FW: The Carbon Challenge -- 22 Ways of Being Green!

[Kirsten Taylor]

Dear GRC-

 

I thought you might like to see that the City is officially starting the staff 22Ways challenge tomorrow.  Below is an introductory e-mail from City Manager Rich Conrad.  The City has decided to do a department challenge, and a number of department reps have already created some fun mini challenges to raise interest and encourage participation.  I will fill you in on details at the next GRC meeting.  (Tuesday, September 13 to do strategic and tactical planning for 2012 - more details soon.)

 

Kirsten

---

From: Rich Conrad
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2011 10:21 AM
To: All_City_Employees
Subject: The Carbon Challenge -- 22 Ways of Being Green!

Greetings City Employees -

 

The Mercer Island Green Ribbon Commission (GRC) has invited the Mercer Island City Staff to make a public pledge to take the GRC Carbon Challenge, “22 Ways – It’s Easy Being Green”. This Challenge is easy, informative and demonstrates how to become energy “fit” by working through 22 energy reduction action items.

 

In case you are wondering, the Green Ribbon Commission was created in 2007 and is a Mercer Island grass-roots citizen/city partnership dedicated to reducing CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Since its inception, the Commission has sponsored a number of carbon reduction projects on Mercer Island including Leap for Green, the Farmers Market, 10/10/10 and You-Powered. These events encourage residents and visitors to engage in healthier lifestyles, foster energy conservation and efficiency, build community and promote local businesses and organizations. The Commission has extended its reach into the community through Carbon Challenges with the City Council, School Board, Rotarians and Emmanuel Episcopal Church. I was happy to accept their invitation to try a “Challenge” with the City staff.

 

We are asking participants to try as many of the “22 Ways” as they can between September 1st and October 31st. It will be a competition between departments as well as individual incentives for those who make the pledge and implement 6 of the 22 Ways during September. Attached is a file showing a list of the “22 Ways of Being Green”. The full explanation of the City Staff “Challenge” will be provided by your department representative in the next few days . Kirsten Taylor in Development Services is serving as the Challenge Coordinator. The departments that are participating (along with their representative) are listed below:

 

Department Representatives

CM/CA/Court/HR:           Laura Tawney

DSG:                                      Kirsten Taylor

Finance:                               Suzanne Riddell

IGS:                                        Mike Kaser

Fire:                                       Jolene Judd

Maintenance:                    Fred Gu, John Druschba

Parks & Rec:                       Harvey Barnes, Bre Caldwell

Police:                                   Leslie Burns

YFS:                                        Derek Franklin

Rep at Large:                      Jenny Ngo

 

With the “22 Ways – It’s Easy Being Green” carbon reduction challenge, the staff can show leadership in the Mercer Island community as well as in your own homes and neighborhoods.  While this “Challenge” seem a bit unusual – certainly it’s the first time I have seen an effort like this before – in my opinion, it is exactly how real change occurs; one person at a time, one family at a time. And, there is no question that with the energy prices we pay now and will pay in the future, we all must find ways to be more efficient. An example of one of the 22 Ways I have already implemented at my home is the use of a programmable thermostat for my furnace. You may have already done that too and have completed one of the 22 Ways!

 

So join me and other staff members in making a difference in individual home energy efficiency while lowering our collective impact on the earth, and reduce your carbon footprint for the benefit of future generations.  I hope you have fun with this and enjoy the savings in your own energy bills!

 

 

Rich Conrad
City Manager
City of Mercer Island
9611 SE 36th Street
Mercer Island, WA 98040
(206) 275-7660 office
(206) 275-7663 fax
rich....@mercergov.org

 

www.MercerGov.org

 

NOTICE OF PUBLIC DISCLOSURE:  This e-mail account is public domain.  Any correspondence from or to this e-mail account may be a public record.  Accordingly, this e-mail, in whole or in part, may be subject to disclosure pursuant to RCW 42.56, regardless of any claim of confidentiality or privilege asserted by an external party.