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Green Initiatives Archive

Two Major Sustainability Conferences Headed to Omaha This Week

June 15, 2010
Announcements, Economic Development, Green Initiatives, Misc News

Two prominent national conferences are being hosted in Omaha this week, including the Energy Innovation Summit and the Meeting of the Minds. Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle will participate in several events at each conference, along with the City of Omaha’s Sustainability Coordinator, Kristi Wamstad-Evans. Both events are invitation only, drawing a national attendance and even international attendance for the Meeting of the Minds.”The City of Omaha is proud to help develop our community’s reputation as a leader in the green economy and on energy and sustainability issues,” Mayor Suttle said. “I applaud the efforts of Kristi Wamstad-Evans who worked hard on behalf of Omaha to help secure both of these events and help make them successful.”

The Energy Innovation Summit, hosted by the Kauffman Foundation, is the first follow-up meeting to the White House Conference on Energy Innovation that was held in Washington D.C. in May. The Summit will take place on Wednesday, June 16th. The Summit will draw entrepreneurs, state government officials, federal government leadership, selected private sector leaders, nonprofit leaders and energy innovators to Omaha to build strong regional collaboration and networks.

“The goal of the Energy Innovation Summit is for leaders across sectors to discuss challenges and opportunities in transferring unique, energy innovations to the market for use,” Wamstad-Evans said. Topics of discussion will include: regional innovation in energy, state level policies, cross-sector partnerships, and human capital. Key sponsors and supporters of the Energy Innovation Summit include: The Kauffman Foundation, Gallup, HDR, Inc. and the City of Omaha. About 120 attendees are expected. For more information about the Energy Innovation Summit, please see the attached media advisory from the Kauffman Foundation.

The Meeting of the Minds, presented and hosted by the Urban Age Institute and Joslyn Institute for Sustainable Communities, is a leadership summit for building sustainable cities. The meeting brings together more than 200 leaders from 15 countries with local and regional public, private and independent sustainability stakeholders. The goal for Meeting of the Minds is to bring leaders together from across sectors to share ideas and develop a common agenda to building sustainable cities. Both the City of Omaha and the City of Lincoln are Meeting of the Minds Partners. The meeting runs June 16, 17 and 18 at Qwest Center Omaha. For more information about Meeting of the Minds, visit: www.MeetingoftheMinds2010.org.

In addition, a joint reception and networking event for attendees of both meetings will take place on Wednesday evening. Sustainability coordinators/directors from across the region will also meet, including those from: Omaha, Lincoln, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Wichita, Ann Arbor, Columbus (assistant) and Cleveland (assistant).

Mayor Suttle & Mayor Hanafan Launch Bike to Work Week

May 14, 2010
Announcements, Featured, Green Initiatives, In The Community

Mayor Jim Suttle and Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan today lead Omaha area cyclists in the 2010 Mayors’  Bicycle Ride to kick off Bike to Work Week, which is May 17-21.

“Biking and other balanced forms of transportation, such as city buses and ridesharing programs, improve our local economies by lowering transportation costs,” Mayor Suttle said in a proclamation. 

Beginning in the Omaha Plaza, west of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, the mayors lead cyclists as they biked to work toward their respective city halls.  The cyclists then returned to the Bridge.

Download the Mayor’s Bicycle Ride Flyer!

The event kicked-off the 5th Annual Bike Omaha Commuter Challenge, a friendly competition among local businesses and organizations to see who can pedal the most miles to and from work, sponsored by TREK Bicycle Stores of Omaha. Last year, nearly 700 riders logged 130,000 miles over the 14-week period.

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View all the photos from today’s event, including Mayor Suttle riding a bike, here.

“This is an exciting way to kick off the Challenge as well as National Bike-to-Work Week, which runs May 17-21,” said Tammie Dodge, project manager for Activate Omaha which is helping promote the event. “With the collaboration of all of our partners, we expect this year’s challenge to bring even more teams to the table.”

One of the Challenge’s new features, said Dodge, is that it will be multi-modal, allowing participants to log bus and car pool miles in addition to bike-to-work miles. The partnership with MAPA’s Metro Rideshare Program and MAT has allowed this new opportunity to take shape.

Those interested in the Challenge may register online.

