MAYOR ANNOUNCES GREEN HOUSE GAS INVENTORY, CHARGE TO CREATE A COMMUNITY PARK PLAN AT SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT
NES partners with Metro on green house gas inventory of Davidson County
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (November 13, 2008) -Speaking to the participants of the 2nd Annual Summit for a Sustainable Tennessee today, Mayor Karl Dean announced two new initiatives of his Green Ribbon Committee: a green house gas inventory of Davidson County and a charge to develop a community park plan for Nashville.
Work on the green house gas inventory began this week and is expected to take three months to complete. The inventory will measure green house gas emissions produced in all of Davidson County, and is the first comprehensive study of its type to be done in Nashville.
“This inventory will provide us with a baseline for the level of pollutants we, as a city, are putting into the air,” Dean said. “This is the only way to know whether we’re making progress as we implement the recommendations of the Green Ribbon Committee in years to come, and it will help the committee determine where our resources need to be focused.”
The Green Ribbon Committee, in partnership with Nashville Electric Service, commissioned Gresham Smith & Partners to complete the inventory. The Metro Health Department will help collect the data.
“Nashville Electric Service is committed to doing our part to make sure that Nashville becomes a sustainable city. This is important for the livability of our city for current residents and for our future economic growth, since businesses and individuals are attracted to cities with strong environmental practices and transportation options. A sustainable city fits well with NES’ mission to provide safe, cost effective and reliable electric service to our community,” Decosta Jenkins, president of NES, said.
Speaking to the importance of open spaces, Dean said today he is asking the natural resources subcommittee of the Green Ribbon Committee “to make specific recommendations on how to proceed immediately with the implementation of a community park plan” for Nashville.
“We have great parks, but we need more of them. Every neighborhood and community in Nashville should have green space to enjoy,” Dean said.
“I want neighborhoods to have involvement in the planning and maintenance of their open spaces, whether they are small parks, pocket parks, community gardens, playgrounds, or whatever that neighborhood might envision or think best suits their needs.”
Dean said the plan should include a survey of potential park locations, and tools to develop the parks, such as a new zoning category. Private partnerships and grants could be used to fund the development and maintenance of the parks, he said.
For media inquiries contact:
Bonna Johnson
615-862-6461
bonna.johnson@nashville.gov