CitiesGoGreen - Promotional Issue - (Page 4)

In Motion Parking problem? Smart cars, with nearly a million sold in Europe and increasingly visible in the US and Canada, are just 8 feet, 8 inches (2.5 meters) long, about a meter shorter than a Mini Cooper. They can be parked perpendicular to the street, front or back wheels to the curb while still inside a parking space, as is often done in Europe. This practice would run head on into North American parking laws, however. Smart USA Director of Communications Ken Kettenbeil says the company will be talking with NYC and Washington, DC initially about how to handle this issue. You might want to start thinking about it. Just what you needed, right? But they do double your parking space. Maybe more. Transformational Lecture Series Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development has hosted the Transformational Lecture Series (originally the Urban Sustainability Forum) since 2005. Outstanding speakers share their insights and views. Anyone is welcome at the free events. Fortunately for those who can’t conveniently drop in, many are recorded and online. All links for this issue are on the CitiesGoGreen.com website. Green-Collar Jobs These two reports explore in detail how cities and states (respectively) can develop green collar jobs at all levels. Both are free downloads (pdf ) from Apollo Alliance. Green-Collar Jobs makes the case that pursuing a four-step strategy provides a wealth of environmental, economic, and social benefits, including what it calls “a pathway out of poverty” for thousands of unemployed, under-employed, and hard to employ people in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The report was prepared by the Apollo Alliance, Green For All, Center for American Progress and the Center on Wisconsin Strategy. Greener Pathways’ (pdf ) aim is to help states craft clean energy agendas to meet emerging industry demand, train and support workers, and create family-supporting jobs. A key insight is that broadly defined “green jobs” are not a salient category for policy innovation or workforce training. To make real progress we must focus more carefully on key clean energy sectors. Greener Pathways details opportunities in three industries: energy efficiency, wind, and biofuels. The report also examines federal resources that can support state green jobs initiatives. It concludes by outlining a plan of action for state policymakers. Greener Pathways was prepared by the Center on Wisconsin Strategy, the Workforce Alliance, and the Apollo LARGEST city to adopt green building standards LA to be Los Angeles is poised to become the largest city to adopt a green building requirement. Commercial buildings and residential developments over 50,000 sf would be required to meet a “standard of sustainability,” which is LEED certification. A year of consultations led to broad support spanning large developers, the Los Angeles Business Council, building trade unions, the AIA and local green groups. City Council President Eric Garcetti is quoted in the LA Times as saying, “When you do something this big, it can be quite scary, but this has been an inclusive process. It will lead to a healthier city and a healthier planet.” A new Green Team of city agencies will hold monthly public meetings to work on problems and proposals, with the aim of opening the way for innovation. The Times reports Ken Lewis, president of the architectural firm AC Martin Partners, as advocating “LEED Silver as the minimum” baseline. Having designed for the city, local universities and private developers, Lewis says meeting green standards cost more five years ago but, “Today, we find no additional project cost to achieve the city’s [proposed] baseline standard.” .com April 2008 http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/GreenBuilding/OurProgram/Events/DPDS_007558.asp#archive http://www.citiesgogreen.com http://www.apolloalliance.org/resources.php http://apolloalliance.org http://www.apolloalliance.org/resources_greencollarjobs.php http://www.cows.org/pdf/rp-greenerpathways.pdf http://www.citiesgogreen.com

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CitiesGoGreen - Promotional Issue Contents In Motion Conversations with Mayors Feature Article: How Can Cities Respond to the 2030 Challenge? Fast Forward

CitiesGoGreen - Promotional Issue

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