How Green Is Del Mar?
August 2008 | by Sam Borgese

Portland , Oregon , obtains half its power requirements from renewable sources; a quarter of the workforce commutes by bike, carpool or public transportation, and it has 35 buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. It was the first U.S. city to enact a comprehensive plan to reduce CO 2 emissions.

San Jose , California , has laid out a “green vision” economic development and environmental plan to spur clean-tech innovation and reduce the city's carbon footprint by half in the next 15 years.

Boulder , Colorado , residents walk the talk by utilizing a solid infrastructure of bicycle paths and lanes and a transportation system second to none in the country and over 300 miles of bike and walking paths.

Reykjavik , Iceland , has hydrogen buses, renewable sources for electricity and heat and has a plan to be fossil-fuel-free by 2050.

These cities and hundreds of other progressive cities in the United States and around the world are rapidly adopting policies and plans to create environmentally sustainable communities. They understand the imperative of environmental sustainability scaled to the activities within their communities, and they understand their responsibility to create that sustainable environment within the constructs of its natural resources and its social and economic demands.

So where is Del Mar in this list of cities with a green vision?

Historically Del Mar's reputation in San Diego County has been a leader on environmental issues such as the protection and acquisition of open space and in the forefront of efforts on regional projects such as the revitalization of the San Dieguito Lagoon. Given this reputation it is natural for Del Mar to develop its own green vision and to step up once again to lead and become an example of how communities, especially smaller communities, can participate in areas of environmental sustainability.

We may be challenged by our size to produce large sources of renewable energy such as Reykjavik or creating 300 miles of bike and walking trails like Boulder ; however, we can make a pledge to reach definable goals that we define and speak to controlling our immediate environment. And by making this pledge, we will continue to lead by example.

And in true Del Mar tradition, this all starts with resident input. What do you think should be included in a green vision for Del Mar? How do we utilize our creativity and knowledge to walk the talk on environmental issues that, although local, have a global impact?