Leading Dixie Green

By Vanessa Murray, Staff Writer, Green Space Today

The South is often labeled as environmentally unaware; however, Southern cities, institutions, businesses, and individuals are breaking this stereotype by employing sustainable practices.

In the 2008 presidential election, Kentucky sustained status as a Red state, but her cities, including Lexington and Louisville, can be seen as progressive-environmentally progressive.

As of late, Louisville has been on a green streak.

Mayor Jerry Abramson and Louisville residents push a fire truck into its new home, Engine 6-a new fire station that uses geothermal heating and cooling as well as LED lights. Credit: Courtesy of Louisville Metro Government.

Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson told Green Space Today, "In 2005, I signed the Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement, which pledges to reduce the city’s carbon emissions 7 percent over 1990 levels by 2012."

Mayor Abramson said, "Last year, the city launched the Go Green Louisville initiative, which outlines goals for city government such as decreasing energy usage, decreasing fuel consumption, increasing recycling rates and adding green spaces. 

In Louisville, we’re working toward sustainability because it will improve quality of life for our citizens -- but we’re also “going green to save green.” A lot of the changes we’re making now, such as installing geothermal heating and cooling systems, will save a lot of money in the long run.

We’ve made some significant steps. We became an Energy Star partner over a year ago, and Energy Star has chosen our city to highlight as a model for other cities to follow in their quest to improve energy efficiency. 

We started a public/private partnership called the Louisville Energy Alliance, which is sponsoring a yearlong energy efficiency contest among buildings called the Kilowatt Crackdown. Finally, along with Jefferson County Public Schools and the University of Louisville, we’ve completed a Climate Action Report, which details the city’s overall carbon footprint and offers nearly 200 recommendations for improving our rate of emissions."

Lexington is home to the University of Kentucky (UK). Like many college towns throughout the US, Lexington has attained status as a green city in large part due to academic research and resources, community outreach and a youthful student body that is for the most part behind a new vision of green Americanism.

UK President Dr. Lee Todd (right) with Shane Tedder before a press conference in which the expansion of the Wildcat Wheels Bicycle Library Program was announced. Credit: Courtesy of Tim Buckingham

The UK’s Board of Trustees recently voted to approve a new student fee which will be used to support sustainability initiatives on campus.

UK’s students learn about urban gardening and food production during a workshop organized by Earthdays in the Bluegrass Credit: Courtesy of Shane Tedder

This year, Residence Life Sustainability with the help of the students from UK GreenThumb Environmental Club is hosting and operating ‘Earth Days in the Bluegrass,’ a month long series of events to celebrate responsible global citizenship and the power of local actions.

Shane Tedder, Sustainability Coordinator, Office of Residence Life, University of Kentucky, told Green Space Today, “The University of Kentucky is definitely a catalyst for sustainable initiatives in the Lexington community.”

Like Lexington, Athens-Clarke County, Georgia benefits from a primary public university. Athens-Clarke is home to the University of Georgia. In an interview with University representative Larry Dendy, Dendy said “We have a very strong recycling program that collaborates with the Solid Waste Department of the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government. Also, the University of Georgia has been very aggressive in implementing water conservation measures and has worked with local government officials.”

In an interview with Richard (Dick) C. Field, Ph.D., ACC Environmental Coordinator, Athens-Clarke County Unified Government, Field agreed with Dendy’s sentiment. “The University of Georgia is a big contributor to our community and does contribute to benefit our local environment. We (Georgia) are coming out of the worst drought in our State’s history and the University has partnered with us to successfully reduce water consumption,” said Field.

Richard (Dick) C. Field, Ph.D., ACC Environmental Coordinator, Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Credit: Courtesy of ACCUG

Atlanta is not considered a green city by most experts and journals, but is getting more sustainable indeed. In recent months, Skanska USA’s Atlanta Headquarters attained LEED Gold certification.

