Community urged to action on climate

On Earth Day, city leaders asked the public to help make their Climate Action Plan a reality.

It took a year and half and more than 160 meetings to get to that point on Wednesday, officials said, but the effort is unique — probably unlike any other municipality, they say — and the way Mayor Ron Littlefield sees it, it’s an approach that rivals any other city’s.

“Tonight we are carrying it to the next stage,” Mr. Littlefield said. “We’re asking the public to help us prioritize (the city’s green effort), and to the point that they can, we want them to step up and be a part of it.”

Wednesday’s meeting was the second such gathering that involved the public. Last Earth Day, more than 500 residents turned out to offer their thoughts on reducing the city’s carbon footprint. A committee whittled those suggestions down to 47 areas of improvements.

The turnout was smaller Wednesday, but the event still garnered several hundred attendees. At the meeting, the 47 tasks were handed off to committees and residents who wanted to work in a specific topic — food and agriculture or energy conservation, for example — could sign up to be a part of future meetings on the subject.

“Tonight is the night to engage the community,” said Brad McAllister, staff member for the Chattanooga Green Committee. “We’re asking them to make the action component of the Climate Action Plan a reality.”

Garver Akins and Bonnie Andrich, a Flintstone, Ga., couple that just relocated to the area a week ago, said they had been involved in environmental efforts in their former homes in Georgia and Alabama and wanted immediately to engage in Chattanooga’s effort.

Mr. Akins, who said he has experience in organic farming, planned to sign up for and attend meetings on sustainable agriculture. Ms. Andrich, who said she has experience in green building practices, planned to take part in the green building committee.

Citizens will evaluate the feasibility, cost and effectiveness of the various tasks. Mr. Littlefield said the entire plan has been done on a tight budget, without the help — or expense — of outside paid consultants. Using citizens to prioritize the projects is cost effective, too, he said.

It’s also a way to make the community take ownership of the Climate Action Plan, Mr. McAllister said.

“It’s an effort to have the community come in and take part in this green movement, this sustainability effort,” Mr. McAllister said.

The task ahead is massive, organizers admit, and air quality improvements may be the biggest hurdle.

Mr. Littlefield, joining with hundreds of other mayors across the nation, has pledged to reduce the amount of pollution in Chattanooga’s air by 7 percent by 2012. Between 1990 and 2006, air pollution in the Scenic City increased 25 percent, data shows.