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Atlanta Division of Sustainability honors local leaders

April 21, 2010 | by Rachel | filed under: City of Atlanta Divison of Sustainability, Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day’s Ruby Anniversary, the City of Atlanta’s Division of Sustainability toasted local heroes today.

Large red cubes depicting highlights of some of the city’s most pioneering efforts in sustainability —  a fabulous Romper Room of an exhibit encouraging play and interactivity — were furnished by the Museum of Design Atlanta for the occasion.  The exhibit, “Atlanta: Beyond Bricks & Stones,” is traveling and features educational boxes that each address a particular issue like energy or water. A central display offers an interactive tour.

Here’s a pic:

Jumbo cubes illustrate sustainability at work across Atlanta

The award ceremony kicked off with a nod to Atlanta Fire and Rescue and Police for its new LEED Gold Certified building.  New buildings are now required to meet LEED Silver standards, but the AFR and APD outdid themselves and earned a magnificent glass crest boasting its gold status. Atlanta Police Chief George Turner said the building is so energy-efficient that sometimes the light shuts off when he reads for more than a few minutes. Here he is, proudly accepting the honor, with Mandy Mahoney, director of Atlanta’s Division of Sustainability, to his right.

Atlanta Police Chief George Turner on his building's LEED Gold Certification.

 Others honored were Johnson Controls for its work in green building and Southface Energy Institute, a national leader that, as Mahoney said, was devoted to things green before it was “in vogue.” On accepting the award, Robert Reed, who heads Sustainable Communities Design for the firm, joked that Southface is in overnight success, 30 years in the making.

Mayor Kasim Reed’s Chief of Staff, Candace Byrd, who made a brief address noting the mayor’s commitment to sustainability, presented the Phoenix Awards to grassroots efforts to green communities. Those went to the Peachtree Hills Civic Association and Sustainable Lakewood.

Finally, the very glamorous Lynnette Young, director of Sustainable Atlanta who was adorned in coordinated blues and greens for the earth-centric event, made the closing remarks, reminding folks that her group is a resource available to them. 

When I went to congratulate Kristy Gillmann, who accepted the Phoenix Award on behalf of Peachtree Hills, I met William Brigham, the landscape architect who designed the green roof atop City Hall. He directed me to the fifth floor and through the cafeteria to find his oasis.

Voila!

Brigham plans to actually marry here, marking the first wedding on these grounds, which he hopes will find continued use for public events.

In the meantime, how wonderful, especially on a day like today, to have access to both sky and gardens on a lunchtime break! It’s a good model for the ways we can find health and beauty, even some freedom, all in the name of sustainability.

Happy Earth Day, everyone.