The City's Initial Results!

SEEDS presented our baseline inventory findings to the Commissioners of the City of Traverse City at their regular meeting, March 24, 7pm. This inventory included data from 2005 on electricity and natural gas consumption; fleet and commuter vehicle-miles; and solid waste generation.

The City’s municipal operations - including community services - emit over 300,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents each year. This number is quite large compared to other municipalities of our size only because we happen to control our own electric utility, Traverse City Light & Power. TCLP accounts for 95% of our emissions because it is generating power for all residents and businesses.

If we take the utility out of the equation, the City’s municipal emissions total just over 1,600 metric tons of CO2 equivalents that come primarily from:

Water and wastewater treatment and pumping,

Building inefficiencies, and

Street lighting. This means that electricity usage creates 80% of the City's emissions, followed by natural gas (8%) and gasoline (6%). Where to go from here?

First of all, you should be happy to know that the City already has plans in the works that will reduce emissions including:

1. LED traffic signal retrofits
2. Conversion to 5% biodiesel for the diesel fleet
3. Improved operating efficiency of the wastewater membrane bioreactor, and
4. Improved emissions profile for electricity purchased from TCLP by 2012.

With these measures in place, the City (again, not including TCLP) can expect by the year 2012 to see a 9% reduction in emissions and an annual savings about $47,000 due to decreased electricity consumption. TCLP has plans in place to return to 2005 emissions levels by 2015 and decrease them by 47% by the year 2020.

Though the City is implementing some progressive plans, SEEDS cannot recommend the status quo. As a mission-driven organization, we must advocate for Carbon Neutrality or 100% reduction in emissions. Therefore, we suggested that the City aim for a 25% reduction by the year 2012, which we think is quite doable.

How? Here are our Five Recommended Steps going beyond what they already have planned:

1. Improvements in building electrical efficiency by 15%
2. Conversion of Public Services diesel fleet to B20 (20% biodiesel)
   
3. LED streetlight retrofits
4. Variable frequency drive motors for water and sewer pump stations
5. Advance TCLP's planned 2015 renewable energy portfolio to the year 2012.

If all this were accepted and done, by the year 2012 the City would not only reduce their emissions by 25% over 2005 levels, they would also look at an annual savings of nearly $150,000, according to our initial calculations.

Pretty good news, I'd say.

Be a Citizen Scientist!

You can collect important data about climate change through Project BudBurst. By registering, you can submit data online about plant-life you observe in your own back 40 including first buds, first flower, seed and fruit dispersal.

This data is being collected across the country offering scientists a way to better track and understand how plant species react to climactic variation locally, regionally, and nationally. The BudBurst website will help you identify plants native to our area, describe the stages of growth and report your observations.

Take it on as an individual, a family, or a classroom.

Italians Change Waste Hauling Habits

The Sicilian town of Castelbuono, 10,000 people, has replaced their four rubbish trucks with six donkeys and carts. That's right, they are hauling their waste with donkey power and claim to be saving money as well as combating climate change. Their "garbage men" are now called "ecological operators". Found this tidbit at the Energy Daily.

Incentives to Purchase Energy Star

In addition to encouraging individuals to use energy efficient light bulbs, Marple Township in Pennsylvania announced that they would wave collection fees on old appliances for residents who replace major appliances with an Energy Star appliance.

They have also made watt meters available at their library for residents to check out and test the energy use of their own appliances.

This Township of 24,000 residents has a lot of good ideas and has powered their traffic lights with 100% renewable energy sources since 2004.

Want to Know Your Own Carbon Footprint?

There are several helpful websites out there to help you measure your personal greenhouse gas emissions and the EPA has a webpage that lists them comprehensively. Try a few out for yourself!

You can also take measure of your ecological footprint, which is a bit more comprehensive and will tell you how many planets we would need if everyone lived like you. Assuming you are a resident of the United States, like myself, I can virtually guarantee that we would need more than the one beautiful blue one we've got. Try this quiz from Redefining Progress.

Seems we have a lot of work to do...