MAYOR ENCOURAGES NASHVILLIANS TO TAKE ENVIRONMENTAL PLEDGE
Pledge consists of five small actions that can have big collective impact
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 12, 2009) -
Use compact fluorescent light bulbs, turn off the water while brushing your teeth, take the bus, walk, bicycle or carpool instead of drive at least one a week, plant a tree and use reusable shopping bags – those are the five simple actions Mayor Karl Dean is asking every Nashvillian to take to help make the city more green.
Dean will officially kick off his Environmental Pledge campaign at the Nashville Sounds “Go Green Night” this Saturday, June 13. The game against the Memphis Redbirds will start at 6 p.m. At 5:40 p.m., the mayor will be joined by the Gild family, who will take the ceremonial first pledge.
“Our citizens have a tremendous desire to help make Nashville more environmentally sustainable and to help address the bigger issue of global climate change,” Dean said. “While it may seem simple, the most important thing individuals can do is make easy changes in their every day life to reduce waste, reduce energy use and reduce the green house gas emissions that go into our air. Collectively, these efforts will have a huge impact.”
The Mayor’s Environmental Pledge was one of 71 recommendations in a summary report released by the Mayor’s Green Ribbon Committee in April. Dean formed the Green Ribbon Committee last year, giving them the charge of recommending ways to make Nashville “the greenest city in the Southeast.”
Nashvillians can take the Mayor’s Environmental Pledge online at www.nashville.gov/green. Once an online pledge form has been submitted, the Web page displays the running total of pledges taken and the combined impact those actions will have on Nashville’s environment.
Mayor’s Environmental Pledge
Five simple things that each of us can do, starting today. Whether we live in an apartment or home, these small choices can help create a healthier, cleaner and safer environment for everyone.
ENERGY
I PLEDGE to replace 4 light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs.
I CAN eliminate 1 ton of carbon dioxide emissions over the life of the CFLs.
TOGETHER all Nashvillians can save enough kilowatt-hours to power 5,260 households.
WATER
I PLEDGE to turn off the water when brushing my teeth.
I CAN save 3.8 gallons of water a day.
TOGETHER all Nashvillians can conserve enough water in a year to fill L.P. Field four times.
AIR
I PLEDGE to replace at least one car trip a week with walking, bicycling, carpooling or public transit.
I CAN decrease carbon dioxide emissions by 1,000 pounds.
TOGETHER all Nashvillians can eliminate more than 290,000 tons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent to removing 5,800 cars from the road every year.
LAND
I PLEDGE to plant and care for at least one tree this year.
I CAN save at least 13 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually.
TOGETHER all Nashvillians can eliminate as much carbon dioxide as the trees on 4,652 acres of undeveloped land every year.
WASTE
I PLEDGE to reduce my use of plastic shopping bags, by substituting reusable bags instead.I CAN save up to 208 plastic bags a year from being made.
TOGETHER all Nashvillians can eliminate 120,400,000 plastic bags and 2,257,000 pounds of waste every year.
For media inquiries contact:
Janel Lacy
(615) 862-6020
janel.lacy@nashville.gov