City Works Sustainability Successes & Challenges. Dr Rosemarie Russo Sustainability Coordinator April 28, 2011

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1 City Works Sustainability Successes & Challenges Dr Rosemarie Russo Sustainability Coordinator April 28, 2011

2 Why Do We Care About Sustainability as a Municipality or Community? City operates and owns buildings throughout the community; City operates fleet vehicles such as Transfort buses; As a service provider for electricity and water, the City strives to be a leader in how we operate; By reducing GHG, we improve air quality and our health.

3 Colorado Impacts Shorter and warmer winters, with thinner snowpack and earlier runoff; Widespread beetle infestation (3.6 millions acres in CO & WY) Increase in severe storms.

4 Municipal Operations Progress From 2005, GHG emissions dropped by 4%, or 2,154 metric tons. The GHG Emissions reductions are equivalent to: Annual GHG emissions from 374 passenger vehicles; CO2e emissions from the energy used by 237 homes for one year; or GHG emissions avoided by recycling 658 tons of material (equal to the weight of 4,544 gorillas).

5 Recycling The Forestry Division chips large diameter wood into mulch that is available throughout the year, for free at Rivendell and Garden at Spring Creek. In 2010, the City s office recycling program recycled 112 tons which saved the equivalent of: 1904 trees 784,000 gallons of water

6 Fuel and Fleets Reduce traditional fuel use by 20% by As of 2010 over > 40% of fuel was from biodiesel or compressed natural gas. City owns 555 alternative fuel fleet vehicles. In CNG buses replaced traditional buses resulting in a reduction in 126 metric tons of GHG emissions.

7 2010 Financial Highlights Annual Savings Asphalt, Concrete, & Toilet Recycling $266,356 LED lighting Replacements $105,924 Metal Recycling $69,000 Waste Water Load Shedding $54,000 70W High Pressure Sodium Lighting $26,000 Earth Day Event $18,000 Evacuated solar tube system $8,496 Solid Waste Challenge $2,000 Community Garden Project Affordable Housing $480 TOTALS $550,256

8 Environmental Benefits Asphalt, Concrete, & Toilet Recycling LED lighting Replacements Metal Recycling Waste Water Load Shedding 70W High Pressure Sodium Lighting Community Garden Project Affordable Housing Earth Day Event Evacuated Solar tubes Solid Waste Challenge TOTALS 4,250 metric tons CO2e 1,317 reduction metric tons CO2e 425 metric tons 576 metric tons 334 metric tons 300 metric tons 13 metric tons 6 metric tons 3 metric tons 7224 metric tons

9 Health Connections 2154 metric tons of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent). Air pollution leads to ozone problems and affects asthma and allergy sufferers. Air pollution benefits: 1156 pounds of NOx 289 pounds of carbon monoxide 58 pounds of VOCs

10 2010 Cool Steps Grant Funding Purchased Big Belly Solar compactors for Rolland Moore Park and Oak Street Plaza. Installed a 5 kwh system at 215 N Mason and a 53 kwh system on Aztlan. The City implemented a server virtualization project that translates to 373 metric tons of carbon savings.

11 ARRA Transportation Projects Improve Bike lanes on Mountain Avenue. Paint Bike boxes on Plum and Shield Streets. Improve the pedestrian path between Lincoln Ave. and Buckingham Street.

12 City Programs Pay as you Throw CFL and LED Discounts Leaf Exchange Bike Library Christmas Tree Recycling Sprinkler Audits Home Audits Appliance Recycling and Rebates Residential & Business Environmental Program Series Xeriscape Workshops IADP Design Assistance

13 Leverage Funds Blocks of wind can be bought for about $10 extra per month. City & ReCharge Rebates: Lighting Toilets Lawn Mowers

14 Challenge: Educational and On going Give a Watt: Pedal It Forward Harvest energy and donate to a local nonprofit - Bike Coop

15 We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. Native American Proverb Thanks fcgov.com\green