04-2011 Newsletter - Laserfiche WebLink

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5 0 U TH/Ti A6 E N D APRIL 2011 # � � A'LsYOa SrFpkFa I- LuFCkF Letter from the Mayor THIS MONTH... Mayor's Letter Events Calendar Indiana's Green Community gets greener and Curbside Recycling Tips NNN Update Shredded Paper 101 New River Otter Exhibit cooler Bike the Bend & Bike Safety Dear Friends and Neighbors, South Bend Home Improvement Program Restore Michiana Triad Pill Drop As we commemorate Earth Day this month, one lasting legacy of the City of Spring at the Conservatories South Bend was being named Indiana's Green Community of the Year recently by the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns. This statewide body recognized • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • i several achievements by South Bend to reduce energy usage,trim costs, • CALENDAR UPDATES: • beautify the city and help save the planet. They included using computer I Clean Your Files Day is Thursday, exhaust to help heat our greenhouse at Potawatomi Park, saving nearly $2 April 21 from 7:30am-4:OOpm at • million with the state's largest conversion of LED traffic signals and becoming the • the College Football Hall of Fame. • • world's first city to use technology to monitor and control combined sewer • Bring your documents for secure • overflows. shredding and recycling! • • But the great thing about City of South Bend employees is they don't just rest on 4 0 p The Earth Day and Arbor Day • their laurels. Last fall, the City hired Jonathan Burke as our first Energy • Festival will be held Saturday,April Director. Working with our public-private Green Ribbon Commission(a policy 23rd from 10:00am-2:OOpm at • advisory group), the Energy Director is charged with: • Howard Park. • • • Reducing carbon emissions in 2012 by 7 percent from the 1990 baseline. _ • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •� • Continuing carbon reductions annually by 2 percent(for a total of 23 Events Calendar: percent)by 2020. Developing a citywide campaign to reduce energy consumption by 2012. Morris Performing Arts Center (These are tangible objectives we promised to achieve when I pledged that South May 1 Jimmy Webb 7:OOpm Bend would join more than 800 "Cool Cities" in the United States, May 5 Garrison Keillor 7:30pm seeking to reduce the causes of global warming.) May 7 Darius Rucker 8:OOpm Jonathan conducted initial building-energy audits of all 30 municipal buildings as South Bend Civic Theater we seek to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The anticipated annual savings May 6-22 Auntie Mame will fund the Energy Office once our two-year, $1-million federal stimulus grant expires. We soon will propose an energy-performance contract in which the Downtown South Bend guaranteed savings in our energy costs will fund green upgrades to City facilities. May 6 All About Art 5:00-9:OOpm Both adults and children will have the We are developing a pilot program to install anti-idling equipment on a police opportunity to explore art in downtown. cruiser to test equipment that allows for four-hour use of all electrical Visit DtsbFirstFridays.com or call equipment in the car-including heaters and computers-without idling the engine. As part of our Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy,we will 574.282.1110 for more information. synchronize the timing of traffic signals at our 100 busiest intersections and May 7 Cinco de Mayo Celebration in corridors to help motorists avoid idling and save gas. Howard Park 10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Enjoy festive food,music,dance and This summer,we will install a 45,000-watt hydroelectric turbine at the Century entertainment. Center dam. With a connection to a City building, this could help us avoid up to $28,000 in annual energy costs. We also plan to study the feasibility of South Bend Parks and Recreation producing an additional 1.78 megawatts of renewable energy. May 14 Mothers'Day Family Equestrian These are only a few examples of the importance of sustainability and the Ride at Potato Creek State Park. Info: 299- emerging green economy in enhancing our quality of life. The City of South Bend 4768 ext. 239. will continue to forge creative partnerships for environmental innovation. Solid Waste Management District Sincerely, May 11 Triad Pill Drop 7:OOam-3:OOpm P.S. Find out more details about South Bend's green at South Bend and Mishawaka Police initiatives in our monthly e-mail newsletter by visiting Depts. www.S outhBendON.com,