Is Carbondale Cool?
Isn't it time that the City of Carbondale became a Cool City?
A Cool City has made a commitment to stopping global warming by signing the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement. The Cool Cities campaign helps cities turn their commitments into action by pushing for smart energy solutions.
Did you know that from 1979 to 1985 the City of Carbondale had its own Energy Division with a mission to promote energy conservation, wise energy use, and use of renewable energy from sources such as solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal? With a staff of four professionals plus interns and community volunteers, Carbondale led the Midwest in attacking the long-term problems of declining energy supplies, high utility prices and pollution. Then Mayor Hans Fischer took a leadership role in saving city government, homeowners and businesses money through sound energy efficiency investments. He and I even took Carbondale's message of hope to the City of Seattle and said look what we can do! Twenty-five years later Seattle has sent the message back saying every city can now be a cool city. Every city can address the larger problems of climate disruption, dependence upon foreign oil, and energy waste.
What happened to Carbondale's innovative energy program? It was shut down when the "energy crisis" was no longer deemed a priority. Gas prices dropped, long lines at the gas pump disappeared, and the Republicans took office with a far different agenda for the future.
While Carbondale has sat on its aged and forgotten laurels, ten cities in Illinois have made the pledge to join the growing ranks of Cool Cities: Alton, Carol Stream, Chicago, Edwardsville, Highland Park, Lombard, Oak lawn, Rock Island, Schaumberg, and Waukeegan. These ten join the ranks of more than 319 mayors representing over 51 million Americans in 46 states and the District of Columbia (as of October 2006). These mayors have pledged to reduce global warming carbon dioxide pollution in their cities to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012 (the same reductions and target date called for under the Kyoto Protocol Global Warming Treaty).
These communities are "moving forward with innovative energy solutions that curb global warming, save taxpayer dollars, and create healthier cities. At a time when the federal government is failing to act, when the Illinois state legislature is failing to stem massive gas and electric rate increases, these local leaders are moving America toward a safer and more secure future."
Where are Carbondale's city Council candidates on this issue? Why has Carbondale stopped being a leader in energy issues? Shouldn't Carbondale reenergize its commitment to a safer future?
Should Carbondale be a Cool City? Read about Cool Cities and then take the poll on this page to send your message to the leaders of Carbondale.
A Cool City has made a commitment to stopping global warming by signing the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement. The Cool Cities campaign helps cities turn their commitments into action by pushing for smart energy solutions.
Did you know that from 1979 to 1985 the City of Carbondale had its own Energy Division with a mission to promote energy conservation, wise energy use, and use of renewable energy from sources such as solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal? With a staff of four professionals plus interns and community volunteers, Carbondale led the Midwest in attacking the long-term problems of declining energy supplies, high utility prices and pollution. Then Mayor Hans Fischer took a leadership role in saving city government, homeowners and businesses money through sound energy efficiency investments. He and I even took Carbondale's message of hope to the City of Seattle and said look what we can do! Twenty-five years later Seattle has sent the message back saying every city can now be a cool city. Every city can address the larger problems of climate disruption, dependence upon foreign oil, and energy waste.
What happened to Carbondale's innovative energy program? It was shut down when the "energy crisis" was no longer deemed a priority. Gas prices dropped, long lines at the gas pump disappeared, and the Republicans took office with a far different agenda for the future.
While Carbondale has sat on its aged and forgotten laurels, ten cities in Illinois have made the pledge to join the growing ranks of Cool Cities: Alton, Carol Stream, Chicago, Edwardsville, Highland Park, Lombard, Oak lawn, Rock Island, Schaumberg, and Waukeegan. These ten join the ranks of more than 319 mayors representing over 51 million Americans in 46 states and the District of Columbia (as of October 2006). These mayors have pledged to reduce global warming carbon dioxide pollution in their cities to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012 (the same reductions and target date called for under the Kyoto Protocol Global Warming Treaty).
These communities are "moving forward with innovative energy solutions that curb global warming, save taxpayer dollars, and create healthier cities. At a time when the federal government is failing to act, when the Illinois state legislature is failing to stem massive gas and electric rate increases, these local leaders are moving America toward a safer and more secure future."
Where are Carbondale's city Council candidates on this issue? Why has Carbondale stopped being a leader in energy issues? Shouldn't Carbondale reenergize its commitment to a safer future?
Should Carbondale be a Cool City? Read about Cool Cities and then take the poll on this page to send your message to the leaders of Carbondale.
1 comment:
Perhaps you should send this blog entry or something like it to the DE as a letter to the editor in response to all the mayoral election hubbub. Or, maybe you should send it in after the election if Sheila Simon wins, saying that signing on with this would be a good demonstration of the environmental commitments she has espoused thus far.
Thanks,
Chris
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