Jared is Helping Parkland “Go Green”
“You will never meet someone who will tell you they are anti-environment, but getting that person committed to going green proves to be more difficult.” “No matter how many technologies are developed in the coming years unless we change our mindset we won’t be able to solve climate change.
“ Americans are a very reactive people. Once crisis strikes no country reacts better and with more dedication than America. However, going Green is about being “pro active.” It is easy to be reactive once a crisis happens, but getting the community to change its lifestyle in order to prevent a crisis is much more challenging.”
Below are just some of the green initiatives that I have helped pass over the last year:
- I have helped pass new recycling measures, which brought single stream recycling to Parkland. This measure increased our recycling by 33 percent and we remain the only city in the county to take such action.
- The commission passed an ordinance requiring all shopping centers to convert their outdoor lighting to be solar powered within 10 years.
- I mandated that the new fire station include green materials and I am proud to report that several parts of the new fire station will also be solar powered.
- The commission developed a contest for students to recycle plastic bags and during that day students in Parkland recycled 20,000 plastic bags.
I want to do everything within my power both as an elected official and as a private citizen to do something, no matter how small it may seem, to protect our community. That’s why I helped pass a law in Parkland that will provide tax refunds to Parkland residents who take any of the energy saving measures listed below and implement them in their households. Parkland is on the cutting edge of energy saving in the United States. And while some of these incentives may seem insignificant I can assure you that everything makes a difference and collectively we as a city can have a huge impact on reducing our overall energy usage.
PROPOSED ENERGY INCENTIVES
Here are the 11 incentives Parkland residents would get if initiatives are approved:
- Buy a hybrid vehicle: $200 tax refund.
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving ones: $100 tax refund.
- Install ultra low-flow toilets and shower heads: $150 tax refund.
- Sustainable landscape design - Rebate TBD
- Energy-star rated appliances: $25 to $45.
- Rain Sensor - Rebate TBD
- Install high efficiency air-conditioning: $100 tax refund.
- Purchase a six-outlet, $89.95 surge protector with a motion sensor: $20 tax refund.
- Have FPL perform an air conditioning and duct system test: $50 tax refund.
- Purchase solar panels: $75 for one and $175 for three.
- Install solar power for your pool or water heater: $5,000 (for the first 10 residents).
