There is a shift in the way of
thinking for Texarkana, Texas
in regard to energy efficiency
and conservation. The City
has made minor improve-
ments and upgrades over the
years to reduce our energy
consumption. However, as a
result of the City Council sign-
ing the U.S. Mayors Climate
Protection Agreement, we will
begin a more concerted effort
to reduce our energy con-
sumption and thus become
better stewards of citizen tax
dollars. To do this, we have to
take a small and large-scale
approach that includes every
employee. Over the coming
months you will begin to no-
tice upgrades in technology in
various City buildings. These
upgrades will include compact
fluorescent lighting, more effi-
cient ballasts and bulbs, mo-
tion censored lighting, and
programmable thermostats,
among other things. The in-
vestments are being made in
an effort to reduce the City’s
utility bills and carbon output.
More specifically to you, the
employee, the following “habit
changing” steps are encour-
aged by all City employees as
the apply:
• Copiers, printers and other
office equipment should be
turned off in the evening
• Switch off unnecessary
lights and use natural light-
ing when feasible
• Switch off lights as you
leave the office in the eve-
ning
• Unplug phone, blackberry
and other charges that are
not in use
In addition, we will start a
“Reduce Your Juice” competi-
tion between various municipal
buildings. See below for more
information!
Sustainable Texarkana
Volume 2, Issue 7
“Life in the City”
“ Feel free to grow and flourish into anything you
want to be for the sky is the limit…….
September 2009
“Reduce Your Juice”
“Reduce Your Juice” is
a competition between
various municipal
buildings and will in-
volve all City employ-
ees. Each building
within the competition
will be monitored
monthly and ranked
based on the amount
of kilowatts reduced
from that month during
the previous year.
Buildings in this year’s
competition include
City Hall, Health De-
partment, Library