Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed Launches “Em-Powered to Change” Energy Conservation Initiative

Employees to “Cut Back, Give Back” During a Five-Year Conservation Project

Today, Mayor Kasim Reed kicked off “Em-Powered to Change,” a pilot sustainability program with the City’s Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs (DPRCA) at the Atlanta Civic Center.

“Launching programs such as the ‘Em-Powered to Change’ initiative is a critical component of making Atlanta a more sustainable City,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “The City of Atlanta will continue to do its part to be a national leader in the area of sustainability.”

Last October, Mayor Reed set an aggressive goal of making Atlanta a top 10 city for sustainability. The “Em-Powered to Change” campaign will guide city employees by converting existing facility procedures into energy and money saving policies. The Mayor’s goal is to reduce energy use in City facilities by 20 percent over the next five years. Mayor Reed was on-site to kick-off the “Em-Powered to Change Energy Expo” and introduced the new conservation policies to hundreds of employees and the 38 buildings that make up the DPRCA.

During the Energy Expo, facility managers and operators from the DPRCA came together to learn steps and policies that can be implemented to reduce energy, material use and waste. These tools will not only be useful in the workplace but can also be replicated in employees’ personal lives. Additionally, the Energy Expo included educational stations that will demonstrate sustainable practices that can be executed in public and private facilities.

For more information about Atlanta’s efforts to create a more sustainable city, visit http://www.atlantaga.gov/mayor/sustainability.aspx

About City of Atlanta, Division of Sustainability

Launched in 2008, the City of Atlanta’s Division of Sustainability has been focused on instituting sustainability practices into Atlanta city government. The Division of Sustainability is working with departments across city government to improve current programs and policies and implement new ones in addition to becoming early adopters of national accountability initiatives designed to promote more sustainable municipal practices. In the past year, the city has expanded its scope to include community-wide initiatives.

About the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (DPRCA)

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (DPRCA) enhances the lives of City of Atlanta residents and visitors by offering programs, services and activities that encourage participation in recreational activities, leisure services and cultural experiences. The department strives to deliver quality customer service through the development, operation and maintenance of the city's public parks, recreation and cultural affairs facilities to create an environment that is deemed safe, affordable and enriching for all.