I wanted to share this email I received:
The Pisgah Group of the North Carolina Sierra Club Executive Committee sent the letter below to to the Brevard City Council and Mayor Harris at the beginning of March to encourage them to transition to renewable electrical power for all municipal facilities by 2030, in keeping with the Sierra Club’s “Ready for 100 Campaign“.
The City of Brevard, like hundreds of municipalities across the United States, signed on to the Sierra Club’s Cool Cities initiative that was inaugurated by the Club in 2005. In keeping with the spirit of the initiative, the Pisgah Group of the North Carolina Sierra Club proposes that City Council pass a resolution to transition all city operations to renewable energy by the year 2030, if not sooner.
Neighboring Buncombe County committed to such a goal in December 2017. This visionary move was supported by the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 Campaign in Asheville, as well as community members and other environmental organizations. Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer joined 189 other mayors across the country in signing the Mayors for 100% Renewable Energy initiative to transition the city to 100% renewable energy. These moves take a critical step toward transitioning to 100% renewable energy. Eliminating electricity generated by burning fossil fuels, such as coal and methane, reduces carbon dioxide emissions, the principle greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. The initiative also institutes an energy cost-saving measure for government, businesses, and taxpayers.
Specific first-step projects include but are not limited to:
1) teaming with Duke Energy to conduct an Environmental Audit of all City buildings.
2) replacing all streetlights with high-efficiency, long-life LED lightbulbs.
3) installing solar panels and battery storage units on all City buildings.
4) replacing City vehicles with hybrid and/or electric vehicles as older vehicles are retired.
5) incorporating renewable energy into all future municipal building designs.
6) installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at a central downtown location.
7) instituting a city-wide composting program.
8) insulating all City buildings.
Transitioning to 100% clean and renewable energy, such as energy efficiency, wind, solar, and electrified transportation, will protect our kids and families from pollution, create new jobs and local economic opportunities, and ensure that all people have access to affordable energy solutions. Instituting such an initiative will place the City of Brevard in a leadership position in the global transition to renewable energy and create a model for small municipalities around the world to emulate.
This version was sent to the membership:
Greetings, Pisgah Group Friends,
The Pisgah Group of the North Carolina Sierra Club Executive Committee sent the letter below to to the Brevard City Council and Mayor Harris two weeks ago to encourage them to transition to renewable electrical power for all municipal facilities by 2030, in keeping with the Sierra Club’s “Ready for 100 Campaign”.
The City of Brevard, like hundreds of municipalities across the United States, signed on to the Sierra Club’s Cool Cities initiative that was inaugurated by the Club in 2005. In keeping with the spirit of the initiative, the Pisgah Group of the North Carolina Sierra Club proposes that City Council pass a resolution to transition all city operations to renewable energy by the year 2030, if not sooner.
Neighboring Buncombe County committed to such a goal in December 2017. This visionary move was supported by the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 Campaign in Asheville, as well as community members and other environmental organizations. Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer joined 189 other mayors across the country in signing the Mayors for 100% Renewable Energy initiative to transition the city to 100% renewable energy. These moves take a critical step toward transitioning to 100% renewable energy. Eliminating electricity generated by burning fossil fuels, such as coal and methane, reduces carbon dioxide emissions, the principle greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. The initiative also institutes an energy cost-saving measure for government, businesses, and taxpayers.
Specific first-step projects include but are not limited to:
1) teaming with Duke Energy to conduct an Environmental Audit of all City buildings.
2) replacing all streetlights with high-efficiency, long-life LED lightbulbs.
3) installing solar panels and battery storage units on all City buildings.
4) replacing City vehicles with hybrid and/or electric vehicles as older vehicles are retired.
5) incorporating renewable energy into all future municipal building designs.
6) installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at a central downtown location.
7) instituting a city-wide composting program.
8) insulating all City buildings.
Transitioning to 100% clean and renewable energy, such as energy efficiency, wind, solar, and electrified transportation, will protect our kids and families from pollution, create new jobs and local economic opportunities, and ensure that all people have access to affordable energy solutions. Instituting such an initiative will place the City of Brevard in a leadership position in the global transition to renewable energy and create a model for small municipalities around the world to emulate.
To date we have received no response. I would like to encourage our Brevard/Transylvania County members too write to City Council members and Mayor Harris to show your support for the initiative.
Here are the appropriate email addresses:
| Jimmy Harris <[email protected]> Gary Daniel <[email protected]> Mac Morrow <[email protected]> Maurice Jones <[email protected]> Charlie Landreth <[email protected]> Maureen Copelof <[email protected]> |
The Executive Committee would also like to encourage the City of Hendersonville to participate in the program. In order to do this, we need a core group of our Hendersonville/Henderson County members to volunteer to help lead us in this effort. The Pisgah Group ExCom will assist you in any way that we can. In particular, we are looking for people who have personal contacts with Hendersonville City Council members and/or the mayor.
We welcome all volunteers and any suggestions that will help move this initiative to a successful conclusion. Please feel free to contact me at the email address below.
“Like” our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Pisgah-Group-of-the-North-Carolina-Sierra-Club-110553332332801/
Sincerely,
Jim Reynolds, Chair
Pisgah Group of the North Carolina Sierra Club
