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Houston and Chicago Enlist Hundreds of Business Owners in Green Business Challenge

Imagine 1,923 American football fields lined up in a row. If you were to ride your bike past them, your trek would be 131 miles. That’s quite a ride!

Consider that the square footage of those same football fields is equal to the square footage of participants in the Chicago Green Office Challenge and registered participants in the Houston Green Office Challenge – representing approximately 110 million square feet of commercial space with a commitment to a reduced environmental footprint.

To reach climate goals, local governments often use outreach and engagement programs to their advantage. ICLEI’s Green Business Challenge can be a primary means to engage the business community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainability while help you reach your community’s climate and energy goals at the same time.

Solar Education Station Unveiled in Texarkana, TX

Photo by Vicki Melde, Marketing & Communications Manager, City of Texarkana

On May 5th, 2011, the City of Texarkana unveiled its new PV installation and proposed solar curriculum with a ribbon cutting in Wallace Park. Installed by Houston-based Alternative Power Solutions, the solar project consists of 24 panels on two ground-mounted installations and produces roughly 3727 kWh of energy annually -- enough to power the park’s pavilion lighting and restroom facilities.

The $16,958 project was made possible through grant funding by the United States Department of Energy, an $8,000 rebate from municipal utility provider SWEPCO, and the support of the City of Texarkana. SWEPCO provided their rebate through their SMART Source Solar Photovoltaic Program, an incentive program designed to offset the initial costs of installing PV systems in residential and commercial buildings.

The City will use the Solar Education Station as part of a solar curriculum provided by the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project for students in grades 5 through 12. The solar curriculum will be integrated into existing science, social studies, math, language arts, and technology curricula to demonstrate the benefits and realities of solar and renewable energy use and its impact in a broad spectrum of areas.

>> View the Ribbon Cutting Flyer (PDF)