[Durham INC] Durham Launches Bull City Workplace Challenge

[PublicAffairs]

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City of Durham
Durham County

Joint News Release

For Immediate Release: March 29, 2017

News Media Contacts:
Amy Blalock
Sr. Public Affairs Specialist, City of Durham
(919) 560-4123, ext. 11253
Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov<mailto:Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov>

Briana Khan
Public Information Specialist, Durham County
(919) 560-0003
bkhan at dconc.gov<mailto:bkhan at dconc.gov>

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Share! #Durham workplaces can now save money, help our environment & more through the #BullCityWorkplaceChallenge: www.BullCityWorkplaceChallenge.com<http://www.BullCityWorkplaceChallenge.com>


Durham Launches Bull City Workplace Challenge
Workplaces Can Now Save Money, Earn Local Recognition & Help the Environment

DURHAM, N.C. - Workplaces interested in saving money, helping Durham's environment, and earning local recognition can now register to join the new Bull City Workplace Challenge<http://www.bullcityworkplacechallenge.com/>.

City of Durham Mayor William V. "Bill" Bell and Durham County Board of Commissioners Chair Wendy Jacobs are challenging workplaces across Durham to take new strides toward a greener, more sustainable future by joining this new program.

Created by the Durham City-County Sustainability Office<http://www.greenerdurham.net/> along with 10 City and County departments and community partners, the challenge is designed to help workplaces of all types save energy, conserve water, protect water quality, produce less waste, and support sustainable transportation. The program will publicly recognize workplaces that substantially address these sustainability goals. Any workplace located within Durham County can participate.

Workplaces can now register on the Bull City Challenge website<http://www.bullcityworkplacechallenge.com/> and complete an initial scorecard to assess their current green practices. Participants then improve their score by pursuing the remaining actions on the scorecard. These scorecard actions range in difficulty, cost, and time involved. To help workplaces improve their scores, the challenge offers guiding resources, experts who can answer questions, and lunch-n-learns throughout the year.

As workplaces complete new scorecard actions throughout the year, they will document their progress by updating their scorecard to achieve Bronze, Silver, or Gold recognition and will be publicly recognized in Spring 2018.

"Over time, many of the same steps to save energy and water and reduce waste will save organizations money," said Durham City-County Sustainability Manager Tobin Freid. "A lot of people who live and work in Durham value the environment and support sustainable action. The challenge will help Durhamites bring these values into their workplaces."

Workplaces that join the challenge will take practical steps that include the following:
*        Protect the health of their employees, their customers, and the public by reducing air and water pollution and workplace use of toxic chemicals.
*        Lessen the impact of climate change by emitting fewer greenhouse gases.
*        Protect communities by reducing and diverting waste from landfills.
*        Conserve natural resources such as water supplies.

According to Freid, for workplaces that are just starting off with green plans, the challenge is a great way to prioritize specific, manageable, and practical steps to take. Workplaces that have already taken steps on sustainability will be able to track their progress and find even more ways to become more sustainable.

Participants in the Bull City Workplace Challenge will help Durham reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent from residences, businesses, and institutions by 2030 as required in the 2007 Durham City-County Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan as well as part of the City's and County's strategic plans. For more information, visit the Bull City Challenge website<http://www.bullcityworkplacechallenge.com/> or call (919) 560-7999.

About the Durham City-County Sustainability Office
The mission of the Durham City/County Sustainability Office<http://www.greenerdurham.net/> is to help protect and improve Durham's environment through wise use of natural resources by providing guidance and resources to City and County employees, businesses, and citizens. For more information, visit the website<http://www.greenerdurham.net/>, like on Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/GreenerDurham.net>, and follow on Twitter<http://www.twitter.com/GreenerDurham>.

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