Enviornmentalist Bruce Wood to speak to West Nashville Summit

RISE AND SHINE

FOR THE

WEST NASHVILLE EGGS AND BACON SUMMIT

Meeting at 

Shoney's

365 White Bridge Pike, Nashville

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Fellowship, Dutch Treat Breakfast 8:30 AM, meeting 9:00 AM

with Special Guest Bruce Wood  Bruce Wood is president of BURNT a 22 year old Nashville citizen's environmental group.  BURNT was instrumental in stopping a $200 million expansion of the downtown incinerator at the base of Broadway, stopping a planned $100 million garbage processor on Rolling Mills Hill, closing the North Nashville Rendering Plant, and a liquid hazardous waste processor in cockrell Bend.  Each of these decisions enhanced the value of commercial real estate in key parts of Nashville.    Now, BURNT is working on state wide solid waste reform.  Citizens, business, and local governments pay $1.2 billion annually to landfill waste---$1.2 billion is almost 5% of our non-federal state budget. "BURNT demonstrates that citizens can create a cleaner environment which benefits business," says Wood.   Moderator: Matt Nemeth

My Comment

On Saturday, Bruce Wood will step into the lion's den to talk about BURNT's roll as a leading local environmentalist organization. BURNT has been around for a long time being vocal and controversial, trying to sell its view of recycling, trying to force government regulatory agencies to do their job and as many would view them, generally being a constant pain in the ass.

When it comes to recycling, BURNT has a fringe or visionary proposal, depending on your point of view, called “wet-dry.” I am sure Bruce will explain it. With mosquitoes so bad this year, you might want to ask Bruce why BURNT opposes spraying for mosquitoes. If you have noticed those “no spray” signs around town, that is the work of BURNT.

I have know Bruce for a long time. He is like the energizer bunny; he never gives up. He keeps going and going. I served in the Metro Council at a time when the city was trying to site a new landfill, when recycling was just emerging and when the money pit known as the thermal plant incinerator was trying to expand. I often found myself allied with BURNT on various issue. The downtown incinerator did need to be closed and the rendering plant was a sickening smelly nuisance when the wind blew the wrong way and the weather was just right. Some of what BURNT contributed in achieving needed to be done.

Just because a Republican breakfast group has a guest speaker, it does not indicate that the Party or the group is endorsing the speaker’s point of view. I urge you to come hear what Bruce Wood has to say, be challenged in your thinking about environmental issues, and ask Bruce the hard questions.

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