New York City to Cut Emissions From Public Buildings by 30%
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 8.08
photo by Stig Nygaard
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Monday that the city would spend $2.3 billion to cut greenhouse gas emissions from municipal buildings and operations. The goal is to reduce CO2 emissions 1.68 million tonnes a year from 2006 levels by 2017.
These reductions will be accomplished through improvements to the heating, cooling and ventilation systems of municipal buildings. Repairs to firehouses, police precincts, city offices and courthouses, along with purchases of more fuel efficient vehicles will also help reduce emissions
Regarding the price tag for these efforts, the mayor said that the city should break even on its conservation investments by 2013. He added, “The city is doing its part. I hope the private sector follows our example finds conservation savings on their own.”
Perhaps if the city that never sleeps could shut out the lights every once in a while it would be a good place for the private sector to start.
via :: Reuters
New York, Energy Efficiency
Energy Efficiency Initiative Launched by New York State
Net Metering Program Expanded in New York
Ethanol Was Proposed for Farm Relief, 1933
|
New Garbage Management Plans for Buenos Aires to Involve Cartoneros
|
I wish these stories would read the opposite way - "NYC plans to save $500 million per year due to increased energy efficiency" Let the body of the article state the cost.
Politicians seem terrified of trying to sell major expenditures for CO2 reduction, but it sells itself when put the other way around. The voters will say "Why are you wasting our tax money on inefficient services? Get going!"
Conservation: saving money since... well, forever.
NYC: 5 year payback time for improvements that last much, much longer.
Anyone who doesn't sign on: foolish.
The grand plan for sustainable growth: step one, efficiency; step two, get energy from cleaner sources for environmental and public health reasons; step three, as opportunities arise, repeat steps one and two with newly available technology.
I find it fantastic that cities start, to change decentralized for that is the true trend, I hope someday there is no grid. If the governments are so highly persuaded by big corporations in keep profiting with hydrocarbons and not serving people (which is truly a contradiction) its a fantastic choice to start shifting progress in a benevolent direction. The only reason our civilization is still using fossil fuels as energy source, is because people can't see or feel their consequences, however they are starting to show and will come with a devastating effect.