Dean asks residents to take environmental pledge

Mayor Karl Dean is asking Nashville residents to take a five-step pledge to help the environment by saving electricity and water and cutting back on greenhouse gas emissionsThe mayor is asking people to use at least four compact fluorescent light bulbs; turn off the water while brushing their teeth; take the bus, walk, ride a bike or carpool at least once a week instead of driving; plant a tree; and use reusable shopping bags.


"Our citizens have a tremendous desire to help make Nashville more environmentally sustainable and to help address the bigger issue of global climate change," Dean said in a news release Friday.

"While it may seem simple, the most important thing individuals can do is make easy changes in their everyday life to reduce waste, reduce energy use and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that go into our air. Collectively, these efforts will have a huge impact."

Dean has said he wants Nashville to be the "greenest city in the Southeast." Creating the pledge was one of 71 recommendations the mayor's Green Ribbon Committee on Environmental Sustainability made in April.

Dean will formally kick off his environmental pledge campaign before the Nashville Sounds game at 5:40 p.m. today. Steve Gild, an environmental health and safety officer at Vanderbilt University, and his wife and three sons will take the ceremonial first pledge.

Gild said he and his family already do most of the things required by the pledge, but they want to focus even more on environmentally sustainability. Planting a tree will be a new activity for the Bellevue family.

"We want to be an example," Gild said.

According to information provided by the mayor's office, the efforts of every Nashvillian would eliminate 120 million plastic bags a year and save enough water each year to fill LP Field four times. Reducing automobile use would eliminate more than 290,000 tons of carbon dioxide, the same as taking 5,800 cars off the road each year.

A recent inventory of greenhouse gases produced by Nashville showed the city is slightly above the national average for emissions produced per resident.

The Sounds are hosting their second annual "Go Green Night" tonight with Dean, Nashville Electric Service and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Fans are encouraged to wear green and will be able to see an exhibit on energy efficiency before the game against the Memphis Redbirds, which starts at 6 p.m.

NES spokeswoman Laurie Parker said Sounds fans are a natural audience because many of them are "families watching their budgets."

For more information, go to www.nashville.gov/green/ or www.nespower.com.

By Michael Cass • THE TENNESSEAN