The City of Winston-Salem is finalizing the budget for the next fiscal year on June 2nd and the sustainability budget is on the line.
With the Federal government breaking its environmental commitments at record pace, now is the time to stand up for local priorities that matter to Winston-Salem residents.
Take Action Now
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Come to the City Council meeting on June 2nd at 6PM at City Hall (101 N. Main St) to let Council know that you care about the Sustainability Budget. RSVP here so we know how many people to expect.
- Email your City Council Member to let them know that you care about the Sustainability Budget. CC the team at PEA (info@peanc.org) so we can collate the messages.
When we come together and speak with one voice, we can help impact the priorities of our City leaders.
Why is the City Sustainability Budget Important?
- Without a capital project budget, the City cannot reach the decarbonization and climate goals it set for itself, including through the 2020 resolution #20-0499 to reach 50% clean renewable energy by 2030.
- City Sustainability Director Dr. Shaleen Miller has developed a roadmap for reaching climate goals in the Strategic Energy Plan. We know the steps to take to meet our climate goals, but we need financial investment to implement the plan.
- Sustainability investments pay for themselves. By investing now in easy to implement changes like energy efficiency lighting and electric vehicles, the City will ultimately save money in energy costs. Financial stewardship and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.
- City Sustainability efforts are building a stronger future for Winston-Salem. Green jobs are the jobs of the future. By leading on environmental sustainability, Winston-Salem can attract more green industry, creating thousands of strong new jobs.
- EV manufacturers such Rivian and Toyota are even investing in students at Forsyth Tech. Our community cannot afford to ignore these tail-winds of change.