Santa Cruz’s climate change action coordinator, Ross Clark, is turning to the local community to help make the city’s action plan for climate change a success. After spending three years studying the city’s carbon footprint, Clark produced an 80-page plan that would reduce emissions by as much as 30 percent by 2020 while continuing to promote economic growth. He plan was discussed by city council at its Tuesday meeting.
Much of the plan focuses on transportation, one of the main sources of greenhouse gases. Clark wants to see car trips within Santa Cruz reduced by 30 percent, with a concurrent increase in public transportation use of 50 percent. He also hopes to reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicles used in commutes by 30 percent.
Energy usage is another key component of the plan. At present, only 500 homes in Santa Cruz have solar panels, but he hopes to double this by 2012 and increase it to 5,000 by 2020. This would be achieved, in part, by increased participation in residential energy efficiency programs. The amount of energy-efficient commercial space would likewise be increased by 30 percent.
Another key factor is waste. The plan calls for a 10 percent reduction in water usage and a program to eliminate all organic waste in the city.
Clark now hopes that the community will weigh in on how to ensure the plan’s success. Read more at the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
