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EARTH DAY NETWORK ANNOUNCES CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE COMMITMENT WITH GRAND RAPIDS
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At the annual Clinton Global Initiative conference last September, Earth Day Network’s “A Billion Acts of Green® – Renewable Energy for All” campaign was recognized for its exemplary approach in addressing global environmental challenges. The Billion Acts of Green® campaign aims to reduce global CO2 emissions by more than one million pounds by the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June 2012.
In the absence of national and international leadership on climate change policy, individuals, businesses, and local governments must take on the cause of renewable energy. In collaboration with Applied Solutions, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA, and NativeEnergy, Earth Day Network is scheduled to work with five local governments to enhance energy efficiency and facilitate the adoption of renewable energy. These cities were selected as a result of their current efforts to pave the way in reducing energy consumption while implementing cost-saving measures that help balance their budgets. Grand Rapids, Michigan, is one of the cities that has been selected to take part in this project (for more information about Earth Day Network’s commitment with the Clinton Global Initiative, please go to www.earthday.org/cgi).
To address the issues associated with climate change, the City of Grand Rapids is focusing on increasing climate mitigation efforts and reducing the City’s carbon footprint to the fullest extent. In 2010, the City adopted specific targets and goals within its Sustainability Plan in order for their climate mitigation actions to be successful. The City’s Sustainability Plan focuses not only on enhancing and adopting renewable energy in Grand Rapids, but also on maintaining healthy ecosystems, recycling, and reusing and protecting water sources. With regard to renewable energy, the City of Grand Rapids aims to achieve at least 30% of energy use from renewable sources such as hydro, wind, solar, and geothermal by June 30, 2013. In the long run, Grand Rapids wishes to rely solely on renewable resources.
The City’s efforts in climate mitigation and greenhouse gas emission reductions are like no other: the Sustainability Plan contains 59 targets in its Environmental section, all of which Grand Rapids hopes to achieve by June 30, 2015. Some notable targets listed in the Plan include: reducing the City’s energy consumption to 103,000 MWh by 2013 from 110,000 MWh in 2008, replacing the windows and lighting in the City’s buildings, and installing a solar panel project on the roof of the Water Administration Building. “We are very pleased to partner with Earth Day Network as we continue to work to achieve our energy and climate mitigation goals which will ensure a sustainable future for Grand Rapids,” said Grand Rapids Mayor George K. Heartwell. For more information on Grand Rapids’ mitigation efforts, please see this website: www.earthday.org/grandrapids
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