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Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert is joining the Climate Mayors, or the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda (MNCAA), a network of more than 300 U.S. mayors representing more than 61 million Americans. These mayors and cities agree to work together to strengthen local efforts for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving our environment, and supporting efforts for binding federal and global-level policy making.

Macon-Bibb County was contacted by several groups and people since the announcement that the United States would withdraw from the Paris Agreement, each expressing how important it is for local communities and cities to uphold the commitments a majority of the planet had agreed to. Locally, Georgia Women (And Those Who Stand With Us) led a campaign to show how important these issues are here, and both the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Smart Growth America made the case for why cities should be leaders in protecting our planet.

“Our community, for the past several years, has shown overwhelming interest in improving our environment, from focusing on air quality through the Clean Air Coalition to use of our new recycling program to the installation of solar panels,” says Mayor Reichert. “If we’re going to be a progressive city, we need to take every opportunity to make bold statements that we care about our environment, and I’m delighted to say that what we’re seeing other cities do is very similar to what we’ve been trying to accomplish here in Macon-Bibb County.”

Macon-Bibb County, after consolidation, relaunched its Green Team, an effort to bring departments and partners together to identify ways in which the government and community could improve the environment. (Both the former city and county governments had green initiatives that led to energy savings, new programs, and expanded and improved parks.) Some of the new green initiatives include:

• In 2016, the County expanded its recycling program countywide, delivering more than 9,000 recycling cans to residents. Since the program’s expansion, monthly recycling collection has more than doubled from 301,480 pounds in January 2016 to 776,200 pounds in April 2017, and a total of almost 11 million pounds of recyclable material have been collected.
• Solar panels have been approved for construction behind Government Center that will be able to provide power to both it and the Emergency Management Agency.
• LED lighting has been installed in streetlights around the county, both those owned by the County and those owned by Georgia Power.
• Planting at least 250 new trees every year. Since July 1, 2012, almost 1,400 have been planted.
• Incorporating electric vehicles into the fleet.
• Adopting a “no idling” policy for county-owned vehicles.
• Creating new parks and greenspaces, like Amerson River Park, Filmore Thomas Park, and Pinnacle Park.
• Expanding or improving existing parks like Rosa Parks Square, Central City Park, and Henry Burns Park.

In addition to suggestions made by the Climate Mayors on how cities can be a part of this global initiative, Smart Growth America – a national organization Macon-Bibb was fortunate to work with through its participation with President Obama’s Strong Cities Strong Communities program – released ways which cities can be developed and revitalized that will have an impact on the environment. This includes creating a more walkable city so cars are used less, allowing mixed-use development; supporting a diverse housing stock; and prioritizing public transit. By doing these things, emissions from vehicles can be reduced.

“Our efforts to become the Hub City of Middle Georgia – being a walkable city, attracting people back to Downtown, improving sidewalks and open spaces, encouraging mixed use development – are core tenants of revitalizing a community…and they can help lower our negative impact on the environment,” adds Mayor Reichert. “The work we’re doing to improve our local community is part of something much bigger, something that will help people across our globe.”

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