(BUSINESS WIRE)--Yesterday Mayor Shirley Franklin released Atlanta city government’s first report on greenhouse gas emissions as the first step towards the goal of reducing emissions in the city seven percent by 2012. Also known as the “carbon footprint,” the figure was calculated with the help of a student-faculty team from the Georgia Institute of Technology and establishes a baseline to measure progress in Atlanta’s sustainability efforts.
“The City of Atlanta’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2007 came to 540 thousand metric tonnes, which is equivalent to the household energy use of 150,000 Atlanta residents or 98,000 passenger vehicles,” said Valerie Thomas, Anderson Interface Associate Professor at the Stewart School of Industrial and Systems at Georgia Tech and primary author of the report. “Having conducted an inventory and committed to reducing emissions makes the City of Atlanta a leader in the state and region and well ahead of federal action on climate change.”
“We know that the opportunities to reduce our emissions are great, particularly now with the federal administration’s focus on green job creation and green energy,” said Mayor Franklin. “With funding from the recently-passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Atlanta’s sustainability efforts will focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives which will create jobs, save money and protect our environment,” she said.
Determining Atlanta city government’s carbon footprint coincides with the release of the inaugural sustainability report for Atlanta. Produced by Sustainable Atlanta (a non-governmental partner to the city’s Office of Sustainability), the report compiles readily available data to create benchmarks for measuring Atlanta’s sustainability efforts, including the city’s carbon footprint. The report – available at www.sustainableatlanta.org – also provides best practices, context, proposed strategies and action in the areas of water; energy and climate change; parks and greenspace; and recycling and materials management.
“The Sustainability Report for Atlanta is both a map and milepost,” said Lynnette Young, executive director of Sustainable Atlanta. “It is a snapshot of Atlanta’s current status as it relates to sustainability and a context for future measurement and opportunity, determining what we can do together to help the city advance sustainable lifestyles for everyone.”
Launched in 2008 with support from the Kendeda Foundation, the Atlanta Office of Sustainability is working across city departments to “green” operations and at the same time, maximize efficiencies. Sustainable practices implemented at City Hall are already generating a 20 percent drop in electricity use, with a forecast of nearly $135,000 in annual operations cost savings.
With the municipal carbon footprint established, the next step will be to develop the Atlanta Climate Action Plan. "The Climate Action Plan will be our blueprint to guide all city departments so that current initiatives and near-term objectives are aligned with achieving the 2012 emissions reduction goal," said Mandy Schmitt, Atlanta’s Director of Sustainability. "This strategic effort to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions supports the ultimate goal of making Atlanta a community that lives within the self-perpetuating limits of its environment, while maintaining high standards for economic growth, environmental integrity, and social justice."
According to Schmitt, near-term goals for Atlanta city government to achieve by the end of 2009 include:
1. 10 percent drop in energy use in general fund* facilities through low/no-cost conservation measures yielding $300,000 to $500,000 in annual savings
2. Five percent drop in water use in general fund facilities
3. At least two renewable energy demonstration projects
4. Three percent drop in fossil fuels used by municipal fleet yielding $267,000 in annual savings
5. 10 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in general fund facilities
Atlanta’s greenhouse gas inventory was guided by a protocol developed by ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability. Atlanta is one of more than 1,057 cities, towns and counties worldwide that are members of ICLEI and that have made a commitment to sustainable development. Atlanta also hosts ICLEI’s Southeast Regional Office, and city staff shares office space with ICLEI representatives to maximize the organization’s resources in developing performance-based, results-oriented campaigns and programs.
*General fund facilities do not include facilities in Enterprise Fund Departments, such as Watershed and Airport.
About Atlanta’s Sustainability Initiative
The ambitious goal of reducing Atlanta city government’s greenhouse gas emissions seven percent by 2012 was set by Mayor Franklin in 2005 in Washington, D.C. when she and 140 other mayors identified environmental sustainability as a critical factor for American cities. They signed the U.S. Mayor’s Conference Climate Protection Agreement charging themselves with creating and implementing sustainability plans based on best global practices. With the help of the Kendeda Foundation, the Franklin administration then launched a parallel effort both inside and outside city government: The Office of Sustainability is reforming city government operations, while Sustainable Atlanta, a private-sector team of consultants led by former Atlanta COO Lynnette Young, is developing public policy recommendations for sustainability improvements throughout the city. For additional information regarding the City’s sustainability initiatives, visit www.atlantaga.gov/mayor/sustainability.aspx, and to learn more about Sustainable Atlanta, go to www.sustainableatlanta.org.
