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Going, going - green!

| June 21, 2010 9:00 PM

City Streets

On Wednesday, the city of Coeur d'Alene will launch the sustainability portion of its official website, www.cdaid.org/green, to provide a resource for people who want to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Still a work in progress, the website will let users know what they can and cannot put in their blue recycling bins, as well as provide relevant links and important updates.

In the future, contributors to www.cdaid.org/green look forward to providing new and innovative information.

As a member of the newly-formed city committee, Green Cd'A Team, Planner Sean Holm developed and will monitor the new site.

"Every new website needs feedback and ideas to stay fresh," he said, adding, "We are open to constructive criticism and would love your input."

Each committee member plays an important role and seeks information across all areas of sustainability. Other Green Cd'A Team members include Monte McCully (Parks), Renata McLeod (Administration), James Washko (Fire), Christopher Brannon (Library), Julia Aho (Finance), Amy Ferguson (Municipal Services), Sheri Carroll (Finance), Steve Childers (Police), Melissa Crooks (Library), Howard Gould (Building Maintenance), Bill McLeod (Police), and Steve Wolf (Street Maintenance).

Background: In April 2009, one of the City Council's cost-savings goals involved asking staff to study green/sustainability plans.

Dovetailing with this request, Coeur d'Alene was a recipient of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds, which required the city to conduct an energy audit.

The energy audit was the first step in the city's movement forward toward sustainability goals.

In its first year, it created a volunteer employee committee, the "Green Cd'A Team."

An advisory team, the Green Cd'A Team's role is to assist the city with the goal of promoting energy reduction and conservation opportunities to reduce costs and enhance the environment, and to seek sustainability and educational opportunities for the organization.

The new website is a Green Cd'A Team effort.

The city has also completed an energy audit and a performance-based contract for energy savings programs with Johnson Controls. Furthermore, City Council approved a communitywide, single-stream recycling program which will be launched this fall.

The Green Cd'A Team is very excited to receive ideas from the public and bring innovation to the city.

For more information, contact Sean Holm, 676-7401.