Other companies (in Atlanta) such as Allison & Partners have adopted sustainable practices. Brian Feldman, GM, Allison & Partners (A & P), said “We (A & P) had worked on a number of sustainability projects and represent clients that are green and we had to walk the walk.”

Evergreen Sustainability Solutions, an initiative from the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), a nonprofit serving Atlanta and the southeast on environmental issues, helped Allison & Partners lower its carbon footprint through a 37.9 metric ton reduction of CO2e/year.

Evergreen’s Director Steve Clermont told Green Space Today, “There is a lot of sustainable activity going on in Georgia. Our traffic problem leads to poor air quality. There is a high rate of asthma in Georgia. Within the past few years, Georgians have been collectively looking to improve this issue.”

Skanska USA’s Atlanta Headquarters. Credit: Copyright Robert Thien, Inc.

Athens-Clarke County Police West Sub-Station is one of 4 buildings in the County to receive LEED certification. Credit: Courtesy of ACCUG

Huntsville, Alabama, compared to Atlanta, is considerably smaller in population, size, and civic resources; however, Huntsville has made a significant impact for its 166,313 residents and has set an environmental precedent for other mid-sized cities in the US.
 
One reason for Huntsville’s reputation as a green city is due to Operation Green Team. Operation Green Team was founded over 30 years ago, long before the sustainable movement was popularized. Operation Green Team is an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (KAB) and is 100% funded by the City of Huntsville.

Operation Green Team strives to make Huntsville a greener place to live, work, and play by running beautification projects, initiating sustainable programming, and providing educational information to locally-based companies, schools, churches, and civic clubs.

Joy McKee, Executive Director, Operation Green Team, told Green Space Today, “We really feel that we can touch the people of Huntsville. Operation Green Team tries to make people aware that there is something everyone can do to improve the environment.”

Brian Feldman, GM, Allison & Partners

The proof is evident-Operation Green Team gets residents involved in the green effort!

-Huntsville recycled the most cell phones in the US during an E-cycling Campaign-a program a part of KAB’s Great American Cleanup. As a result, $10, 000 was awarded (by sponsors such as Sprint and ReCellular) to Operation Green Team.

-Operation Green Team has over 15, 000 volunteers who are committed to the organization’s cause and efforts.

-During the 2008-2009 school year (within a 3 month time period), Huntsville’s public schools recycled 58, 000 pounds of #1 and #2 plastics.

North Carolina has been a state of significant political and ecological transformation in recent years. In 2008, North Carolina’s 15 electoral votes went to a Democratic presidential candidate, which has happened only twice in 35+ years.

Steve Clermont, Director, Evergreen Sustainability Solutions, Inc.

Greensboro, North Carolina is home to the greenest hotel in the US-PROXIMITY Hotel – the only hotel that has attained status as LEED Platinum certified.
 

Joy McKee (center), Executive Director and others on Operation Green Team receive $10K at KAB’s National Conference in D.C. (2008). Credit: Courtesy of Keep America Beautiful

In Asheville, NC, 73 North Market St. (http://73northmarket.com/#/page_id=17&article=84/), a 10-story condo-building slated for construction, will have the world’s first exclusive smart fortwo garage to accommodate vehicles no larger than the Daimler smart.

Proximity Hotel, Greensboro, NC Credit: Courtesy of Proximity Hotel

Dennis Quaintance, owner and developer of Proximity Hotel, on roof with solar panels Credit: Courtesy of Proximity Hotel

Jeremy Goldstein, Managing Member, North Market Street Investments, LLC, developer of 73 North Market St., told Green Space Today, “Each unit will come with the smart fortwo vehicle, and it is impossible for anything larger to fit in the parking facility.  We wanted to create a development that would promote a way of living that would be good for our community and the environment.  It is really exciting for us to pioneer a branch of the sustainable movement.”

With the South’s embedded, conservative roots, modern Southern culture is often branded as environmentally unconscious. However, there are certainly public and private organizations and individuals that are doing their part to make America the greenest country in the world.

73 North Market St., Asheville, NC North Market Street Investments, LLC,