CitiesGoGreen - February 2009 - (Page 7) Helena, Montana Beats Kyoto Targets In the six years between 2001 and 2007, as the Helena Independent Record reports, the government of Helena, Montana reduced its energy use by 22.1% and carbon dioxide emissions by 18.1%—more than the Kyoto protocol calls for in 20 years. Not only were officials pleased to see the unexpectedly high reductions in the report compiled by city officials and the city’s Climate Change Task Force, the savings didn’t hurt either. In six years the city saved more than $640,000 over what it would have spent. These results don’t include savings from the wastewater treatment Tim Burton, Helena, Montana’s facility and the City Manager two water treatment plants, which saw energy use reductions of 49%, with 39% less CO2 emitted. Two Sterling engines at the wastewater plant will burn methane to help power the plant, saving even more. The Climate Change Task Force is continuing to identify more possibilities within government operations, using ICLEI software to track and model results, and will present a new set of recommendations this summer. Pouring Money Down the Drain? San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom San Francisco would rather turn FOG (fats, oils and grease) into biodeisel than chip it out of clogged sewer pipes with jackhammers and pickaxes (at a cost of $3.5 million a year). The same move reduces “unsanitary back-ups, overflows onto streets, [and] foul-smelling odors.” Transforming the waste material to fuel would also reduce CO2 production and make the city more energy independent. A program of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, SFGreasecycle picks up waste vegetable oil at over 400 participating restaurants and has a drop-off station for other businesses and residents. Collected grease is sold to a processor to make into fuel, which the city then uses. A million gallons of biodiesel a year could be “greasecycled” from restaurant collections and help the city reach its goal of running the entire diesel fleet on B20 (20% biodiesel). California Green Car Label Car buyers in California can now easily compare the environmental impacts of new vehicles. A label on all new cars sold in the state, mandatory as of January 2009, rates vehicles from 1-10 for their effect on smog and global warming, bringing appliancelike clarity to another consumer choice impacting the environment. The label, brainchild of the California Air Resources Board, is backed by their website, www.driveclean.ca.gov, which allows vehicle searches and comparisons in terms of environmental effects, and lists incentives for eligible vehicles, from rebates to free parking. For more web-based vehicle efficiency information, the EPA site www.fueleconomy.gov is useful. February/March 2009 7 http://citiesgogreen.com/issues/february-2009/in-motion/helena-montana-beats-kyoto-targets http://www.helenair.com/articles/2008/12/27/top/55lo_081227_green.txt http://citiesgogreen.com/issues/february-2009/in-motion/pouring-money-down-the-drain http://www.sfgreasecycle.org/unclogging.shtml http://www.sfgreasecycle.org/climate_change.shtml http://www.sfgreasecycle.org/thedish.shtml http://citiesgogreen.com/issues/february-2009/in-motion/california-green-car-label http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr061908b.htm http://www.arb.ca.gov/homepage.htm http://www.driveclean.ca.gov http://www.fueleconomy.gov http://www.CitiesGoGreen.com
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