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Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Atlanta Announces Municipal Carbon Footprint to Measure Emission Reductions
Monday, September 15, 2008
ING Awards Over $240,000 to Innovative Educators Across the United States
GFP Note: Congratulations to Kim R. Cummings, Jessica Finch and Angela Wiggins of
Heard County Elementary School, Franklin, GA and David Hedges of Woodland Elementary Charter, Sandy Springs, GA for their superb teaching programs. They are the Georgia 2008 recipients of the awards!
PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Every day, teachers are asked to engage our children in science, math and language arts to cultivate their intellectual readiness to become future presidents, small-town doctors and global business leaders. Previous generations of educators have answered the call by way of traditional instruction. However, today's teachers must be able to demonstrate the real-life practicality and relevance of core curriculum subjects to a generation of new-media and electronic-gadget enthusiasts.
While reading from textbooks, working math problems on the chalkboard and listening to lectures still resonates with most students, innovative ideas that tap into technology and provide further hands-on learning are proving to be much more effective. All across America, teachers are coming up with ingenious ways to engage students, contend for their attention and prepare them for higher learning and to assume future leadership roles.
With enough funding, teachers committed to meeting today's challenge of engaging and educating Internet-savvy, "connected" students can turn their ideas into reality. ING, a global financial services company, has taken notice of the innovative ideas of these "unsung heroes" for more than a decade and is committed to recognizing and rewarding educators for their ingenuity.
The ING Unsung Heroes awards program recognizes Kindergarten through 12th grade educators nationwide for their innovative teaching methods, creative educational projects and ability to positively influence the children they teach. Since honoring its first "unsung hero" in 1996, ING has awarded more than $3 million to nearly 1,300 educators across the United States.
ING today announced that after receiving more than 1,400 applications this year and choosing 100 initial $2,000 award winners, Robert Ostmann, a teacher at Laurel High School in Los Alamitos, Calif., has been selected to receive the top prize in the 2008 ING Unsung Heroes awards program. As the winner, Ostmann will receive an additional $25,000 for his "LifeWorks Studio" program.
Over the years, Robert Ostmann has worked relentlessly to keep Laurel High School students in school. His latest creative business ideas just might have what it takes to keep at-risk students in class, as well as prepare them for productive adult lives. His "LifeWorks Studio" program consists of two components: 1) a student-operated small business that contracts with parent groups at other district schools to videotape plays, concerts and other events to produce professional-quality DVDs for the schools to sell as fundraisers and 2) a public-service partnership between students and a regional hospice organization to film and produce "LifeStory" video memoirs of men and women nearing the end of their lives. LifeWorks Studios moves learning outside the conventional classroom model.
Running a community-based business gives students a chance to move beyond their limited world of school and friends to connect with the larger community. Interacting across generations and immersing themselves in the life stories of others will give students a unique perspective on the possibilities and challenges that life can throw their way. Over the school year, about 40 students will directly benefit by working in both the small business and the public service components of LifeWorks Studio. The project reinforces the Laurel High staff's commitment to keep their students in school and equip them to become productive citizens and lifelong learners in a technology-driven world. Ostmann resides in Los Alamitos.
"We are very proud of Bob for his excellent work with our students and his commitment to discovering innovative ideas to engage and prepare them for a bright future," said Gregory Franklin, superintendent, Los Alamitos Unified School District. "We appreciate companies like ING that are taking interest in education and offering resources to educators who are working hard every day to ensure students receive the best education available to them."
"ING is proud to recognize teachers across America like Robert Ostmann who are dedicated to motivating and inspiring school children to excel," said Dan Hanlon, senior vice president, Public Market Sales, ING U.S. Wealth Management. "Our company is committed to education, and funding programs that are making it easier for our youth to learn is an investment with a huge return -- preparing our youth for success in the future."
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