Mayor Suttle Announces 2010 Neighborhood Grant Recipients

May 13, 2010
Announcements, Featured, Green Initiatives, In The Community, Misc News

Today, Mayor Suttle awarded twenty-two Mayor’s Neighborhood Grants to neighborhood associations from across the City, including seventeen Neighborhood Green Improvement grant awards and five Crime Prevention grant awards, at a ceremony held at the Gifford Park Neighborhood Associaiton’s Community Garden. 

“This year we added the Neighborhood “Green” Improvement category to encourage neighborhood associations to take steps to not only improve their neighborhood, but to craft projects that enhance the sustainability of our City,” Mayor Suttle said.  “The principles of the Neighborhood Grant program remain the same: neighbors know what is best for their neighborhood.”

The Mayor’s Office received 32 applications from associations across the City, and unfortunately, with the outstanding number of applications, was not able to fund every association.  However, we were able to make 22 awards for exciting projects, totaling $80,000, including: neighborhood park improvements, neighborhood beautification, community gardens, purchasing essential Citizen Patrol equipment, and more.  

Mayor's Neighrbohood Grants

Mayor Suttle awards a certificate at the grant announcement at Gifford Park Community Garden.

“I’d like to thank each neighborhood association for your interest in this important program and for your hard work improving the areas in which you live,” Mayor Suttle told the recipients.

Mayor Suttle also took the opportunity to highlight the Gifford Park Community Garden, and President of the neighborhood association, Dana Carlton-Flint, spoke at the ceremony. 

“This project is a shining example of my vision for the Neighborhood Grant program and I am hopeful that this project is one of many that will serve as a model for neighborhood associations across the City,” Mayor Suttle said.  

A full list of recipients and the projects are available here.

View photos from the announcement ceremony.

 

The City of Omaha Marks Arbor Day

April 30, 2010
Announcements, Featured, Green Initiatives, In The Community, Misc News

First National Bank (FNB) joined with the City of Omaha today in a tree planting ceremony to celebrate Arbor Day at North Omaha’s Miller Park. Mayor Jim Suttle presented an Arbor Day proclamation and representatives from the Arbor Day Foundation, Lanoha Nurseries and First National Bank were on hand. 

“I’d like to thank First National Bank for organizing today’s Arbor Day Celebration,” Mayor Suttle said.  “Your commitment to bringing sustainable practices to your business sets a proud example for others to follow.  These trees will beautify  Miller Park and our entire community.”

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The tree planting ceremony marks the end of a six-month “green” initiative in which First National Bank, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, pledged to make a donation to the Arbor Day Foundation to plant a tree for each customer who signed up to receive electronic statements.

In total, more than 11,000 new customers signed up for electronic statements, resulting in a donation to the Foundation to plant in forests in need as designated by the Foundation.

Omaha & Lincoln Receive $10 Million in Energy Efficiency Funding

April 21, 2010
Announcements, Economic Development, Green Initiatives

Mayor Jim Suttle announced today that the City of Omaha, in partnership with the City of Lincoln, will receive $10 million from the Recovery Act Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Ramp-Up Program. The application, titled the Omaha Lincoln Retrofit Ramp-Up Program, leverages resources amounting to $100 million leveraged from 27 partners across both communities to assist in the successful implementation of this program.

A key strategy of the program is to create targeted “Green Zones” for the cities to deploy comprehensive building retrofits, to include residential, commercial and public buildings. Overall, the goal of the program is to create a sustainable retrofit market focusing on the areas of: workforce development, green technology and entrepreneurship, consumer information, financial mechanisms, neighborhood advocacy, and market strategy.

The partnership between Omaha and Lincoln, including the community partners, will catalyze the region’s energy efficiency market by benefitting Nebraska’s workforce, contractors, consumers, financial lending institutions, utilities, government agencies, and supplying them with the tools needed to make Omaha and Nebraska a leader in green industry.

“I am excited to learn that the City of Omaha, in partnership with the City of Lincoln, will have the opportunity to jump-start our community’s energy efficiency through retrofitting,” said Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle. “The educational and business opportunities that will result from this grant will leave a mark on our community for years to come. This will be the beginning of major changes for our City and for our energy consumption.”

“This grant is a tremendous recognition by the Department of Energy of the region’s leadership potential in the energy efficiency markets,” said Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler. “The public/private partnerships that will be fostered as a result of this funding will be models for the rest of the country. And most importantly, the energy and cost savings that thousands of Omaha and Lincoln residents and businesses will realize from this project will help everyone’s bottom lines for years to come.”

