Dear Friends of Miami Beach,
 
One of the things I love most about Miami Beach is its breathtaking natural setting. This past year, I’ve realized the importance and timeliness of not taking our environment for granted.   I think about this not just as your Commissioner, but also as your neighbor. That the sustainability of our home City as we know it is in jeopardy for future generations concerns me. So, in addition to all the traditional quality of life issues, I have begun to educate myself on sustainable initiatives in the hopes that I can help raise awareness of what we can all do to contribute to the health of our City. We can probably all agree that keeping our streets clean, safe and well-maintained is crucial; now we must also consider the choices we as individual residents and businesspersons make in our daily lives and how that impacts the sustainability of the Miami Beach around us.
 
As an elected official and one running for reelection this November 6th, I have the opportunity to speak with many different people on this issue. Many persons have said, “I want to help, but I don’t know how.” Well, I wanted to share just a few things we can all easily do to start making better choices for our great City; and consequently, our world.
 
Try to lower your utility bill by switching to widely available compact flourescent light bulbs (CFLs). Changing just five of the most frequently used light bulbs in your home can save you $100 per year on electric bills.
 
Try to buy local produce. It reduces the amount of fossil fuel and plastic or paper packaging typically required to transport these products from long distances. Plus, it will be fresher and better for you!
 
In your garden or patio, there are lots of good choices available. Planting trees to provide shade and wind protection for your house, planting native species and using nontoxic gardening techniques are all ways to reduce water and electric consumption while adding to the beauty and livability of your home.
 
Finally, take a walk to get where you are going every once in a while: your body and your world will thank you. 
 
I’ve enjoyed sharing these thoughts with you. For more information on greening your home, visit www.usgbc.org . Please remember to vote on November 6th and to consider reelecting me as your Miami Beach Commissioner, Group V. For more information, or to contribute to getting the message out, contact MICHAEL’S WEBSITE AND PHONE.
 
Thank you,


City of Miami Beach
Office of Vice Mayor Gongora
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Diana Fontani
305.673.7030

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH ESTABLISHES MAYOR’S GREEN AD-HOC COMMITTEE 

(Miami Beach, FL) – June 12, 2007 – The Miami Beach City Commission established the Mayor’s Green Ad-Hoc Committee during the City Commission meeting held on May 16, 2007. Vice Mayor Michael Gongora will be the City Commission representative and will Chair the committee. This committee will be a one year ad-hoc committee and each of the members of the Commission has appointed one individual to serve. The following appointees will serve: Dan Binkiewicz, John Corey, Robin Jacobs, Debra Leibowitz, Mitch Novick, Patxi Pastor and Luiz Rodrigues. The committee will identify and promote policies and practices within the City of Miami Beach aimed at achieving a sustainable environment as well as minimizing negative impacts and maximizing benefits to the environment.

Vice Mayor Gongora commented:

“Our City is located in one of the most beautiful and enjoyable natural settings imaginable. However, our environment is fragile as well as breathtaking. This committee will not only raise awareness about the importance of achieving a sustainable environment; but, will also examine current policies, seek out best practices and use our collective knowledge, commitment and love for our City to recommend innovations for preserving the viability of a beautiful and livable Miami Beach for future generations.” 

The first meeting is set for July 17, 2007 from 6-8pm at the Mayor’s Conference Room, Fourth Floor, City Hall. All meetings will be open to the public and everyone is encouraged and invited to attend. For more information contact Diana Fontani, Aide to Vice Mayor Michael Gongora, at (305) 673-7030 or email at dianafontani@miamibeachfl.gov. 

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City of Miami Beach
Office of Commissioner Góngora

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 CITY OF MIAMI BEACH MAYOR’S GREEN AD-HOC COMMITTEE HOLDS FIRST MEETING 
Contact:
Diana Fontani
305.673.7030

( Miami Beach , FL ) – August 6, 2007 – The Miami Beach Mayor’s Green Ad-Hoc Committee held its first meeting since its establishment on July 17, 2007. In attendance were the following members of the committee: John Corey, Robin Jacobs, Debra Leibowitz, Mitch Novick, Patxi Pastor and Luiz Rodrigues. Commissioner Michael Góngora, chair of the committee, was also present. The committee began discussing and identifying policies and practices within the City of Miami Beach that can minimizing negative impacts and maximizing benefits to the environment. Some of the topics that were discussed consisted of recycling, water conservation, urban forestry, air quality, green building, vehicles, beach preservation and renourishment and energy conservation. 

