About Us

A mission for a more resilient, just, and sustainable region.

Founded in 2006, Piedmont Environmental Alliance is a membership-supported nonprofit focused on delivering environmental education programs for students, convening community members through targeted events, and creating engaged coalitions to champion environmental policies and practices. We ignite inclusive pathways where simple acts and bold initiatives strengthen the resilience and sustainability of our families, businesses, and community.

Empowering Education

We design and deliver dynamic education programs inside and outside of local schools to deepen student understanding of and connection to key sustainability issues and solutions. Our programs - including in-classroom presentations, field trips, and events - teach more than 3,500 students annually about energy use, water conservation, climate change, civic leadership, and more.

Events that Build Community

We organize events that engage thousands of people in local environmental education and action. One of the largest and most diverse events in the state, the Piedmont Earth Day Fair brings together 8,000+ people to celebrate sustainability and learn about environmental action. The Sustainability Roundtable convenes environmental experts across sectors and identity to develop a shared agenda for collaborative action. PEA’s Green Home Tour showcases ways to increase home efficiency and resiliency. The Green Job Fair brings together local job seekers and employers to build a more resilient, future-forward economy. 

Impactful Partnerships & Campaigns

We partner with local and regional organizations, corporations, individuals, and communities to influence policy and  practice. Our Environmental Action Coalition of 30+ partners meets monthly to build the local sustainability movement. Our campaigns - including Solarize the Triad and Electrify the Triad - focus on home electrification, community solar, the green economy, and other vital ways to create a sustainable future.  Since 2024, PEA's leadership has sparked over $6.3M in local clean energy investment, including the state's third-largest rooftop solar project and the city's first all-electric school bus.

Technical Expertise with Measurable Outcomes

We offer technical assistance to local decision makers to navigate clean energy programs and participate in the green economy. PEA’s Green Business Network provides a sustainability roadmap and one-on-one consulting for more than 30 local businesses who want to take action. Our work with Second Harvest Food Bank of NW NC led to the installation of the largest rooftop solar array in Forsyth County, saving the non-profit more than $140,000 annually and reducing carbon emissions by 1M tons each year. Our solar workforce training program is connecting local job seekers with opportunities to be part of the growing green economy.

Our Theory of Change

The work of creating a more just, resilient, and sustainable region is BIG and BROAD - bigger and broader than one issue area or one group or one policy area. At Piedmont Environmental Alliance, we believe that the way forward is through deep community partnerships based on strong relationships, earned trust, and an abundance mindset. By rooting in relationship and shared social justice values, we can build and mobilize community power toward a brighter future for all.