City of Monroe, NC

The regional Centralina Council of Governments recognized Monroe as tops in the nine-county region for its dedication to environmental practices.

We hear it from every direction “Going Green.” What this truly means has various definitions, but for me, it means, making a conscious effort to reduce, reuse and recycle within your means. This is exactly what the city of Monroe has pledged to do. Converting our entire diesel vehicle fleet to a bio-diesel blend, replacing older gas guzzlers with hybrids and leading the region in environmental conservation efforts are just a few of the things the city does to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Gone are the days of calling someone a “hippie” or “tree-hugger “simply because they share concerns regarding the environment and the ever-depleting natural resources. In today’s world, our children are taught at an early age that they need to do their part for the environment and those children take those lessons to heart. We continually see news clips of elementary school children leading the charge to reduce waste in the cafeteria, or middle school students sorting paper, metal and plastic afterschool and high school students organizing clubs dedicated to finding more environmentally efficient ways for schools to run.

We see it everywhere and it is especially refreshing to see it at the local government level. Aside from the hybrids, fossil fuel reduction and other vehicle related changes, Monroe is also extremely dedicated to the waste reduction and recycling efforts that far too many households do not take advantage of. Monroe City Council continues to lead as it rewards residential customers who practice recycling through its recycling incentive awards program. This program rewards unsuspecting households with checks for doing a good job in sorting their recyclables.

Other programs like collecting old electronic equipment, encouraging car-pooling, eliminating vehicle idling, paper, plastic and aluminum recycling sites in City Hall, and the exploration of cutting edge practices shows Monroe’s commitment to the environment.

In the coming weeks, months and years, I hope to be able to better share some of the things the city is doing to not only improve the quality of life of out nearly 40,000 residents, but also share information about events activities and programs that affect you.

I welcome your comments, good and bad, and encourage you to ask questions, be involved and take an interest in your local government. You can be involved and be part of the team that makes Monroe a great place to live, work and play.

Thanks again and I look forward to hearing from you.

phovanec@monroenc.org