GREEN RIBBON COMMITTEE PRESENTS RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAYOR
Summary Report outlines goals, action steps to make Nashville ‘greenest city in the Southeast’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 16, 2009) -
A plan to make Nashville “the greenest city in the Southeast” was released today by the Mayor’s Green Ribbon Committee on Environmental Sustainability.
The 27-member volunteer committee, appointed by Mayor Karl Dean, presented a summary report of 16 goals and 71 recommendations developed over 10 months of work. Green Ribbon Committee co-chairs John Ingram, chairman of Ingram Industries Inc., and Randy Lowry, president of Lipscomb University, led the presentation at a meeting at Shelby Bottoms Nature Center this afternoon.
The goals and recommendations fell under five main categories: Build a Culture of Sustainability, which emphasizes public outreach and education; Conserve Energy, Reduce Waste, Green Our Buildings; Expand Transportation Options; Protect Our Natural Resources; and Reduce Greenhouse Gases.
“The Green Ribbon Committee has sparked an unprecedented level of enthusiasm in our community for environmental initiatives. I greatly appreciate each committee member’s dedication to this effort,” Dean said.
“The report provides a comprehensive vision for making Nashville a more environmentally sustainable city. I look forward to further reviewing the goals and action steps, working on an implementation plan, including necessary budgetary analysis, and ultimately seeing the results from the committee’s intensive work.”
In remarks made after the report presentation, Dean also highlighted the many accomplishments Nashville has made on environmental initiatives while the Green Ribbon Committee’s recommendations have been in progress. Accomplishments include the addition of six new hybrid buses at MTA, the addition of a bicycle and pedestrian coordinator in the Mayor’s Office, and the approval of the Clean Water Infrastructure Program with dedicated funding for stormwater management by Metro Water Services.
“Nashville has a lot to be proud of. But, as we can see from the committee’s report, there is still much more work to be done,” Dean said.
The committee’s process included extensive public involvement. An online survey, launched the same day Dean signed the Executive Order creating the Green Ribbon Committee, attracted input from more than 1,800 Nashvillians. And a series of five public meetings held throughout Davidson County in November 2008 were attended by over 300 people.
More information about the Green Ribbon Committee and the summary report are available online at www.nashville.gov/mayor/green_ribbon.
For media inquiries contact:
Janel Lacy
(615) 862-6020
janel.lacy@nashville.gov