November 30, 2009

Albemarle County tied for first place with Arlington County in its population category in the 2009 Go Green VA Challenge, which is part of the Virginia Municipal League’s larger Go Green Virginia environmental initiative that kicked off in late 2007.

The Board of Supervisors will acknowledge this award at its meeting on Wednesday, December 2, at 9:00am in Lane Auditorium of the County Office Building on McIntire Road.

The Go Green Challenge is a friendly competition designed to encourage implementation of specific environmental policies and actions that reduce the carbon emissions generated by both the local government and the broader community. Cities, towns and counties can become a certified "Green Government."

Local governments earned “green points” by implementing or adopting up to 30 policies and actions divided into 11 categories ranging from energy efficiency and green buildings to land-use and innovation.

Albemarle County earned a total of 185 “green points” in areas such as energy efficiency, climate protection, water resources, smart growth, and renewable energy use.

Included in Albemarle County’s total of 185 were 25 “innovation points”, including the County’s support of a Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP), the implementation of a Countywide Environmental Management System (EMS), working with the City and University on a Local Climate Action Planning Process (LCAPP), and engaging in various public education and outreach efforts and organizations, such as the Rivanna Regional Stormwater Education Partnership (RRSEP) and the Rivanna Environmental Management System Alliance (REMSA).

The total of 185 points earned Albemarle County a platinum certificate, certifying that Albemarle is a “Green Government”, along with a $2,500 cash award that will be put back into environmental sustainability efforts such as energy efficiency and climate protection.