FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2009
“Message from the Mayor”
Dear Community Partner,
I am writing to let you in on significant events which will take place during the week of April 20th, which will be declared "Sustainable Sumter Week". Sumter City Council issued a resolution about two years ago which committed our City to pursuing sustainable practices in all of its activities. Our City staff strives to consider the environmental impact of every decision that is made and to adopt practices that are environmentally sensitive and that reduce carbon emissions. We have a long way to go, but we are making progress.
Our efforts were recently given a boost when an international organization, ICLEI--Local Governments for Sustainability, chose Sumter as a "Spotlight Conversation City" for its National Conversation on Climate Action, to be held on Earth Day, April 22, 2009. ICLEI has over 1,000 local government members world-wide and over 500 in the United States. Sumter was chosen along with communities like Houston, Los Angeles, Sarasota (Florida), Jackson (Wyoming) and Louisville (Kentucky). This is an opportunity for our community to receive national and international recognition. Please find attached a brochure outlining the planned activities.
All of the above is great, but I am writing you because I am excited about our keynote speaker. I believe you will be excited too. Dr. Matthew Sleeth is an emergency room physician who is also a committed Christian. I learned about him when I read his book, Serve GOD—Save the Planet. Dr. Sleeth believes that it is part of our duty as Christians to care for the Earth. After all, we are charged with being good stewards. He quotes scripture to lend support to his thoughts on our obligation to confront global climate change. I hope you will come to hear him speak at Sumter's historic Opera House on April 22, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. We will hear Dr. Sleeth speak and then break into small groups to discuss how Sumter can become a more sustainable community, which essentially means using the resources God has given us more efficiently and showing greater appreciation for the wonderful place where he allows us to live.
As best I can understand the science, I believe that human activity is significantly increasing global climate change which is endangering us and future generations. However, on a practical, common sense basis, I am sure that we need to change activities in our personal lives that reduce carbon emissions. Even if a majority of scientists are wrong about global climate change, conservation and wise use of resources save money and lead us to better appreciate God's gifts.
I look forward to seeing you on April 22nd at the Opera House and on April 25th at Swan Lake-Iris Gardens for our Sustainable Sumter: Going Green is Living Green family day event. I believe you will be glad you came. Please call me or the Swan Lake Visitors Center at 803-436-2640, if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Joseph T. McElveen, Jr.
Mayor
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