|
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?
© 2007-08
Del Mar Community
Alliance, Inc. All
rights reserved. |
