Honoring Earth Day at Saturday’s festival, Mayor David Briley announced that the city’s commitment to sustainability remains strong, nodding to the 5,000th tree planted this month by the Root Nashville campaign, as well as other major milestones.
“Thanks to Root Nashville and its partners like Nissan North America, we have planted over 5,000 trees in just six months and are on our way to the goal of 500,000 trees by 2050,” Mayor Briley told the crowd at Centennial Park on Saturday. “On Earth Day, this effort and the many others we’re working on can help to preserve Nashville’s livability, sustainability and scenic beauty, even as we continue to grow.”
The mayor also reminded attendees that this fall, neighborhood associations, faith-based organizations and other groups can apply for grants of up to $5,000 from Root Nashville to plant trees on their properties, or donate to help the campaign strategically plant trees in underserved areas that need the health and environmental benefits that come with a verdant tree canopy. Other local sponsors that have contributed to Root Nashville include Bridgestone, Lowe’s and Verizon.
Mayor Briley went on to highlight:
Nashville Connector’s upcoming Commuter Challenge Week, a citywide effort asking Nashville residents to make at least one trip to work not driving alone between April 27 and May 3. A similar challenge held last fall resulted in nearly 600 downtown workers riding public transit, carpooling, walking, biking or working remotely, which removed around 3,500 single occupancy vehicle trips from Nashville’s roads during rush hour. Companies or individuals can sign up at <nashconnector.org/commuter-challenge>.
Recent news about Metro securing State and philanthropic grant funds totaling $2.8 million to allow Public Works to go to every other week pickup for curbside recycling service by early 2020. The mayor explained this improved frequency of curbside collection would help 139,000 households to divert even more waste from the landfill in Middle Tennessee, which is approaching its capacity.
The 864 new solar panels on the roof of the newly opened Metro Nashville Police Headquarters and Family Safety Center on Murfreesboro Road, doubling Metro General Services’ inventory of rooftop solar. Mayor Briley reminded Nashville Earth Day attendees that through the NES Music City Solar project, residents could also green their own power at home by purchasing energy credits, or make a solar angel donation to provide clean-energy assistance to low-income Nashvillians.
The Mayor’s Food Saver Challenge launched Thanksgiving week of 2018, has engaged more than 40 hotels and restaurants in a commitment to prevent waste, repurpose or donate surplus food by partnering with a hunger-relief nonprofit, and compost food scraps. Mayor Briley urged residents to ask their favorite restaurants to participate: Restaurant chefs and managers can learn more about the Mayor’s Challenge at NashvilleFoodSaver.com.
For more about Metro’s sustainability initiatives, residents should follow @SocketNashville on Twitter or visit socket.nashville.gov.
