Press release courtesy of Asheville
Council member Cecil Bothwell
What: Asheville Metro Area Zero Energy District (AMAZED) Community Kickoff
When: Thursday, May 30, 4-6 p.m.
Where: Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center, 288 Livingston St., Asheville
Why: To reduce Asheville’s carbon emissions and help residents and businesses save money on energy bills.
Contact: Kelly Martin
Community Kickoff for AMAZED
The Asheville Metro Area Zero Energy District (AMAZED) will hold its first community meeting, Thursday, May 30, 4-6 p.m. at the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center in Asheville. This free event will include brief presentations on energy- and money-saving ideas and an Open Space forum in which attendees will be encouraged to add their own ideas, discuss them with neighbors, and create next steps for themselves and the community. Asheville Green Opportunities, Beyond Coal and the Blue Ridge Sustainability Institute are co-sponsors of the meeting.
Zero Energy Districts have been implemented in cities around the world—areas where participants aim to produce as much energy as they use each year. Participants usually start with simple, low-cost projects and proceed toward higher-tech plans. The idea arrived here with New Belgium Brewery which is a leader in the Fort Collins, Colorado, Fort ZED project. FortZED cut peak energy use by 20-30 percent in its first full year of operation. Efforts there include neighborhood competition (how fast can you save?), an annual ZED Fest, attraction of high-tech businesses and a growing sense of community commitment to a green future. Organizers here believe that a similar effort can benefit both residents and businesses and become a key piece of the River Arts District renaissance now underway.
Child care (912-433-5411) and transportation (520-275-4812) are available upon request.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.