Chamber reducing carbon footprint

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our or .

| Sourced From  |

The Redlands Chamber of Commerce was awarded the Mayor’s Green Action Award recently for its efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of local businesses and residents.

Green Action Awards are an initiative started by Mayor Jon Harrison to honor individuals and organizations around the city who have implemented programs to reduce their impact on the environment and contribute to a sustainable future for the city.

The Redlands Chamber of Commerce was recently named one of the recipients of the Flex Your Power Community Outreach Campaign grants for 2009. Only 16 agencies in the state have been awarded the grant, and the Redlands Chamber is the only Chamber of Commerce to receive the grant.

Flex Your Power is a statewide energy efficiency outreach campaign funded by California ratepayers under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. Agencies throughout the state are identified as grassroots advocates that design their own educational outreach activities to reach maximum numbers with campaign messages.

All the granting agencies will participate in a common outreach event, “Leave Your Mark,” to be held statewide during the month of September. Before September the Redlands Chamber will collect energy pledges in the form of signatures on green leaf cutouts. At the conclusion of the campaign the leaves will be affixed to a large vinyl banner imprinted with trees demonstrating the community commitment to conserve energy.

During
Advertisement
the program the Chamber will conduct a free light bulb exchange program in which residents will be invited to exchange old inefficient light bulbs for more energy-efficient bulbs. Additional programs will be carried out during the life of the grant including public presentations and video development.

“We are extremely pleased to have been selected for such a prestigious honor. As the only chamber in the entire state receiving the grant, we are determined to deliver the message that businesses can do a number of things to be more energy efficient while at the same time being cost effective,” said Chamber President Larry Pyle.

“The Leave Your Mark campaign will create a whole community awareness of our commitment to energy conservation.”

Mayor Jon Harrison presented the Green Action Award to the Chamber March 10 after hearing of the grant award.

“On behalf of the city of Redlands, I am pleased to offer congratulations to the Chamber for securing the Flex Your Power Grant, 2009. Having the Chamber take the initiative to lead the business community to energy conservation and efficiency is a giant leap forward for us all. As partners in conservation we can make a significant difference in reducing the carbon footprint and save money at the same time,” Harrison said.

Jan Nowlin, general manager of the Chamber, will travel to Sacramento for training, spearhead the public presentations and oversee the “Leave Your Mark” campaign.