City of Charlotte, North Carolina

Proclamation

WHEREAS, Keep Mecklenburg Beautiful in partnership with City of Charlotte Solid Waste, Charlotte Center City Partners, the Parking Lot Consortium, Bojangles and the Carolina Panthers will be participating in the Panther Tailgate recycling program  on the 7^th and 21^st of October, expecting to divert at least 6 tons of recycling from the landfill; and

WHEREAS, the City of Charlotte values an informed community aware of their environmental impact, Neighborhood & Business Services has embarked on an expanded, neighborhood based Quality of Life index including 19 environmental variables which will allow citizens to evaluate needs and illustrate assets, and is publically presenting the first of these environmental variables on October 8,  2012;  and  

WHEREAS, Charlotte B-cycle made possible by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is the first bike share system in North Carolina.  With 200 blue bikes and 20 stations strategically placed throughout Uptown and surrounding neighborhoods from Johnson C. Smith University to CMC and Freedom Park, Charlotte B-cycle is extending the ride zone of our transit system by supplying convenient, healthy and sustainable modes of travel around town.  In observance of Environmental Sustainability Week, Charlotte B-cycle will host free bike rides on October 11 and 12, 2012 from 11am – 1pm beginning from the United Way parking lot at 303 South Brevard Street.  info@charlottebcycle.com

WHEREAS, the Energy, Technology and Community Sustainability Legacy from the 2012 Democratic National Convention will present to the media a collection of 65 sustainability stories from across our community; and

WHEREAS, Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition will offer test drives of Ford’s new Plug-In Electric Focus and Ford CMAX Plug-In Electric Hybrid Vehicles around uptown Charlotte on October 10, 2012 from 10am-Noon.ww.4cleanfuels.com; and

WHEREAS, The North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association is hosting its annual “Making Energy Work” conference on October 10 & 11, 2012, featuring Mr. Ron Binz of the Center for the New Energy Economy speaking on "Strategies in Reaching Our Sustainable Energy Goal", Mr. Michel Di Capua of Bloomberg New Energy Finance speaking on “Global Trends in Clean Energy Investment,” Ms. Annabelle Lee of the Electric Power Research Institute speaking on “Bringing Cyber Security to the Grid,” and other energy experts discussing North Carolina’s clean energy economy; and

WHEREAS, Bank of America’s Charlotte Environmental Volunteer Group is holding an electronics waste (eWaste) recycling drivefor Bank of America employees on October 11, 2012 in uptown Charlotte to divert harmful components from polluting the land and water; and

WHEREAS, the US Green Building Council – Charlotte Region Chapter is Celebrating Green Growth in Our Region at the Green Gala and 5^th Annual Sustainable Business Awards, on October 11, 2012 featuring Ms. Laura Turner Seydel speaking on ‘Where We Learn Matters – Green Schools and Environmental Education’.  http://www.usgbccrc.org/?page=GreenGalaEvent ; and

WHEREAS, the US Green Building Council – Charlotte Region Chapter is launching SPARK – Sustainable Practices and Reduction of Kilowatts, a competition to support and promote participation in Smart Energy Now^® and Envision Charlotte on October 11, 2012 at the Green Gala.

WHEREAS,  Keep Charlotte Beautiful will be participating in street clean-up for a one mile stretch of Central Avenue, expecting to fill up six bags with litter on October 13, 2012; and

WHEREAS, Envision Charlotte is putting the finishing touches on its new Smart Water Now program, an initiative focused on driving significant water efficiency in the 21MM SF of participating uptown office buildings; and

WHEREAS, Smart Energy Now^® is a program from Duke Energy dedicated to helping reduce energy consumption in Charlotte’s Uptown office buildings and focused on educating office workers in Uptown about small, simple changes that can be made in their daily routine. Together, these changes will have a huge impact on Charlotte’s energy usage and will help to reduce energy usage in Uptown by 20% overall in five years, and 

WHEREAS, Wells Fargo granted over $160,000 and over 160 team member volunteer hours to create the Wells Fargo Sense and Science Garden at First Ward Elementary, a Title One public school in Uptown Charlotte. This is the first Uptown green park investment since Wells Fargo created the Green in Uptown Charlotte over 10 years ago. The garden will not only educate students in CMS about sustainability and environmental science curriculum but will also be open after school hours for residents who live and work in First Ward.

WHEREAS, these events in Charlotte in the same week represent a heightened environmental awareness to the entire community and reinforce the collective goal to be a leading global city for environmental sustainability, clean energy and successful business; and

WHEREAS, environmental sustainability is a very important municipal responsibility providing countless benefits to the City of Charlotte, including the enhancements of business profitability and quality of life; and

WHEREAS, green buildings can reduce the use of our natural resources, conserve energy and water, reduce waste going to the landfill, and reduce operating expenses; and

WHEREAS, sustainable design and construction improves the relationship between the built environment and the natural environment; and

WHEREAS, renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency solutions can help ensure an affordable, reliable and secure energy future for all citizens of Charlotte; and

WHEREAS,a united & educated community enhances our City’s goal to be national leader in environmental sustainability; and

WHEREAS,promoting sustainable environmental practices provides opportunities for cost savings and health benefits:

NOW, THEREFORE,I, Anthony R. Foxx, Mayor of Charlotte, do hereby proclaim October 7 - 14, 2012 as

“Environmental Sustainability Week”

in Charlotte, and urge all citizens to support efforts to transform the way our community operates by incorporating smart growth and sustainable practices that encourage business success and promote the well-being of present and future generations.

WITNESS MY HAND and the official Seal of the City of Charlotte.

                                                                                                Anthony R. Foxx

                                                                                                Mayor