“I’d like to thank our partners who have dedicated the resources and time to this effort,” Mayor Suttle said. “We are looking forward to getting started on this project and announcing details to the community in the coming weeks and months.”

This program would not be possible without the continued support and advocacy from US Senator Ben Nelson on the 2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. “I thank Senator Nelson for his support of this important legislation that will have great benefits for all Omahans for many years to come,” said Mayor Suttle.

Omaha and Lincoln were one of twenty-five communities selected nationwide for the program.

Read the release from Senator Ben Nelson

Read the release from Vice President Joe Biden

Omaha Receives Grant From Nebraska Environmental Trust

April 16, 2010
Announcements, Green Initiatives, In The Community

The City of Omaha Parks, Recreation and Public Property Department announced today that it will receive $350,000 from the Nebraska Environmental Trust for the “Hummel Park Nature Camp Center” project. The Trust Board announced funding for the project at its meeting on April 1, 2010 in Lincoln. The project is one of the 88 projects receiving $14,970,328 in grant awards from the Nebraska Environmental Trust this year.

The $350,000 funding from the Trust will be used to assist in construction of a new, multi-purpose facility at Hummel Park and for related site improvements. Currently, the camp contains three existing buildings which are in critical need of replacement in order for the program to continue. The buildings no longer meet current building codes or accessibility guidelines and are in very poor condition. The City of Omaha has allocated $1 million in Capital Improvement Program funding to construct a single multi-purpose building.

The City of Omaha Parks & Recreation Department has operated the Hummel Park Day Camp, a nature camp program, since 1948. The 200-acre Hummel Park is located in the Loess Hills on the northern edge of Omaha and is heavily wooded with native trees and vegetation. The nature camp serves 2,200 children each summer, providing opportunities for nature hikes, learning and participating in archery, arts and crafts, nature activities, outdoor cooking, camp singing and much more.

hummel-park-day-camp

“This grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust will help support the construction of facilities that are needed to preserve the Hummel Park Day Camp,” said Mayor Jim Suttle. “I thank the Environmental Trust for their support of this important project for youth and our entire City.”

The project will require that the design incorporate sustainable, energy efficient technology. It will be required to be sensitive to the surrounding environment in terms of materials and scale. It will serve as an example of green technology not only to the children who attend the camp, but also to adults who will be encouraged to utilize the building for meetings, retreats and seminars.

The project will begin after the 2010 camp season ends in mid-August and construction is estimated to be completed in time for the June 2011 camp season.

New Initiative to Recycle Downtown

February 1, 2010
Featured, Green Initiatives

Today, Mayor Suttle announced an agreement with Free Green Can Nebraska to provide combination recycling/trash receptacles as part of a pilot program in downtown Omaha.

Free Green Can Nebraska sells advertising space on the side of the receptacles, which covers the cost of the bins and the material collection. This new public-private partnership provides an opportunity for residents and visitors downtown to recycle, at no extra cost to the taxpayers. Free Green Can launched in Omaha with partnerships from the following businesses/organizations: CBSHome, Atchley Ford, Union Pacific, ConAgra Foods, DLR Group and the Downtown Improvement District.

“This project is another example of the City’s commitment to sustainable resource management,” Mayor Suttle said. “We will evaluate the success of the pilot program through 2010 and be prepared to expand into other parts of the city next year if the pilot program proves as successful as I am confident it will.”

The receptacles will collect plastic, aluminum and paper products.

Free Green Can’s mission is to provide the public with a recycling opportunity wherever there is a trash receptacle. By providing recycling bins in combination with trash containers, individuals are encouraged to recycle instead of channeling waste to the City’s landfill. For more information about Free Green Can, http://freegreencan.com/.

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The cans displayed in the Mayor’s press room. They weigh about 100 lbs each.

The cans are dual receptacles, so trash goes in one side and recyclables go in the other.

Mayor Suttle: Energy Audits for Public Buildings

January 8, 2010
Featured, Green Initiatives

As part of a continued effort to make Omaha a leader in the green economy, Mayor Jim Suttle announced today that he has signed the United States Conference of Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement, wherein supporting mayors pledge to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in their communities.

“One of my top priorities is to ensure that the City of Omaha is implementing green initiatives that reduce our energy consumption,” Mayor Suttle said. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a community-wide effort that will take everyone working together to achieve.”

