darryl Malek-Wiley by Sept. 30. Send it to darryl.malek-wiley [at] sierraclub.org. The abstract should explain how you intend to engage your area of personal expertise in order to provide meaningful insight into green building in the city.

Conference registration will cost $55 for general admission, $150 for professionals and $40 for students. For information about sponsorship opportunities, early bird specials and scholarships, contact Jennifer Grosso at (504) 861-4837 or jennifer.grosso [at] sierraclub.org.

The Sierra Club recently conducted a survey of agencies, organizations and businesses involved in green building in New Orleans and in green job-training efforts. The resulting report [pdf] found that the greatest obstacles to green building in New Orleans are a lack of funding and a lack of staff.