Boone Joins Cool Cities Program Mayor Clawson Signs CLimate Protection Agreement By Frank Ruggiero At last week’s Boone Town Council regular meeting, Mayor Loretta Clawson joined approximately 300 mayors in signing the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. The agreement, which originated in Seattle, Wash., is promoted by the Sierra Club’s Cool Cities program. On board are 296 cities, representing 44 states, that have pledged to reduce global warming and carbon dioxide pollution citywide to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. The Cool Cities program, “is an opportunity for communities to make a commitment to solve global warming, putting proven smart energy solutions to work to enhance environmental consciousness.” Christa Wagner, conservation organizer with the Sierra Club’s Appalachian Regional Office Christa Wagner, conservation organizer with the Sierra Club’s Appalachian Regional Office, described the program to the council, first telling how North Carolina’s Sierra Club has 19,000 members, divided into 13 groups, ranging from Asheville to Greenville. The Cool Cities program, she said, “is an opportunity for communities to make a commitment to solve global warming, putting proven smart energy solutions to work to enhance environmental consciousness.” Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels promoted the idea on Feb. 16, 2005, which was the same day the Kyoto Protocol became effective in 141 countries. Thirty-eight of those countries are now legally required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, on average, 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2012, Wagner explained. Nickels’ effort was unanimously endorsed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors that June. “They all thought it was a good idea, and they’ve been moving their cities forward,” Wagner said. The program revolves around four key, clean-energy solutions – energy efficiency, green vehicles, renewable energy and alternative transportation. “Big or small, government or private enterprise, we all have a role to play in this,” Wagner said. “And our members have been working in their own communities throughout the state to promote energy efficiency.” With a global issue like climate change, Wagner said any government can appreciate the opportunity to save taxpayer dollars, recruit new industries, improve air quality and public health, improve community livability and create a legacy of leadership. By signing the agreement, a community wouldn’t have to develop new operations, but instead streamline its current operations, such as adding fuel-efficient, cost-saving hybrid vehicles to a motor fleet, Wagner said. She said 27 hybrid vehicles have been added to the city of Charlotte’s motor fleet by the Sierra Club’s urging, while Winston-Salem has added four vehicles. The modifications can be seen as an investment in renewable energy, Wagner continued, telling how Brookline, Mass. is saving nearly $12,000 a year through a home composting program. Referring to 12 suggested actions to reduce global warming pollution, council member Bunk Spann said, “I think the town of Boone is at some stage of development with about half of those already.” He mentioned the town’s partnership with the MountainKeepers organization, which will help the town employ green and sustainable practices. “It seems to me this effort fits right in with that,” Spann said. Spann moved that the council approve Clawson’s signing of the agreement, Mason seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. Chris Turner, chairman of the Blue Ridge Sierra Club, which covers Watauga, Wilkes, Avery, Ashe and Alleghany counties, said Boone was the first city the chapter approached. “Because of the university, we had some aspects of a larger city, so it fit nicely,” he said. “And given the town tried successfully to encourage more ridership in the transit system by making it fare-free last year, I thought they were off to a good start.” The resolution, he continued, is non-binding, meaning there are no penalties inflicted if goals are not met. Taking steps In signing the agreement, the town of Boone agreed to “strive to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol targets for reducing global warming pollution by taking actions in our own operations and communities, such as: Inventory global warming emissions in city operations and in the community, set reduction targets and create an action plan; Adopt and enforce land-use policies that reduce sprawl, preserve open space, and create compact, walkable urban communities; Promote transportation options, such as bicycle trails, commute trip reduction programs, incentives for car-pooling and public transit; Increase the use of clean, alternative energy by, for example, investing in ‘green tags,’ advocating for the development of renewable energy resources, recovering landfill methane for energy production, and supporting the use of waste to energy technology; Make energy efficiency a priority through building code improvements, retrofitting city facilities with energy-efficient lighting, and urging employees to conserve energy and save money; Purchase only Energy Star equipment and appliances for city use; Practice and promote sustainable building practices using the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program or a similar system; Increase the average fuel efficiency of municipal fleet vehicles; reduce the number of vehicles; launch an employee education program, including anti-idling messages; convert diesel vehicles to bio-diesel; Evaluate opportunities to increase pump efficiency in water and wastewater systems; recover wastewater treatment methane for energy production; Increase recycling rates in city operations and in the community; Maintain healthy urban forests; promote tree planting to increase shading and to absorb [carbon-dioxide]; and Help educate the public, schools, other jurisdictions, professional associations, business and industry about reducing global warming pollution.” For more information on Cool Cities, visit www.sierraclub.org/coolcities on the Web.