Monday, August 30, 2010
Editorial: An environmental throwdown
Blacksburg and Roanoke face off in the Green Community Challenge.
From the RoundTable blog
Read the latest entries
Hokies vs. Hoos. Pirates vs. Ninjas. Mac vs. PC. The great rivalries are many, and now there's one more: Roanoke vs. Blacksburg.
OK, so maybe that one isn't on par with Alien vs. Predator, but the two communities are facing off to see which can be greener.
ICLEI -- Local Government for Sustainability (yes, that is their official, long-winded name) and the Virginia Municipal League chose four communities to participate in their Green Community Challenge. The others are Loudoun County and Norfolk.
Both Blacksburg and Roanoke have proven records of doing right by the environment.
Roanoke, for example, has rolled out electric vehicles for some city workers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Blacksburg has turned to biodiesel fuel and implemented an active arbor program. Both localities are members of the Sierra Club's Cool Cities program.
Yet the new contest is not about what they have done, but what they will do in the future for cleaner, more sustainable living.
The challenge lists 40 potential actions, including developing community-wide climate preparedness strategies, organizing public art events to promote sustainability and demonstrating that 5 percent or more of the community's electricity comes from renewable sources.
Or anything else they want to try. The goal is to find out what works in these four communities and what doesn't. Then other communities will be able to emulate them. Roanoke, Blacksburg and the other two could become environmental models for the nation -- a tremendous honor and responsibility.
It doesn't hurt, either, that they might develop national reputations as green leaders. That plays well with potential businesses and residents.
All that's missing is a little friendly competition. Perhaps Blacksburg Mayor Ron Rordam and Roanoke Mayor David Bowers can spice things up with a little trash talking to get their citizens fired up. Maybe a friendly wager on which community will accomplish more of the goals before the contest ends.
Most important of all, let's all agree that there's no way Southwest Virginia is going to let those eastern burgs beat us.
