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Our Blog-FriendsI’m a happy camper. Last week two of our greatest passions, the environment and the creative economy, were merged. An all day session of the Chatham Environmental Forum (CEF) produced ten priorities to guide the organization as they draft a plan for the County Commission on how Chatham can become the “Greenest County in Georgia.” One of those ten priorities was “Building Creative Infrastructure.” You heard me right. The CEF thinks a creative community is part of the green community equation. We couldn’t agree more. And here’s why.
The two are mutually beneficial. The workforce of knowledge- and culture-based industry tend to migrate to communities with a good quality of life, meaning clean air and water, expanses of greenspace, recreational opportunities, good transportation, etc. We want ”creatives” in Savannah because of a) the way they will positively impact our community’s economy and b) the way they will positively impact our community’s environment. And they will be more likely to relocate to Savannah if we embrace initiatives to maintain the resources that make this a healthy, beautiful place to live.
Going further, brain-based industry is the way of the future. And that’s alright with Mother Nature. Brain-based business consume less natural resources than more traditional industries. A recent Savannah Morning News article quotes Commissioner Pat Shay:
Creative economies are green because they’re run on the resources of local minds and hearts and consume very little in the way of natural resources, said Chatham County Commissioner and forum member Pat Shay.
“A good example is New Orleans,” he said. “After Katrina, one of the first things to come back there was the jazz scene.”
CEF can count on TCCa to support their goals to help make Savannah a greener place to work and live. We’ll start by lending our expertise on how the CEF can ”Build Creative Infrastructure.” And then there’s the involvement of good ole’ Uncle SEDA and Lynn Pitts (SVP) as a member of the Forum. We’re also super pumped about this year’s Innovation Awards and the category that promises to produce mind-blowing nominees: Innovative Achievement in Sustainability.
What’s this whole CEF thing about? Well, the Chatham Environmental Forum is a panel that was created over 18 years ago and is composed of area industries/businesses, environmental organizations and government. The purpose of the Forum is to interact and discuss important issues that affect the environment in Chatham County. They identified the following ten priorities in a June 23 meeting facilitated by Michael Kinsley with the Rocky Mountain Institute. Way to go, CEF! We dig your initiatives.
Good luck and Godspeed…
The Chatham Environmental Forum named these topics as its priorities in making Chatham the greenest county in Georgia:
1. Transportation connectivity
2. Energy efficiency
3. Stormwater management/quality
4. More green space, parks, trees
5. Locally produced, renewable energy
6. Concentration and land use
7. Mass transit
8. Creative infrastructure
9. Climate change
10. Solid waste management
Popularity: 30% [?]
I’m wishing, hoping, praying.
Here are a few real policy options I would like to offer.
1. Covert CAT buses from desiel to alternative fuels
2. Require all county and city buildings to be built to some level of L.E.E.D.s certification
3. Get SEDA to promote all their customers to build to L.E.E.D.s standards
4. Have Chatham County consider going to a 4 day work week
5. Pass an ordinance to not expand LNG in the county
6. Start using impact fees on all new construction with a reduction in impact fees for projects that are L.E.E.D designed and built
7. Anyone who buys a hybrid automobile or truck should get a reduced tag fee
8. Pass an ordinance that all new hotels be built to L.E.E.D.s standards
9. Task SEDA to put an emphasis on locating green collar jobs in Chatham County
10. Build a lot more safe and direct bicycle lanes
11. Pass an ordinance to require all tour buses, trollies and fleets be phased over to alternative fuels
12. Start testing vehicle emissions and then make annual tag registration contingent on passing emissions test
13. Stop allowing canopy tree cutting (public owned trees) without public hearing and vote of county commission
14. properly fund and staff a county tree department
15. Introduce curbside recycling in un incorporated Chatham County by requiring private trash haulers to provide the service to customers who wish to opt in
15. Keep wishing, hoping and praying
Some really awesome suggestions here. Thanks for sharing. My favorites? Numbers 4(!), 9 (ahem, SEDA) and 10. I mean, why is there only a northbound bike lane? I am a timid biker and it’s such a hassle returning home sans bike lane.
Well, in the meantime I will be doing alot of #15.
Thanks John!
Ms. Simpson
I posted as a means to show that there are many tangible ways to start achieving the mission of making Chatham County the green county. My concern is that the CEF may be well intentioned but is all rhetoric after a year of meeting and discussing. Elected representatives have the authority to make these concepts reality in the next meeting (2 weeks).
Look again at the CEF top priorities list, no where do you find anything telling us “how” and “when” these concepts will be fulfilled. My list requires only two things: 1) the will to do them and 2)five votes on the county commission or city council.
Thanks for posting and ride safely.
John
Please, call me Summer!
I can certainly understand your concerns that the CEF may be just another long, drawn out process that circumvents decisions, like some you’ve proposed, that could be implemented today. From being on the sidelines as this revamping of CEF has unfolded, I can say that this is a group of very intelligent, creative and well-informed citizens from all sectors. This process, while tedious and time-consuming, could stand to produce some great policy recommendations and guidance to elected officials who may not represent the balance and enviro-intuition of the Forum.
Just more ammo for the arsenal in my opinion! Though I certainly appreciate zeal to get it done.
Summer it is. All that you have said is true, some really great people many of whom are my friends. How long would you personally accept as a point at which something should migrate from “CONCEPT” to a reality? 6 months more, 12 months more, 24 months more?
There’s a saying, “what you measure, you produce.” I believe it means that if one never sets and achieves a real outcome, one accomplishes little. Likewise, if you only plan and plan only, you go nowhere.
It took myself and a handful of people exactly 120 days to successfully bring into law curbside recycling as an ordinance on the books at the city of Savannah. The first pick up of material is 5 months and a handful of days away.
We didn’t need to “study it” we didn’t need to “meet and have cocktails” we just did it. Maybe that’s the difference between zeal and political meandering. Both have a place, both are options but zeal will beat out meandering every time.
I do not have concerns about CEF, I have doubts about how concepts get beyond the ether and become the dust of the arena. I do know how to measure and results are what matter. I support CEF efforts while we all await for a little dust to rise up from all the meandering.
I’m all about #4.
Refreshing news to hear that there is a process in place. Hopefully this checklist will entice us all to tackle the most obtainable of issues (the couple that are non-government related) first and foremost.
I like the points that you both make. Because, going back to the voting blog post , it’s the decisions and demands that we make every day that will make the difference. Let us each start living a little better, voting a little more and generally being the change we want to see. That can start today even if CEF’s proposals can’t.
Wow, am I sounding like MJ in the mirror or what?!
Almost every idea on the CEF or my list requires funding besides the will to do it and politically 5 votes in whichever governmental jurisdiction the idea may manifest.
Does anyone believe that impact fees on new construction might be a viable new funding source for these excellent ideas?
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