Bellingham tops in environmental achievements
Bellingham continues to receive
regional and national attention for its leadership in environmental
protection. City officials were honored in May 2008 with the following
awards:
City named “greenest government” by Washington CEO Magazine
The City of Bellingham came in first place over the City of Seattle as
Washington CEO Magazine’s greenest city, winning the Green Washington Award
in the “government” category.
The Green Washington Award showcases the top companies, non-profits and
government agencies that have demonstrated their leadership, innovation and
commitment to sustaining the environment and creating a healthier world
through environmentally friendly initiatives. It is based on the premise
that business plays a major role in promoting and challenging other
businesses to step up to the environmental stewardship plate.
David Webster, Chief Administrative Officer and Clare Fogelsong,
Environmental Resources Manager, accepted the award at a dinner held on
Wednesday, May 21, in Seattle at the Bell Harbor International Conference
Center in the International Promenade.
“This award is testament to the commitment of city staff and the
community to do our part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Bellingham,”
said Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike.
Projects highlighted for the Green Washington award included:
- The City of Bellingham is the first City in Washington State and the most successful Green Power Community in the nation to be designated a Green Power Community by the EPA due to the City’s purchase of Renewable Energy Credits, green power, for 100% of the energy used in municipally-owned facilities as well as the more than 2300 households, 120 businesses and 4 large-volume customers have enrolled in the Bellingham Green Power Community Challenge.
- Cities for Climate Protection Campaign: The City has committed (Resolution 2005-08) to participate in this campaign, and to take a leadership role in promoting public awareness about the cause and effects of climate change. The City has implemented the 5 Milestones of the Cites for Climate Protection Program to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas and pollution emission.
- The cooperative partnership of 15 federal, state, tribal, and local stakeholders joined together to form the Bellingham Bay Demonstration Pilot Team to develop a new cooperative approach to expedite sediment cleanup, source control, and habitat restoration for sediment
- The Residential Stormwater Retrofit Program which includes the distribution of specially fitted rainbarrels to homeowners living in the Lake Whatcom watershed.
- Northshore Overlay: Bike/Ped Project which will expand a standard road resurfacing project to a Low Impact Development project that will incorporate porous bike lanes and sidewalks to promote alternative transportation and result in net decrease in impervious area in watershed, plus lower quantity of run-off into the reservoir.
- Initiating the Resource Conservation Management Program to review City facility energy use and implement conservation measures. The program is expected to save the City close to $100K annually over the next three years.
- Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program: Implemented Spring 2007 (Resolution 2007-05) to promote the purchase of recycled, Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxin (PBT) free, and other environmentally preferable products.
- Depot Market Square Solar Project: Puget Sound Energy-funded 2kw solar project, scheduled for completion June 2008.
- Greenhouse Gas Reduction: The City has set goals (Resolution 2007-10) to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations by 64% from 2000 levels by 2012, and by 70% by 2020. By mid 2007 84% of the 2012 reduction target for municipal operations had been met.
- The Mayor has recently announced the establishment of a Sustainability
Director position, so all major policy decisions (economic development,
environmental, etc.) can be refracted through the lens of sustainability.
- Green City Business Trips: Encouragement of alternative travel modes for City business---bicycles currently available for employee use during the business day.
- City Green Government Team: Originally formed in 2006 to facilitate an expanded workplace recycling program (education, incentives, maintenance of recycle bins within individual departments), today the Green Government Team additionally supports wider efforts to green the City's practices, and helps implement the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program.
- The Sustainable Building Team with staff from several City work units plans and oversees projects to promote sustainable building practices.
- The new Art and Children's Museum received a grant to help fund a Green Roof (DOE Centennial Grant). The roof will infiltrate, store and disperse rain water thus improving water quality leaving the site. Construction is underway.
- Commitment to LEED building (Resolution 2005-21): Where feasible, the City commits to meet the LEED Silver rating for all new construction, as well as in renovation projects of City Buildings over 5000 square feet, in which the City provides a majority of the funding. The City commits to promoting private sector LEED and Green Building construction practices.
- Bellingham currently has 30+ planned or completed LEED building projects.
For more information
Bellingham honored by international leaders for climate protection
The City of Bellingham was honored on May 15, 2008 at the
ICLEI Local Action Summit
in Albuquerque, New Mexico for designing a climate action plan. This
international award is part of the ICLEI-Local Governments for
Sustainability’s Five Milestone climate protection process.
“Bellingham is one of an elite group of local governments who have shown
the leadership it takes to achieve the level of greenhouse gas emissions
reductions that the world’s scientists say we need,” said Michelle Wyman,
Executive Director of ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability. “The Five
Milestone process is the cornerstone of local governments’ achievement and
accountability on their climate protection goals.”
“We are thrilled to receive this award and continue our progress together
to address global climate change at the local level,” said Bellingham Mayor
Dan Pike. “This award formally recognizes the commitment we have made and
the effort we have devoted, and reminds us that we have more steps left to
take.”
ICLEI, a membership association of local governments committed to
reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing sustainability, tracks
members’ progress towards their emissions reductions goals through the
following Five Milestones:
- Conduct a greenhouse gas emissions inventory
- Set an emissions reduction goal
- Design a Climate Action Plan
- Implement
- Monitor and Reevaluate
As a member of ICLEI, Bellingham has access to emissions quantification
analysis tools, technical training, local climate protection expertise and
other services that strategically guide local governments through
sustainability goal setting and realization.
Bellingham has implemented several successful programs as part of the
City’s Climate
Protection Plan that reduce
greenhouse gas emissions including:
- Purchasing 100% green power
for all municipal operations
- Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
- Green Event Kits
- Expanded waste reduction efforts
- City Green Teams
For more information
Contact the
Environmental Resources Division of the
Public Works Department.
Date Posted: May 22, 2008