“ Miami Beach is not the most environmental city. Many people seem to not know about recycling. What can we do to be a leader in our community?” asked Commissioner Michael Góngora, chair of the committee. Committee member Debra Leibowitz responded by stating, “We do not have recycle bins on our beaches. Why doesn’t the city have recycle bins? I would like to see us on the forefront on taking some action.” 

The committee decided to split the different topics among themselves for research and they would report back to the committee on their findings. The committee also plans to invite city officials from the city of Miami and/or city of Hollywood Beach to hear their green initiatives for their cities. The next meeting is set for August 21, 2007 from 6-8pm at the Mayor’s Conference Room, Fourth Floor, City Hall. All meetings will be open to the public. For more information contact Diana Fontani, Aide to Commissioner Michael Góngora, at (305) 673-7030 or email at dianafontani@miamibeachfl.gov.

City of Miami Beach
Office of Commissioner Gongora
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Diana Fontani
305.673.7105
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH MAYOR’S GREEN AD-HOC COMMITTEE TO HOST GUEST SPEAKER FROM THE CITY OF MIAMI 
 OFFICE OF THE MAYOR AND COMMISSION
1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Tel: 305-673-7105 Fax: 305-673-7096  www.miamibeachfl.gov
 
(Miami Beach, FL) August 16, 2007 Robert Ruano, Director of the Office of Sustainable Initiatives for the City of Miami will be the guest speaker for the  Miami Beach Mayor’s Green Ad-Hoc Committee meeting on August 21, 2007.  The Miami Office of Sustainable Initiatives (MSI) is the designated office responsible for addressing the City’s environmental programs by coordinating with other City Departments and environmental experts to assure that the City of Miami becomes a model for environmental best practices. 

We look forward to working together with the City of Miami to achieve our common goal: to create an environmentally friendly and sustainable future for our communities, states Commissioner Michael Gongora, chair of the committee. 

The committee is tackling such issues as recycling, water conservation, urban forestry, air quality, green building, vehicles, beach preservation and energy conservation. The meeting will be held from 6-8pm at the Mayor’s Conference Room, Fourth Floor, City Hall. All meetings will be open to the public. For more information contact Diana Fontani, Aide to Commissioner Michael Gongora, at (305) 673-7105 or email at dianafontani@miamibeachfl.gov.

MIAMIBEACH 

Diana Fontani Martinez, Aide to Commissioner Michael Gongora
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.




City of Miami Beach
Office of Commissioner Góngora
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2007                                                                
Contact Information: Diana Fontani
(305) 673-7105
 
The Miami Beach Green Committee Taking Action in the Fight to Reduce Global Warming
 
Miami Beach, FL-The Miami Beach Ad Hoc Green Committee announced sweeping changes in how the City of Miami Beach will tackle the problems of climate change. The Committee recommended to City Manager Jorge Gonzalez to make it a matter of top priority to establish an action plan to comply with the goals of the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement, which  was signed by Mayor David Dermer. Under the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement, participating cities commit to take the following three actions:
 
·        Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities, through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land use policies to urban forest restoration projects to public information campaigns
·        Urge their federal and state governments to enact polices and programs to meet or beat greenhouse gas emission reduction target suggested for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol
·        Urge the U.S. Congress to pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation
 
The Green Committee is already taking immediate action by unanimously approving an RFP (Request for Performance) for Performance Contracting. The proposal will consist of performing an internal analysis of the energy systems of city buildings in order to develop and implement long-term conservation initiatives. The Committee also approved a motion to outreach to the marine facilities on Miami Beach and encourage their participation in the Department of Environmental Protection Clean Marina Program. The Clean Marina Program is a public/private partnership between the State of Florida and the marine industry to work with marine facilities to adopt environmentally friendly practices beyond standard regulatory requirements.
 
“The Green Committee is committed to taking real and concrete steps that will lead to a protected environment, a stronger economy and a better City overall, ” states Commissioner Góngora, Chair of the Green Committee.
 
