Sustainability

Sustainability calls for policies and strategies that meet Americans’ present needs while ensuring the ability of future generations to meet their needs as well. In 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was enacted in order to create and ensure that humans and nature “can exist in productive harmony, and fulfill the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations of Americans. ”

In a 1981 White House Council on Environmental Quality report, the key concept was sustainable development. The idea is that in order for if economic development to be successful, the natural resource base of countries, both developed and developing, must be preserved.

The concept of sustainability must reflect perspectives of both the private and public sectors.  A business perspective of sustainability is to increase long-term shareholder and social value, AND decreasing industry’s use of materials and reducing negative impacts on the environment. Yes, this is possible! We can no longer think of it as an either/or proposition.  A public policy perspective sees sustainability as satisfying basic economic and social needs now and in the future without “using up” the natural resource base on which life depends. Both the public and private sector perspectives recognize the need to support a growing economy while reducing the social and economic costs of economic growth.  Sustainable development can foster policies that integrate environmental, economic, and social values in decision-making.

Sustainable development is not the trade-off between business and the environment; ideally it reflects the cooperative action--the synergy--between them.

We must bring sustainability to the local level, i.e. we must ensure that we have a sustainable Marin to ensure that our rich and varied life survives. Conserve Water Conserve Energy Reduce Waste Prevention Pollution

Over the past decade or so the growing threats of habitat and species destruction, global warming and resource depletion have stimulated a whole new political philosophy built around the concept of sustainability. A sustainable community is one that, at a minimum, meets the needs of existing residents while ensuring that adequate resources will be equitably available for future generations.

In a nutshell we need to use less and do so more sensibly than in the past.

Marin County has taken the lead with many initiatives aimed at reducing our carbon footprint and I will continue to work very hard on these issues.

Under the umbrella of AB32, state legislation that directs communities to plan ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the county and its cities have accelerated implementation of changes in building, energy and transportation plans to reduce energy use and harmful emissions. Marin County and all 11 cities have joined the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign (CCP) which calls on local jurisdictions to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Buildings, energy use and transportation account form the vast bulk of emissions. Measures I endorse include these:

• Support Marin Clean Energy’s efforts to invest directly in renewable energy generation facilities to reduce the County’s greenhouse gas impacts and carbon footprint.
• Adopt and enforce rigorous new green building ordinances to reduce energy consumption and concomitant greenhouse gas generation.  Marin County and the City of San Rafael are the only jurisdictions that so far have adopted the Building, Energy Retrofit and Solar

Transformation (BERST) “green” building ordinance aimed at enhancing and standardizing green building standards across county jurisdictions and this needs to be widely adopted.

• Push forward with developing a program to provide financing assistance for local property owners under AB 811, state legislation which authorizes jurisdictions to provide low interest loans to property owners to make energy efficiency improvements. Funding assistance would facilitate installation of energy efficiency, water conservation measures, and local renewable energy generation. However it will require significant start-up money and we must find a creative way to do this without impacting other county needs.
• Adopt a sensible Wind Energy Conversion Systems Ordinance to facilitate use of wind energy, with criteria to ensure that these systems avoid adverse environmental, visual, and noise impacts on neighbors and habitat areas.

The Marin County green business program is part of the Bay Area Green Business Program. There are over 600 certified Green Businesses located in Marin, Sonoma, San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara Counties. The Green Business Program is a voluntary partnership among business leaders, government agencies and non-profit organizations. The program recognizes and promotes businesses that demonstrate continuous compliance with applicable environmental regulations, conserve energy, water, and other materials, implement sound environmental practices that prevent pollution and waste generation, and share environmentally responsible practices with other businesses in our community. Become a Green Business

Local governments now must broaden their transportation planning to consider impacts on global warming, redesigning transportation systems and land use patterns so they achieve the maximum feasible reduction of greenhouse gasses from vehicles, as well as improved air quality. I have worked on many initiatives toward this end and am gratified that community shuttles now run in North San Rafael, bike and pedestrian pathways have been created and roads repaved for multi-use and disability access. In addition I support many measures to further the goals of reduced emissions and cleaner air, including these:

• Expand intra-county transit. Bus routes should be particularly responsive to the needs of workers, students, the elderly and other transit-dependent population sectors.
• Purchase only transit vehicles that provide maximum fuel efficiency and minimum GHG emissions. The county is currently conducting a parking study at the Civic Center facility to look at a number of parking related issues including how to wire up spots for electric cars but, again, this would take a large investment of general fund dollars so we need to balance our needs to maximize returns for every dollar.
• Encourage construction and use of bicycle and pedestrian pathways, taking care to not damage the natural environment.
• Expand the Safe Routes to School Program.
• Avoid new commercial and residential development in areas that are not well served by transit or arterial roads with reserve capacity.

I have a strong commitment to reducing the volume and disposal of solid and hazardous waste throughout the county as a major component in a healthy community. Following a lengthy multi-agency process the state granted a revised operating permit to the county’s Redwood Landfill in late 2008. The county has limited authority over permitting for solid waste facilities but was able to impose conditions in the permit that will increase recycling and composting activities at the landfill through its remaining life.

Europeans always bring their own canvas or string shopping bags with them. New styles fold up easily into a pocket or purse.

However, the landfill is only one part in the life cycle of products we use. Policy-makers and residents must work together to limit consumption, increase re-use and recycling, and reduce waste.  As one example, I have worked for the past year with colleagues and local grocers to develop a program to eventually eliminate use of plastic bags at stores in Marin. This will take thoughtful implementation so that our merchants, who generally support this goal, will not suffer an economic downside from helping to clean up our environment. I also will work for effective zero waste programs that would reduce solid waste generation, divert solid waste from landfill disposal and increase composting of green and solid waste; local and state legislation that would prohibit single use carry out bags and polystyrene containers, and producer and distributor product recycling and recovery programs.

Taking care of our environment for generations present and future is a responsibility for all of us.