Wednesday, March 18, 2009
News What's Atlanta's carbon footprint?
Posted by Thomas Wheatley @thomaswheatley on Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 11:10 PM
The answer: 540,000 metric tonnes, equivalent to the household energy use of 150,000 Atlanta residents or 98,000 passenger vehicles. That's according to Georgia Tech professors and students who helped the city analyze its annual greenhouse gas emissions.
Mayor Shirley Franklin announced the city's carbon footprint in conjunction with the inaugural report by Sustainable Atlanta, the city's partner project with a consulting firm. Franklin has set a goal to reduce the city's carbon emissions seven percent by 2012. The next step involves creating an Atlanta Climate Action Plan.
"This strategic effort to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions supports the ultimate goal of making Atlanta a community that lives within the self-perpetuating limits of its environment, while maintaining high standards for economic growth, environmental integrity, and social justice."
Some goals — as well as some hopes for Obamabucks — are after the jump.
Near-term goals include — for certain municipal facilities — a 10 percent reduction in energy use, five percent reduction in water use, at least two renewable energy demonstration projects, three percent reduction in fossil fuel usage by the municipal fleet, and a 10 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Franklin says the program is vital if the city seriously wants to help the environment and also cut costs. But it's also a sign she's serious about tapping every possible penny offered under President Barack Obama's stimulus plan. The president has stated he wants priority placed on projects that involve green energy and energy efficiency.
“We know that the opportunities to reduce our emissions are great, particularly now with the federal administration’s focus on green job creation and green energy,” Franklin said in a press release. “With funding from the recently-passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Atlanta’s sustainability efforts will focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives which will create jobs, save money and protect our environment."
To view the inaugural Sustainable Atlanta report, visit the program's website. There are some interesting initiatives listed, including a green-building code. Last year, the city's planning department worked on that concept. Unfortunately, news about it has slowed to a trickle after the housing market fell apart.
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