GREENING PENSACOLA:  Where we are today.

 In January, 2011, when I took office the City's Environmental Advisory (EAB) Committee met sporadically, usually to address a Superfund issue such as the American Creosote site.  But, the City did not have a plan or strategy for environmental sustainability. It took a year of persistence from me and a few other council members, but in time the EAB became a highly effective board, meeting once a month to deal with helping the city work toward obtaining a green certificate from the Florida Green Building Coalition (no easy task), auditing the tree canopy to develop a strategic plan to use the $660,000 tree trust fund, advising the city on the feasibility of a fish hatchery downtown and creation of a Climate Change Task Force.  

Through  many hours of laboriously examining the city's practices of using and selling natural gas, the use of LED lighting, an ordinances to promote green building and many other projects the EAB determined that the City was actually doing a pretty good job of reducing its carbon foot print and encouraging sustainable development.  While we still have miles to go to firm up a sustainable growth plan the City is moving in the right direction.  I believe the Mayor and the City Council deserve an "A" for implementing environmental policies and practices that are sound and good for the citizens, the economy and our future growth. Now let me add unequivocally - we are not perfect, but we have the desire to create a healthier and more sustainable community and that is half the battle.