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Macon-Bibb County, Partners Celebrate Earth Day

Government Relaunches Green Team, Celebrates Ongoing Efforts

On Wednesday, April 23, Macon-Bibb County and partners will celebrate Earth Day with an awards luncheon at the Ocmulgee National Monument and activities at Central City Park. The luncheon is by invitation only and begins at 12 p.m., and the Central City Park activities are open to the public from 3:30 – 7:00 p.m. Partners include Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful, Community Health Works, Mulberry Market, Ocmulgee National Monument, and the UGA Cooperative Extensions. Many vendors and sponsors will be on hand to help educate people on ways they can go green.

Macon-Bibb County is relaunching the green initiatives of the former City of Macon and Bibb County governments. Previously, both the former City of Macon and Bibb County governments had green initiatives in place, and the new Green Team will build upon those successful efforts while seeking new opportunities. This team, made up of employees from all departments, will identify ways the new government can be more environmentally friendly, can clean up the community, and save money.

Initiatives that will continue and possibly be expanded include: recycling, focused litter and debris removal, increasing green space, planting trees, reviewing alternatives to printing paper, exploring electric vehicle charging stations, installing bicycle racks, and installing energy efficient systems, windows, and lighting.

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Recycling

Both the former City and County had recycling initiatives in place, and those will continue while it is determined how to combine and expand these efforts.

Advanced Disposal Services picks up recycling in the former unincorporated county every other week on the same day as trash service. Items that can be recycled include paper, clear glass, and plastic. The program is voluntary, and if people would like to participate, they would need to call 621-6660 to order a recycling container. When it is delivered, it will come with instructions on what can be recycled.

Bibb County Recycling Collection

 

2012	2013	2014
1,509,180 lbs.	1,366,520 lbs.	241,320 lbs.

 

The former City announced an expansion of its recycling program in February 2013 to include the collection of glass bottles. In the single stream program, four neighborhoods in Macon – Intown, Shirley Hills, Vineville, and Wimbush Road – and several schools are provided 65-gallon blue roll-off carts to collect: glass bottles,clean paper, mail; flattened cardboard, newspaper, magazines, catalogs, phone books, paperback books, wrapping paper (no foil or ribbons), plastic bottles and jugs (no caps or lids), clean plastic dairy jugs (yogurt, margarine, etc.), and aluminum, steel, and tin-plated cans.

 

City of Macon Recycling Collection

 

Recyclables	2012	2013	2014
Single Stream	456,120 lbs.	537,198 lbs.	79,480 lbs.
Fire Stations	78,760 lbs.	152,540 lbs.	36,260 lbs.
Curbside Fiber(mostly newspaper)	268,280 lbs.	300,990 lbs.	45,460 lbs.

 

On the first and third Thursdays of each month, the blue roll-off carts in the Intown and Vineville neighborhoods are picked up, and they are picked up in the Shirley Hills and Wimbish Road neighborhoods on the second and fourth Thursday of each month.

The entire City receives recycling pick up for newspapers, and that is picked up the same day as regular trash pickup. For information about the recycling program – or to request a recycling bin or rolling trash can – contact the Public Works Department at 478-751-9123.

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Litter Pickup

A focused cleaning program was begun in 2013 by the former City of Macon to address the amount of litter along our major roads and intersections. In the first year of the program, 149,974 pounds of litter and debris were removed from our streets.

The work is done be prison detail crews (weekdays) and community service crews (weekends). More than 1,000 people volunteered to be on the community service crews through a partnership with Providence Community Corrections; volunteers received service hours for their time.

The City of Macon provides a supervisor for the work, transportation to the areas needing cleaning, safety vests, gloves, and litter sticks. Areas to be cleaned are selected earlier in the week by the Public Works Department based on community concerns, SeeClickFix reports, and personal observation.

In the next year, Macon-Bibb will continue the focused cleaning and seek other methods by which to determine what areas need it most. For example, working with the Industrial Authority, Macon-Bibb focuses its efforts on the route being taken by potential employers visiting the city.

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Expanding & Improving Greenspace

In 2013, the City of Macon doubled the size of Rosa Parks Square in front of the Government Center and began planting the squares of trees and bushes. The former Boys & Girls Club building was demolished to make way for a future park overlooking Downtown. The Urban Development Authority is working with Macon-Bibb to develop a plan for that park.

In 2014, Macon-Bibb is moving forward with the purchase of several parcels of land to ensure the neighborhood has green space for children to play and families to relax. It could also be a draw for private investment looking to develop the former Atlantic Cotton Mills site. 

Additionally, Macon-Bibb has been working to create MidCity Square as part of the Second Street Corridor. Interest has been expressed in further development around the park, and any increase in tax revenue in that area means a revenue source to make further improvements and upgrades.

 To improve the Gateways in to Macon-Bibb, a grant of DOLLAR amount was applied for to landscape and care for the I-75 Exit at Pio Nono Avenue and Rocky Creek Road.

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Tree planting

With the expansion of Rosa Parks Square last year, the Parks Division of Public Works began planting trees to match a design created that would create more usable space. Tree plantings continued throughout the year, with the Mayor charging the Department to plant at least 250 per year. Between January and December 2013, 291 hardwood trees were planted.

Plantings continue now, most recently in Third Street Park by the Dannenberg building. Since January 1, 2014, 174 trees have been planted.

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An electric vehicle charging station was installed outside of the Bibb County Courthouse and is provided to the public at no cost. Additional stations and locations are currently being explored for installation. The County purchased hybrid vehicles purchased to replace vehicles with the highest emissions rate (8-10), and three hybrid vehicles were purchased by the City.

Since 2010, the former City of Macon installed energy efficient lighting in several buildings and facilities, and two buildings received new roofs that were meant to save energy. The savings to the City were $726,122.41.

The former Bibb County retrofit approximately 2,800 bulbs and ballasts, resulting in an average energy reduction of 18%. The courthouse retrofit was the first major project in this initiative, and since September 2008, the energy savings totals $425,000. Lighting retrofits are being continued in a variety of buildings, including Recreation Centers

At the Bibb County Courthouse, more than 350 windows were replaced with insulated windows and the roof system was replaced to include foam insulation and reflective white exterior coating. Replaced 15 inefficient HVAC units and brought several sites into a Building Automation system to regulate schedules for heating, cooling, and lighting.

Both the City of Macon and Bibb County had Anti-Idling Policies to reduce emissions and the use of fuel, and that practice is still in place in the consolidated Macon-Bibb County.

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Other Cost Savings

The former Bibb County conducted a ‘print study’ to show that it costs $0.55 to use a shared copier but only $0.10 to use a desk jet printer. Twelve departments have implemented a cartridge policy to reduce costs.

The former Bibb County also implemented an electronic timesheet system, and that was built in to the new, consolidated Macon-Bibb County government using the new Public Administration software system. Additionally, paper checks and paystubs are no longer printed and distributed. This reduces the amount of paper used every other week for these tasks.

Solar Panel Thermal Water Heaters for were installed at four fire stations, and they will be installed at Fire Station 110, the Animal Welfare Center, and the Juvenile Justice Center.

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