Sustainable Raleigh News: Volume 1, Issue 2

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CITY OF RALEIGH OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
Economic Strength...Environmental Stewardship...Social Equity.

Environmental Awards Celebration

The public is invited to the City of Raleigh’s sixth annual Environmental Awards celebration Monday, April 22 in the Nature Research Center wing of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 121 W. Jones Street. The program recognizes individuals and organizations demonstrating a commitment to the environment in our community. RSVP here.

A reception honoring the award winners begins at 6 p.m. followed by the awards ceremony at 7 p.m. WRAL–TV meteorologist Greg Fishel will give the opening presentation and WRAL-TV reporter Brian Shrader will also be on hand to help with award presentations and other festivities.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available.

Value-based Procurement Saves

The City of Raleigh has made total cost of ownership a formal component of its Sustainable Procurement Policy.
The City’s policy allows for certain fiscal factors to be considered when making purchasing decisions, including product performance, quality and durability; impact on staff time and labor; life-cycle cost assessments; and others.

Paula Thomas, manager of Raleigh’s Office of Sustainability, shares insight, examples and outcomes in the article
“Is Your Procurement Program Sending Money Down the Drain?” in Water & Wastes Digest.

COR EV Infrastructure Wrap-up

The City of Raleigh has been a test lab for infrastructure needs for electric vehicles, installing 29 charging stations between November 2010 and December 2011. The Rocky Mountain Institute selected Raleigh as one of three cities nationwide to participate in their Project Get Ready initiative, intended to prepare cities to develop fleets, infrastructure and operational expertise to support electric vehicle rollouts in 2010. The City of Raleigh Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project Wrap-Up is an overview of the City’s efforts.

WATCH THIS VIDEO VIGNETTE for a first-hand ride in an electric vehicle and profile of the City’s support of them.

Flip the Switch for Earth Hour

On Saturday, March 23 at 8:30 p.m., hundreds of millions of people around the globe will turn off their non-essential lights for one hour during Earth Hour. This innovative campaign raises awareness on sustainability and the environmental challenges we all face, garnering participation in more than 135 countries.

The City of Raleigh supports this global effort to turn off non-essential lights, not just on March 23, but every day of the year. As a matter of standard operating procedure, the City shuts off non-essential lights and cuts back on energy use as much as possible where employee and citizen safety are not compromised. The City encourages all citizens and local businesses to participate in Earth Hour in a feasible and safe manner. Learn more at www.earthhour.org

WELCOME...

to the City of Raleigh Office of Sustainability bimonthly newsletter. We hope you enjoy our news, click the links to learn more, and forward it to others who may be interested. To receive future issues, sign up for Sustainable Raleigh through MyRaleigh subscriptions.

Mulch: Buy One, Get One Free!

Raleigh area residents and businesses are invited to take advantage of a great deal on mulch with a Buy One, Get One Free promotion at the City’s Yard Waste Recycling Center, 900 N. New Hope Road, Raleigh.

The promotion is typically held each spring and fall to assist area residents with their landscaping needs. The spring promotion runs March 16 through April 30, 2013. A coupon is required.