NOVATO AND GLOBAL WARMING:
A VISION WITHOUT A PLAN IS JUST A WISH
How would Novato be impacted in the year 2050 by global warming? We see projections in local papers that rising sea water could creep into low lying areas near our downtown, Hamilton and Vintage Oaks. Increased volatility in rainfall could create both worse shortages and more flooding. Climate change could injure or even destroy vineyards in Sonoma and Napa, resulting in reduced tourism, jobs and economic
viability. Significant sea level rise and extreme weather events would endanger not only the rich seashore habitat at Point Reyes but also the integrity of the Redwood Landfill in Novato.
Our City has taken some steps towards meeting the threat of global warming in recent years.
Three years ago, Novato City Council passed a resolution to join ICLEI (now called Local Governments for Sustainability, formerly International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives), and its Cities for Climate Protection program. By spring, 2005, city staff had completed the first phase, an inventory of its estimate greenhouse gas emissions. A residential green building ordinance was also passed in 2005.
The process of writing the City of Novato 2028 Strategic Plan document produced vision statements regarding a sustainable Novato. See http://www.ci.novato.ca.us/docs/Strategic_Plan2028.cfm In 2006, through the leadership of councilmember Bernie Meyers, the Council joined the Mayors Agreement on Climate Protection, which sets goals.
However, as a recent bumper sticker asserts, “A vision without a plan is just a wish.”
Action now is what is needed.
The City needs to develop and implement a greenhouse gas reduction plan, like the County of Marin and all the cities of Sonoma County have done. Like these other nearby jurisdictions, Novato must move a comprehensive and coordinated plan to the top of our
priority list. Climate protection has to influence all budget decisions by the Council. The City's example should be followed by voluntary goals and plans for the private sector as well, following the lead of Silicon Valley and other parts of California. Action items
should include clean energy, energy efficiency, zero waste, minimizing toxics, robust support for community-wide water conservation, local community produce, and green zero-net-energy building.
And we can show our stuff right now.
As the City moves forward to preserve our church icon building, a historic gem that will serve as needed meeting space for the community, let’s make it a model renovation with green design features that conserve energy, save the taxpayers money and cut green house gas emissions.
In addition, the City of Novato Redevelopment Agency is now making the case for more retail development on Redwood Boulevard, something that many residents would enjoy, with sales tax dollars benefiting our community. The Agency and the City must use bond proceeds to build infrastructure that will reduce energy consumption. Any development should include green building design and construction, renewable energy, pedestrian and bicycle friendly features, with easy access to public transportation. The public and City officials must also consider the workforce that will serve this new retail, accounting for housing and transportation of these employees.
Novato residents, our children and grandchildren deserve no less. Sustainable Novato stands ready to serve as a resource to our elected officials and staff members that serve our community.
We understand that the City of Novato has many pressing issues. And global warming is one of them. Together, let’s make a plan and act now to do our part.
Join us at www.sustainablenovato.org
Signed,
Annan Paterson, President, Jeanne Santangelo and John Schlag, Vice Presidents
Ed Mainland, Secretary, Sustainable Novato
February 5, 2007
OP ED Ran in the Novato Advance February 2007
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Flyers were distributed at the Global Warming Event at Unity in Marin of October 2, 2006 Co-sponsored by Sustainable Novato:
Click here to download a printable PDF "What You Can Do,"
simple actions written by Tamra Peters and used here with permission.
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Flyers were distributed at the Global Warming Event at Unity in Marin of October 2, 2006 Co-sponsored by Sustainable Novato:
Click here to download a printable PDF "Things You Can Do," thoughtful actions written by John Schlag and used here with permission.
Active Link to Center for Nonviolent Communication,
www.cnvc.org
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“AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH”: REALITY CHECK FOR MARIN
Al Gore and scientists pose the challange: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 70 percent as quickly as possible before 2050. Changing national policy on global warming should be OUR high priority. There is much we can do at the local level too – things we aren't yet doing.
- COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATION. Soon Marin County will be looking to implement community choice electricity aggregation (CCA). CCA can greatly increase renewable power and energy efficiency while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Consultants say 50 percent renewable power is a realistic goal. CCA is a way to avoid paying increasing fossil-fuel prices. On June 22, at 3:30 pm in Marin Supervisors’ chambers, Marin Civic Center, the County will brief Marin cities about CCA.
- CLIMATE PROTECTION AGREEMENT by U.S. mayors on global warming and emissions reduction. We can persuade our Marin mayors to sign it. See http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/climate/quotes.htm#mayors.
- CITIES FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION PROGRAM. We can persuade our cities to join it. Marin County, Novato, San Anselmo, Sausalito, Fairfax have already signed on. We need to ask them to implement it seriously. www.iclei.org.
- GREEN BUILDING strategies, policies, guidelines, practices. Buildings account for 48 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and 40 percent of all U.S. energy wasted. Check out www.usgbc-rec.org. See Sustainable San Rafael's push for green building: http://www.sustainablesanrafael.org/ . See U.S. Mayors' Conference initiative on green building – help persuade all Marin mayors to endorse it. Why not carbon-neutral buildings by 2030? See http://www.architecture2030.org/news/news_5_2006.html
- ZERO WASTE. We can urge Marin County's Board of Supervisors and Marin's Hazardous and Solid Waste Management Joint Powers Authority (JPA) to develop and implement “zero waste” targets to reduce and reuse the waste stream, to prolong Redwood Landfill’s useful life and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The State of California, Palo Alto and other cities have zero-waste goals; why not Marin? Did you attend Supervisor Charles McGlashan's great Zero-Waste Workshop on April 18?
- GREEN CITIES ACCORD World Environment Day. We can ask our cities to sign on. Marin County's Supervisors signed in February, 2006. We can persuade city councils and city managers to read "Green Cities: A Guide for Sustainable Community Development", by Michael Bloomfield, Harmony Foundation, 2005 (order through www.harmonyfdn.ca.) It's meant to help mayors and other city officials carry out community initiatives to implement vibrant "green city" legacies that will succeed beyond their terms of office.
- WATER CONSERVATION ACTION COMMITTEE chaired by MMWD’s Contact: Dan Carney. First meeting will be June 15. The committee can catalyze fresh action on energy and water efficiency and conservation.
- GREEN SCHOOLS. It makes no sense for our school buildings to be leaking energy, heat, light and dollars at a prodigious rate through antiquated design, construction and unenlightened renovation. It makes no sense for children's health to be affected by toxins and allergens in the paint and building materials. Green schools make for happier, healthier children. And look at the "green schools" program Sara Kram and fellow teachers, parents and children have going at Pleasant Valley Elementary. Contact: Sara Kram See also http://www.greenschools.net/.
California High Performance Schools, www.chps.net
- POST-CARBON THINKING and planning. Check out the town of Willits www.willitseconomiclocalization.org, or google Willits WELL. Also, www.postcarbon.org and www.museletter.com. Also see www.ecoleader.org for proceedings of the conference of North Bay officials May 2006 who asked the question, "Can local public policy support a competitive and sustainable economy in the face of rising energy costs."
- HYBRIDS AND BIODIESELS FOR CITY MOTOR POOLS. How about corporate fleets too? Help Don't Be Fueled www.dontbefueled.org get Detroit to manufacture safe, efficient cars. Check www.calcars.org to find out benefits of electrifying all transportation starting with plug-in hybrids.
- Tune in Betsy Rosenberg's ECOTALK SHOW 12 noon to 1 pm every Saturday on AM 960 KQKE for a host of ideas we can use.
- Read the Vanity Fair excerpt, April, 2006: "50 WAYS TO HELP SAVE THE PLANET" http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/sgw_read.asp?id=121544172006
What do you want to be able to tell your children and grandchildren?
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