It’s a tall order for one city to make much difference in climate change, so Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Pasadena have joined Green Cities California (GCC), a coalition of 10 local governments noted for—are you ready? —groundbreaking environmental policies. It’s difficult to believe when L.A. air is still rated worst in the nation, but it seems our city really is making progress.
By using the power of multiple cities, the hope is that collaborative action will accelerate broad implementation of sustainability policies. In October GCC launched its best practices website at GreenCitiesCalifornia.org, where you can find out exactly, for example, what is being done to reduce water consumption or city vehicle emissions.
Scientists may be ever more alarmed at the potentially catastrophic consequences of climate change and other environmental emergencies, but results of a poll presented at a recent workshop by Liberty Hill Foundation and its grassroots partners, Green LA Coalition and Green LA Institute, show a nationwide decline in concern over climate change. Fortunately many Californians understand that fixing the economy won’t count for much if we don’t have a planet, and having a paycheck won’t help if there’s no water to buy.
GCC membership requirements are stiff, so whether we are happy or just shocked that Los Angeles qualifies, it’s an accomplishment. Here are some of the initiatives to date:
Recycled Paper: In spring 2008, GCC members agreed that all paper purchased for city operations must be 100 percent post consumer. Collectively GCC members purchase half a billion sheets of office paper annually, at a cost of $5 million. By switching to 100 percent recycled, we collectively save each year:
8,600,000 pounds of CO2 emissions
19,600,000 gallons of water
11,500,000 kilowatt hours of electricity
67,000 trees
Bottled Water: In fall 2008, GCC members agreed to ban the use of city funds for bottled water, resulting in annual savings of more than $5 million.
Bans on Single Use Bags: GCC commissioned a Master Environmental Assessment (MEA) on single use bags, following the filing of lawsuits against cities that have passed single use bag fees or bans without conducting a full Environmental Impact Review (EIR). The shared MEA will dramatically decrease the astronomical cost of an EIR, thus facilitating fees and bans on single use bags. The MEA will be completed in March 2010, so it shouldn’t be long before our streets, mountains and beaches will be relieved of that blight.
State Legislation: Pressure from GCC cities has contributed to the success of legislative proposals on renewable energy and life cycle responsibility for products. GCC members are currently advocating for more aggressive climate protection targets via AB32, California’s landmark Global Warming Solutions Act.
Just in case you’re thinking of moving, the other member cities are Berkeley, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, Marin County, San Diego and Santa Barbara. Astonishingly, there’s no sign of Stockton, Fresno or Modesto anywhere on the list.
—Abigail Lewis