As part of Mayor Suttle’s goal to make Omaha more energy efficient, the City will begin the Program for City Building Energy Efficiency, a comprehensive plan focused on energy efficiency and conservation efforts within the operations and maintenance of the City’s existing buildings. Starting this month, four graduate students will work with City facilities management and the City’s Sustainability Coordinator, Kristi Wamstad-Evans, to inventory and audit 50 of the City’s buildings, including Omaha’s public libraries, community centers, fire stations and other public buildings. An additional 50 buildings will be added later in the year. Once the audits are complete, the City will retrofit the buildings to improve their energy efficiency.

Under the guidance of a contracted professional energy engineer, the energy audits will include:

  • On-site measurement and testing of select facilities to determine energy losses;
  • Measurement of energy consumption by building type, usage, size and age;
  • Energy Star and Carbon Footprint analysis;
  • Identification of both technical and policy solutions that will lead to reduced energy consumption; and more.

The program is a proposed activity of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) strategy, supported by a direct formula allocation the City received from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The EECBG federal grant provides funding that cannot be diverted or used for any purpose other than energy efficiency projects. The program will cost an estimated $335,500 and will take two years to complete.

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The Christie Heights Community Center, located at 5105 S. 37th St in South Omaha, is one of the first 50 City facilities to undergo an energy audit.

Mayor Suttle signed the agreement just weeks after joining the Mayors’ Alliance for Green Schools, a coalition of mayors seeking to strategically harness the leadership and creativity of community leaders across the country to promote the benefits of “green” schools.

Over 1,000 mayors nationwide have signed the Climate Protection Agreement. For more information about the agreement, visit the Mayor’s Climate Protection Center website.

Mayor Suttle Joins National Effort to Promote Green Schools

December 7, 2009
Green Initiatives

greenschool
Mayor Jim Suttle announced today that he has joined the Mayors’ Alliance for Green Schools, a coalition of mayors seeking to strategically harness the leadership and creativity of community leaders across the country to promote the benefits of green schools.    The goal of the Alliance is to see every child in America attend a green school within a generation.

“This is an exciting opportunity to take a leadership role in ensuring our schools provide an environment that is healthy, sustainable and more efficient,” Mayor Suttle said.  “The Alliance encourages mayors to bring together key community stakeholders to benefit our schools.”

The mayor will work with local school districts, including Omaha Public Schools, to further the mission of the Mayors Alliance for Green Schools and to determine how to implement green school designs and policies in Omaha. 

“The School District of Omaha enthusiastically welcomes the opportunity to work in partnership with Mayor Jim Suttle and the Mayors Alliance for Green Schools,” said Dr. John Mackiel, Superintendent of Omaha Public Schools.  “The Omaha Public Schools has been aggressive in seeking and implementing best practices in district-wide operations and maintenance programs focusing on energy efficiency and healthful environments in all facilities. The Board of Education supports and advocates policies and procedures promoting environmental improvements and the latest cost saving practices that will advance the vision of providing a green school for every child.” 

The Alliance was first formed in October 2008, by Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, in partnership with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).  In November, the Nebraska Flatwater Chapter of the USGBC approached Mayor Suttle about the Alliance, and the Mayor thought it was important to highlight the benefits that green schools can bring to Omaha.    According to the Alliance, the average green school saves $100,000 a year on utility bills, freeing up resources to improve students’ education. 

The members participate in bi-monthly calls bringing together city staff and experts to discuss issues related to green schools and receive legislative updates on federal legislation that is relevant to the promotion and construction of green schools.  There are currently 31 mayors who are part of the Alliance.  For more information on what makes a school “green” visit the Alliance’s website. 

Omaha Welcomes New Wind Power Training Facility

October 15, 2009
Green Initiatives

Mayor Suttle Applauds Local Electrical Workers

Mayor Jim Suttle today joined Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman, State Labor Commissioner Catherine Lang, and representatives of the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Locals 22, 265, 231 and 1525, and the National Electrical Contractors Association at the grand opening of Nebraska’s first Wind Power Training Facility, only the second like it across the country.

“This is not your grandfather’s windmill,” Mayor Suttle joked in his remarks. “This new wind power training facility will help take us to the future in developing a new, viable source of energy.”

IBEW Business Manager Gary Kelly said that local electrical unions and apprenticeship programs are prepared to produce a highly trained, well-educated and safety conscious workforce for an emerging wind energy market. Local officials led guests on a tour of the facility’s modules, that include: climbing, tower rescue, CPR, first aid, OSHA training, cable splicing, and a specialized code of excellence program. The first training courses will begin the week of October 19th.

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