SouthEast Green: Closing the Gap between the Consumer and Green

Welcome to our Weblog, Everyday Green! This page is dedicated to sharing suggestions and articles about the world of green. Let us know how you are putting your green thoughts into action by posting your comments!

Free Environmental/Sustainability Events This Fall

This blog comes from www.TheBuckheadBlog.com

I received an email today from Georgia Tech regarding a series of four free environmental/sustainabililty events coming this fall. It should be of interest to everyone involved in Atlanta and the “Green Changes” that are happening in our community.

The Innovations in Economic Development Forum brings together researchers, students, economic developers and policy-makers to discuss leading-edge ideas and practices in economic development and innovation policy.

The upcoming series is focused on sustainability and developing policies and practices for sustainable growth. Each event is free and open to the public, the dates and times for all four events are below. The events will take place at the Centergy Building at Technology Square, 75 5th Street, NW Atlanta, Hodges Conference Room, Third Floor

For more information to to: www.stip.gatech.edu/forum

SHRINKING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT IN METROPOLITAN AREAS
Marilyn Brown, Professor of Energy Policy, Georgia Tech School of Public Policy
September 3, 2008
Meet the speaker, Brown Bag Lunch at 12:00 noon
Program: 12:30-2:00 pm

ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES IN THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH GREEN BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
Dennis Creech, Executive Director, Southface Energy Institute
October 1, 2008
Meet the speaker, Brown Bag Lunch at 12:00 noon
Program: 12:30-2:00 pm

SUSTAINABILITY IN BUSINESS: NATURAL CAPITALISM THROUGH INNOVATION
John Bradford, Vice President of Operations and Research and Development
InterfaceFLOR Commercial
November 5, 2008
Meet the speaker, Brown Bag Lunch at 12:00 noon
Program: 12:30-2:00 pm

HOW LARGE U.S. CITIES ARE AMPLIFYING GLOBAL WARMING AND ADAPTIVE RESPONSES
Brian Stone, Assoc. Professor, Georgia Tech’s City and Regional Planning Program
November 19, 2008
Location TBA

City Of Atlanta Solid Waste Services

This blog comes to us from www.TheBuckheadBlog.com
The following email is from City Council Member Clair Muller. It provides a complete list of solid waste services beginning July 7th.

I am happy to report that our new Commissioner of Public Works has reorganized crews and routes to be able to collect recyclables, yard trimmings and garbage weekly instead of the proposed every other week collection of recycling and yard trimmings. Beginning the week of July 7, city crews will collect all three items weekly.

RECYCLABLES – Department of Public Works (DPW) will save $3 million in the ’09 Solid Waste budge by taking over the recycling collection contract. This contract for collection has had spotty implementation. Many streets have been missed for collection and many of the small black recycling bins have been lost or broken. The percentage of recycling (and diversion of valuable recyclables from landfills) is abysmal in the City Of Atlanta, where we charge customers $30.00 per year for the service. Beginning the week of July 7th, the City encourages customers to take advantage of the collection service and put recyclables on the curb either in your small black recycle bin or in any larger bin you have with a top (to keep items dry), and label RECYCLE on the bin. Remember, the City does not require separation of material and collects:
l – newspapers – magazines – phone books – paperbacks – junk mail – chip board (suck as cereal box, Kleenex box) – corrugated cardboard (flattened) (NEW item to be collected!) – aluminum and steel cans – glass – plastic

We hope to be able to greatly increase the percentage of recycling in Atlanta and divert these items from landfills (decreasing our tipping fees) AND increase revenue by selling the recyclables. Please Participate, The City may soon sell larger bins for recycling.

YARD TRIMMINGS – DPW will continue the free collection of yard trimmings weekly. I was alarmed to discover during this year’s budget research that we pay an outside entity $18-$19 per ton to take this material and process it, so I am searching for an enterprise that would take the material for free. That could save $800,000 per year!

GARBAGE will be collected weekly as usual. I am still encouraging DPW to investigate the advantages of “Pay As You Throw” (PAYT) systems which encourage more recycling. With increased recycling, the existing large green garbage bin should be more than adequate for the majority of households.

Let’s help make revenue for Solid Waste Enterprise Fund and keep our city cleaner!!

CLAIR MULLER

Tax Credits For The Installation of Energy Efficient Equipment

In May of this year, Georgia enacted legislation establishing residential and commercial tax credits for the installation of clean, energy efficient equipment and renewable energy equipment. This tax credits are in effect from July 1, 2008 until December 31, 2012. More details can be found at www.dsireusa.org

For commercial buildings, the tax credit is equal to 35% of the cost of the system, (including installation), $.60 per square foot for lighting retrofit projects and $1.80 per square foot for energy-efficient products installed during construction. This includes: solar water heating, solar panels, solar thermal electric, active space heating, biomass and wind energy systems, Energy Star-certified geotermal heat pumps, and lighting retrofits.

For residential buildings, the tax credit is equal to 35% of the cost of the system, including installation. This includes: domestic solar water heating, solar panels, solar thermal electric, active space heating, wind energy systems, and Energy Star-certified geothermal heat pumps. Leased systems are eligible for both commercial and residential tax credits, solar hot water systems must be specifically certified.

This is a first step for Georgia and I hope both commerical and residential property owners will take advantage of these tax credits. Let’s show the Georgia lesgislature that were ready to enter the 21st century and become more
sustainable!

Green - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

This whole green movement towards environmental responsibility and conservation has had a profound effect on people. The more involved I become in the green community, the more I’m learning about so many different facets of green living.
Whether it’s changes I’ve made at home, at the office or in my political views, green has certainly impacted my life. How has green effected you? Has it been positive, negative or both?

How Are You Green?

We think it’s time for an online poll! How are you green? What changes have you made to go green at home and/or at the office? For example, over the past two years, a member of our Southeast Green team has gradually replaced her old appliances with Energy Star appliances.

Tree Sound studios in Atlanta has incorporated sustainability not only into their studio and office space, but has also encouraged their recording artists to do the same.
treesoundstudios.com

What have you done?