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Going Carbon Neutral: Austin Rocks
Concerned about the impact of climate change, some state and local governments are aggressively pursuing carbon neutral status and adopting policies and strategies aimed at reducing their carbon footprint. Over the next few months, we will be discussing what it takes to attain this goal and highlighting cities and states that are leading the way.
Six cities always are among the top 10 green U.S. cities no matter who compiles the list: San Francisco, Berkeley, Austin, Seattle, Chicago and Boston.
Our Going Carbon Neutral series starts with Austin, the only city so far with the political will to formally commit to this goal and start the journey.
A bastion of progressive thought in the heart of Texas, Austin resolved in 2007 to make city facilities, vehicles and operations carbon-neutral by 2020 and move the city-owned energy utility and entire community toward this goal over time. This was a courageous move for a city that serves as the seat of power for a conservative state, which ironically is both the national leader in greenhouse gas emissions and wind energy generation.
Texas has no state income tax and does not provide financial incentives for conservation or alternative energy. However, the state imposes resource protections, like requiring water meters in multifamily housing to encourage conservation, and it is the first to get under way on smart grid infrastructure dedicated to moving electricity from wind farms to urban centers.
Because climate action is a municipal function, Austin is doing what the state cannot, suggests Claire Bonham-Carter, director of sustainable development, design and planning in the San Francisco office of global engineering/design firm AECOM, who is working on climate action plans (CAPs) for some California communities.
While there is limited control over private property, “key is the city must have complete control over how it [climate action process] operates, “ she says. She notes that Austin has the advantage of owning its power facility.
Between 2005 and 2007, the Austin City Council passed resolutions calling for reductions in energy and water use, vehicle miles traveled and waste generation. In 2007, the city adopted the Austin Climate Protection Plan (ACPP) to develop and implement a CAP targeting four areas: municipal operations, utility, homes and buildings, and community. Since then, city leaders have adopted supportive policies, including updating building energy codes to reflect the city’s carbon-neutral direction.
The ACPP has made progress on all fronts, according to ACPP Director Ester Matthews.
Her first priority was to establish a Climate Action Team composed of representatives from all city departments. An inventory of greenhouse gas emissions has been completed for all city departments, providing benchmarks for measuring progress. Meanwhile, team members are working on department-specific plans to attain the municipal goal, as well as greenhouse gas-reduction strategies specific to their roles across all four areas.
Starting at the Power Source
Austin Energy, the municipal electric utility, has capped carbon emissions at the 2007 level, with a goal of reducing greenhouse gases to the 2005 level by 2014 with conservation, clean energy and carbon offsets. It is currently determining how much energy the community will need by 2020, when 30% of energy generated must come from renewable resources, including 100 megawatts of solar capacity and 700 megawatts in energy savings. Citywide energy use right now ranges between 1,000 and 2,500 megawatts.
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Audit burden on the back's of Austin homeowners
Austin Texas' Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure ordinance is one of the dumbest ever devised and creates busywork for energy auditors. There is no mandatory retrofit requirement at the point-of-sale, nor should there be. Let tax incentives, rebates and the free market decide how, if and when a homeowner performs upgrades to their home. At the current level of home sales it should take 20 or more years to audit all of the older homes in Austin. If you own a condominium or mobile home, you can use all the electricity you want and escape the ECAD audit. The amount of electricity I purchase from Austin Energy, -a regulated monopoly-, is none of your business. Non-compliance is a Class C misdemeanor and up to a $2000 fine. If you think the audit is such a great idea, send me a personal check for $300 to John Barksdale, 4014 JAFFNA CV, Austin, TX 78749.
http://stoptheaustinecad.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=KxbT2T-mfkA
Real Environmental movement CO-OPTED by carbon criminals
What the City of Austin is engaging in as massive FRAUD wrapped in an paper-thin wrapper of compassionate green earth-loving marketing hype. The fact is that there is NO empirical scientific evidence that high carbon dioxide levels cause temprerature rises; it is more probably that the opposite is true. Google the medieval warm period and you'll find out that the Earth has had warm ages before, warmer than today(!).
What's behind all this is the riDICulous carbon cap-and-trade scheme that may soon affect all areas of human activity and RUIN our economy, to the benefit of corrupt European elites like Edmond DeRothschild: find out about the Global Environment Facility (really a criminal BANK). Find out about Maurice Strong. All one has to do is Google these or Climate Gate or Rajendra Pachauri and they'll be bombarded with articles revealing the scope of this immense SCAM.
Do YOU really care about the environment and the Earth? Then start learning about REAL solutions: we need massive DEcentralization of our "command economy" that is controlled by a very few massive corporations: we need 'MICRO-EDENS": sustainable, self-determinng organic farming communities that are unfettered by globalist bureacuracy and wasteful taxation: DEcentralization of the means of production and distribution of finished goods, agriculture, etc., will reduce the number of big trucks on our highways and ships on our seas. WAKE UP PEOPLE: START ASKING QUESTIONS AND THINK CRITICALLY!
And what about the WARS in IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN!!!! Any idea how much pollution and environmental ruin all those weapon systems are causing: What about depleted uranium weapons? Those munitions will continue irradiating Iraqi and Afghani peoples FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES. ALL WARS for resources and subjugation of free peoples must end FIRST before any talk of the Cap-and trade NONSENSE.
Man Made Global Warming is a
Man Made Global Warming is a hoax. This program is another scheme to make money from the hoax. Next, we will be taxed for breathing. Therefore we will be taxed for having pets, becuase they breath C02 as well. This is terrible news. Instead of focusing on real pollution and toxins, we are focusing on plant food.. and taxing it!
Austin
I congratulate Austin for its energy efforts and I hope all goes well. There is, however, an outcry from the business community around the United States that gearing up for carbon print credits is terribly expensive and offers no benefits. I'm not convinced either. casino online
Diesel Fuel
Can anyone tell me why CapMetro eliminated the Natural Gas Powered Buses and bought diesel buses to replace them. All systems go. Then they bought diesel powered light rail trains.
I guess coal fueled steam powered trains weren't available.
Berkeley in the top six?
Is it fair to say that Berkeley is one of the greenest cities in America "no matter whose compiling the list" when the link provided doesn't actually list Berkeley at all? Sure, the city's reputation is Green, but looking to neighboring Oakland and there is a town that gets results, no matter whose compiling the list.
Top 10 Green Cities
The NRDC study you're referring to in the first link looks at cities with populations topping 250,000. Berkeley's population is quite a bit smaller, so it wasn't included for consideration in that specific list. You're right to give a shout out to Oakland, of course. It has some impressive green efforts under way, starting with its green jobs training.
-The Managing Editor
Austin is Amazing
Once again, the most dramatic improvements often occur at the local level, where city governments, citizens and businesses have the power to create innovative solutions that are tailored to the needs and capabilities of the environment at hand - hats off to Austin!
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