What's your city doing about global warming? Some cities are doing a hell of a lot ... but if yours isn't, there are some great reasons to get started.
Given the complete lack of action on climate change from the Bush administration, it's no surprise that local governments are picking up the ball and running with it. Fort Collins, in my home state of Colorado, is one of them. The benefits, in addition to reducing the impact of climate change, include lower energy bills, local economic development and cleaner and more livable cities.
A recent .pdf report from Colorado's Sierra Club chapter compares several cities and provides lots of food for thought. I hope it'll be a catalyst here ... but the profiled cities (Austin, Chicago, Portland, and Fort Collins) provide valuable lessons for local governments everywhere.
Last Tuesday evening in Boulder, Colorado, I sat in on a talk given by local efficiency & renewables advocate Ken Regelson about the
Sustainable Cities report he wrote last Fall for the Sierra Club Rocky Mountain Chapter. Regelson profiled four cities, of various sizes, with different types of energy utilities, in different climates, that are leading the way on greenhouse gas reductions: Austin (TX), Chicago, Portland (OR), and Fort Collins.
If your local government hasn't yet started on an energy planning process that'll save citizens money while improving livability -- or even if it has -- this report's got a lot of great ideas.
At under 2MB, it's quick to download a copy for yourself, but it ought especially to be seen by city council members, county commissioners, local party activists, and municipal/county government staff everywhere. With numerous links to relevant online resources of the profiled cities, it'd be easy to use the report as a jumping-off point for researching successful programs in detail, as well as to get contact information for programs that our local governments might like to emulate. Granted, the state Sierra Club chapter in Colorado commissioned the study, but it has applicability just about anywhere in the USA.
Some dkos readers may be fortunate enough to live in a community that's taking energy bills and global warming seriously. Unfortunately, plenty of communities aren't doing much of anything yet, and it's readers in those communities that might be particularly interested in what's happening in leading cities. Here are some examples of what Fort Collins, Colorado is doing:
What Fort Collins is doing is an example of
smart, progressive government policy. Saving local residents and businesses $40 million over 8 years means there'll be an additional $5 million a year in the local economy. In addition, money spent on energy efficiency improvements provides local jobs rather than paying for coal imported from Wyoming or Colorado's West Slope.
Regelson's report looks in-depth at four communities, only one being in Colorado. But, other communities in Colorado are also doing great things. Boulder County has a pair of new environmental intiatives that should help things along there, along with substantial commitment already from the City of Boulder and local nonprofits (like this one and this one). The City of Aspen, Pitkin County, and a community nonprofit there have been doing great things for years.
We can expect to see a great deal of additional activity on energy issues by local government in coming years. If your city isn't yet doing as much as it could, perhaps there are city council members or city staffers who could use a copy of the Sustainable Cities report.
(also posted at blogirons)