Seeking Ideas for a GHG Reduction Program

http://www.fcm.ca/home/programs/partners-for-climate-protection/demonstrating-results/current-results/top-10-ghg-reductions.htm

Hi Lori, Here are some GHG reduction strategies with some numbers attached.

Best bets are probably energy conservation, especially commuting and home heating and cooling. Hot water heating as well.

There's also a lot of GHG's in 'producing and selling stuff' and 'throwing it out before it's worn out' and 'not being able to repair stuff'.

Norm Ruttan
President
iWasteNot Systems
Canada
www.iwastenotsystems.com

Hi Lori,

Since I am a Southern California based city of 130k our systems and needs are probably substantially different. However, with a small budget, I would identify one area that would be appropriate for a behavior change outreach campaign and would provide real GHG reductions and focus on that issue. Perhaps one of the areas Norm identified would provide a good match.

John Brooks
Sr. Analyst
City of Thousand Oaks
United States
www.toaks.org/GoGreen

In New Zealand we do not have many large cities and our budgets tend to be very tight, so the Sustainable Living Programme was developed fifteen or so years ago. It has evolved so as to be delivered through many channels. It is behaviour change focused.

http://www.sustainableliving.org.nz/

Hutt City Council offers a range of options for delivery including - 8 week workshop at local polytechnic @$40 per person (small Council subsidy involved) or two free workshops on topics of a "host" organisation's choice. The "host" or organiser (similar to a "Tupperware Party") does all the organisation including booking our facilitator and they also do the publicity. The host provides refreshments (tea/coffee/water/packet of cookies). Hosts can be a school, a community house/centre, church or an enthusiastic person who is willing to allow their home to be used as the venue.


Sandy Beath-Croft
Environmental Sustainability Advisor
Hutt City Council
New Zealand
www.huttcity.govt.nz

Another thought, Lori.

You guys got quite a smack from the recent flooding in your town. What's happening with all the debris that was produced? Composted? Repaired and reused? Landfilled?

What will happen when the next climate change induced storm hits? Will you be prepared? Resilient? Forewarned, and forearmed? Or will the same thing happen again? Building close to mountain river channels? Use the high hoe to tear the structure down and truck it to the landfill?

Or is there a better way that avoids those kinds of catastrophes, avoids the GHG's emitted to build those houses, and bridges and then cart the destroyed ones away? Or ensures that the damaged materials are treated responsibly and the maximum value extracted from them?

Norm Ruttan
President
iWasteNot Systems
Canada
www.iwastenotsystems.com

That's a really good point that Norm makes. We have had severe earthquakes, larger storms, repeated flooding e.g. because of damage to infrastructure caused by the earthquake in Christchurch.....

We all need to be better prepared.

Sandy Beath-Croft
Environmental Sustainability Advisor
Hutt City Council
New Zealand
www.huttcity.govt.nz

Good morning. Thanks everyone for your thoughts. It's most appreciated. The challenge is trying to demonstrate tangible GHG reductions and engage the community on a very small budget. We have considered delivering the "low carbon diet" program tailored to our community, which I understand has been successful in reducing GHGs in other communities. To Norm's point, we're also working on establishing a budget to start a Climate Adaptation Plan in 2015, which will address our preparedness and resiliency, but this will be a separate process from the mitigation work this strategy is meant to contribute to.

Lori Rissling Wynn
Development planner/Sustainability Coordinator
Town of Canmore
Canada

Lori- I coordinate a GHG reduction program out of Fort Collins Colorado (~150,000 people) called ClimateWise. This is a commercially focused program, and with businesses of all sizes on board, we are able to report out some substantial reductions. We focus on behavior change through active engagement with technical assistance, personalized resources,education, networking and recognition opportunities. See our webpage to learn more: www.fcgov.com/climatewise . If you want to have a conversation about the ins and outs of making such a program work (an internal management perspective), feel free to email or call: [email protected] 970-221-6847. It's not unusual for other orgs to pick our brains on this now mature program- over the last 11 years our partners have conserved ten billion gallons of water, over 1 million CO2e, and nearly $73 million in energy, waste and water costs.

Pete Iengo
United States