Other topics that the committee will tackle include recycling, water conservation, urban forestry, air quality, green buildings, vehicles, beach preservation and energy conservation. The committee meetings are open to the public and the next meeting is set for September 18, 2007 from 6- 8pm at City Hall. For more information, please contact Diana Fontani, Aide to Commissioner Michael Góngora at (305) 673-7105 or via email at dianafontani@miamibeachfl.gov.
###
  
 
MIAMIBEACH
Diana Fontani Martinez, Aide to Commissioner Michael Góngora
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR AND COMMISSION
1700 Convention Center Drive , Miami Beach , FL 33139
Tel: 305-673-7105 Fax: 305-673-7096  www.miamibeachfl.gov
 
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.

Green Links
ECOMB - Environmental Coalition of Miami Beach
NBC6 - 50 Ways To Go Green
Greener Miami
Green Living Online
The Green Guide
Green Shopping Tips
Green Living Tips


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Cover Story

 

Wasteful
By:  Ben Torter

In Miami-Dade Recycling Is the Law. But Apparently Not That Many People Know It County

…

Recycling is one way people can help the environment and, here in Miami-Dade, it’s actually the law. County

A 1992 Miami-Dade ordinance requires all businesses and multifamily dwellings to recycle. But most people questioned by the SunPost, in an extremely informal poll of friends and city activists, were surprised the law exists. County

“I found out about this ordinance around the time I was elected, and I’ve been involved in the community for years,” Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Gongora told the SunPost. Gongora was elected to the commission last fall.

When the Environmental Coalition of Miami Beach questioned people on Lincoln Road in February, the group found that 70 percent of respondents had never heard of the county’s recycling rule.

…

Now a proposal by the Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management, a campaign by the Environmental Coalition of Miami Beach and the newly formed Miami Beach Ad Hoc Green Committee — of which Gongora is a member — have the potential to pressure people to recycle through greater enforcement and public education.

…

The Ad-Hoc Green Committee in the city of Miami Beach had its first meeting on July 17. Still in the early planning stages, one of its goals is to encourage more locals to recycle.

“I’m not looking to come after people but just to educate them, because I think a lot of people would be willing to comply with green initiatives if they knew about them,” committee Chairman Gongora told the SunPost.

Benefits

For answers to frequently asked recycling questions, visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Web site at: www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/faq.htm.

Here are a few benefits of recycling the EPA lists:

*Protects and expands U.S. manufacturing jobs and increases U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace.

*Reduces the need for landfilling and incineration.

*Saves energy and prevents pollution caused by the extraction and processing of virgin materials and the manufacture of products using virgin materials.

*Decreases emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change.

*Conserves natural resources such as timber, water and minerals.

*Helps sustain the environment for future generations.

Contacts

Here is a list of licensed companies that provide recycling services to Miami Beach:

Waste Services of Florida: 305-638-3800

Waste Management: 954-974-7500 ext. 717

All Services (commercial only): 305-888-5515

Davis   Sanitation: 305-653-2684

 

Fines

Fines for violating the 1992 Miami-Dade recycling ordinance are daily and can be imposed for up to 20 days. To make an anonymous complaint, call the Miami-Dade 311 Answer Center at 3-1-1. County

Residential Buildings

*Up to 25 units can be fined $300 per day.

*26 to 101 units can be fined $650 per day.

*More than 101 units can be fined $950 per day.

Commercial Esta    

*Up to 3,000 square feet can be fined $300 per day.

*Greater than 3,000 and less

than 10,000 square feet can be fined $650 per day.

*Greater than 10,000 square feet can be fined $950 per day.

 

Commissioner Michael Gongora

                               Pushing Green Initiatives

Miami Beach October 2007 - Commissioner Gongora issued a proclamation marking September 27, 2007 as:  DadePaper Greensafe & Innovations Expo Day. DadePaper was founded in 1939 by current Chairman Irving Genet and his father Harry Genet in Miami, FL. The company remains family owned and operated. It was the first annual expo and its mission was to showcase a variety of products and services- both green and innovative in order to... more

 

 

 



CITY DEBATE ARTICLE

The Miami Beach Green Committee Taking Action in the Fight to Reduce Global Warming Lead By Commissioner Gongora, Chair of the Committee

Miami Beach September 2007 -The Miami Beach Ad Hoc Green Committee announced sweeping changes in how the City of Miami Beach will tackle the problems of climate change. The Committee recommended to City Manager Jorge Gonzalez to make it a matter of top priority to establish an action plan to comply with the goals of the U.S. Conference of Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement. Under the U.S. Conference of Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement, participating cities commit to take the following three actions: ... more