February 2014

The Green Matters e-newsletter is designed to give you a quick glimpse of important sustainability initiatives happening around the metro Atlanta region and beyond. Whether it's the latest research, new educational offerings, environmental stewardship efforts, or potential funding opportunities, this e-newsletter will help you stay abreast of what's happening in this important subject area.

Seven Communities Renew Commitment to Sustainability

Seven local governments in the 10-county region were recently recognized for their leadership in implementing policies and practices that contribute to efficient and sustainable use of resources in metro Atlanta. Three counties and four cities either renewed or upgraded their certification in the five-year-old Green Communities program.

City of Atlanta – Recertified, upgraded to Silver
Cobb County – Recertified Silver
DeKalb County – Recertified Bronze
Douglas County – Recertified Bronze
City of Dunwoody – Upgraded to Gold
City of Roswell – Recertified, upgraded to Gold
City of Suwanee – Recertified Bronze

Since 2009, these seven local governments have had the following cumulative impact:

159 million kWh of green power produced
1062 additional acres of protected greenspace
30 community gardens cultivated
1,000,222 tons of Household Hazardous Waste collected
$1,114,000 in energy savings
713 million gallons of water reused

Read the full press release.

Measures #63 through 66 – Innovation

The Green Communities certification program recognizes local governments that have implemented projects, policies and programs that reduce the local community’s environmental impact and are not included in a previously outlined Green Communities measure. Many of the most recently certified Green Communities received points for their innovative projects.

The City of Atlanta recently updated its Post-Development Stormwater Management Ordinance to promote the use of Green Infrastructure on new and redevelopment projects in the city. The city has built a rain garden at Fire Station 16 in order to demonstrate one type of green infrastructure practice.
The City of Roswell is a National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Certified Community Wildlife Habitat. The city and its residents provide habitat for wildlife throughout the community – in individual backyards, on school grounds and in public areas such as parks, community gardens, places of worship and businesses.
The City of Suwanee Municipal Court and city council meetings have gone paperless. The court, which was the first in the state of Georgia to go paperless, uses software that saves nearly 52,000 pieces of paper a year.
Cobb County developed the PEACH Roads certification program to help recognize and integrate sustainability principles into transportation projects. The first PEACH Roads project met certification requirements by reusing topsoil onsite, utilizing retaining walls to minimize environmental impact and serving as a valuable link in Cobb County’s Trail Masterplan.
DeKalb County created new granite pool habitats for two critically imperiled plant species: the federally threatened pool sprite and the federally endangered black-spored quillwort at Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve.
Google and the Douglasville – Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority (WSA) teamed up to implement a joint public/private water reuse project designed to conserve water. The water reuse project is Google’s first reuse water system in the U.S. and the first of its kind in Georgia. (pictured above)

Stay Toasty This Winter! – Easy Home Weatherization Tips

Dodge the Draft(s) – Drafts can waste 5% to 30% of your energy use. Start simple and adopt that old Great Depression fixture -- the draft snake, which you can easily make yourself. Just place a rolled bath towel under a drafty door.
Mind That Thermostat – Remember to turn down the heat when you leave the building, but doing so is one way to save money. For every degree you lower your thermostat, you’ll save between 1% and 3% of your heating bill. Make it easier with a programmable thermostat!
Change Furnace Filters – Yes it's easy to forget, but it's important to replace furnace filters once a month during the heating season. Dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy demand.

Check out more tips from Popular Mechanics