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Step It Up 2007 Action |
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San Luis Obispo County Steps It Up
On April 15th San Luis Obispo County residence came together for a
movie, discussion and potluck. Following a 20 minute SOLUTIONS segment
from the film Too Hot NOT To Handle (an HBO presentation about Global
Warming), the group of 30 split into small groups to share what they
were doing personally and what they wanted the city/county to do. More
importantly, the organizers stated they will gather all the
suggestions, actions and plans of action and present it to the Mayors
Office, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Supervisors to reduce
climate change. For other activities throughout the country please go
to www.stepitup2007.org and type in your zip code to locate the groups
that were involved in some action.
Heres a brief summary outline of what we will be presenting:
LOCAL
Shop locally at local food markets unlike Wal-Mart, Trader Joes, Vons
Keep dollars in the community by shopping local.
Plant trees; find more cultivatable land for community gardens
Support local power e.g. solar power, wind
Create a local currency or a LETS system where 100% of the currency goes back into the community
REGULATION
Incorporate policies for all planning to incorporate green technology and green building; have LEEDs a requirement before any new building can be developed (like they do in Portland)
Require solar panels on all businesses and government buildings and schools
Regulate new construction to install of solar panels
Create city ordinance to have efficient lighting policy in all public places e.g. libraries, community centers, and parking lots.
Use smallest possible vehicle or electric car
Since there is no law that requires people to pay an income tax, establish a fund to act as an investment bank for new green businesses.
Conduct energy audit of businesses and residences
Ban plastic bags
Require packaging reduction
Require manufacturers to be accountable for their toxic products; carpets, CFL bulbs, batteries, etc.
BUILDING
Make all new buildings LEED certified
Increase the token affordable housing allotments with substantial number to increase number of people who work/live in the same area
Build with passive solar
INNOVATION
Improve design of solar panels
Develop car sharing program
Encourage Cal Poly to pursue green technology e.g. solar house competition
Use solar panels in school to create water heater
Use the heat generated by ovens in restaurants to heat their water
Make cars operate more cleanly
Invest in sun, wind and wave power
Join other counties and create industry wide solutions to pollution and other environmental concerns
Replace Lenthall with Adam Hill
POWER
Recover from the landfill and sewage treatment plants energy from methane to offset the power use of the facility and excess generated can be sold or used by the city. e.g. Marian Hospital is doing this
Build medium-scale biodiesel and ethanol plants (Use agricultural waste for cellulosic plants and grape seeds, waste vegetable oil, algae and other sources for biodiesel)
Allow refueling of natural gas cars
INCENTIVES
Provide subsidies for energy efficient appliances e.g. washer/dryer, low flow toilets (Atascadero already has this in place, if you purchase a water efficient new washing machine you can receive up to a $150 credit)
Provide tax breaks for hybrid purchase and all electric vehicles
Offer volume discounts to organizations for compact fluorescent light bulbs
Provide reduced fees/taxes for biofuel/electric vehicle use
TRANSPORTATION
Convert buses and city/county vehicles to alternative fuels
Policies to purchase hybrids
Support Car Free communities
Start a collaborative business/government flex car rental service (like whats already in place in Portland)
Restrict off road vehicles in environmentally sensitive areas
Add more bike lanes to Cal Poly
Increase bus service
Make the link between sustainable transportation and congestion and parking
Encourage high speed trains between LA to SF
Make farm equipment more efficient
Use waste products for biodiesel rather than the food we eat
Ride bikes often
Walk more
Use cars more efficiently
Start car-share programs throughout the city
Focus on more non-commute trips
Provide bike lockers and bike store discounts
Make hitchhiking more respectable
Create community bus system using smaller buses
EDUCATION
Build on sustainability and solution oriented stories in the media
Provide education on energy problems
Increase understanding of conservation in young people
Speak our minds
Promote the various buy local campaigns
Place emphasis on community knowledge e.g. solar cooking classes, canning, gardening, pruning
Increase community understanding of who their representatives are and how they vote on issues
CONSERVATION
Stop being invasive species
Focus on domestic issues
Turn down the thermometer
Compost veggie scraps, flowers; start worm bins
Purchase clothes, etc. second hand
Preserve Ag land not turn land into mega-mall.
Reposition SLO as something more than a shopping hub of county.
Encourage composting toilets, low-flow toilets
Encourage zeroscaping
Use grey water and rainwater reclamation for irrigation
RECYCLING
Increase baseline garbage collection costs and provide discounts to increase recycling
Pursue aggressive recycling in large employers e.g. hospitals
POPULATION
Support zero population growth
Encourage environmental education and solutions taught in schools
FOOD
Support local food buying (Farmers markets, local grocery markets) and decrease the distance that food travels
Grow own food, share with neighbors
Develop school programs fro growing food; support the Farm to School campaigns
Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture); a food purchasing subscription service
Support organic farms surrounded by cities
WASTE REDUCTION
Require biodegradable or recyclable packaging for all restaurants
Ban all restaurants from using Styrofoam and plastic bags
Want to continue the discussion and/or come with us to present our summary report to the various governmental offices? Get involved by emailing info@hopedance.org . In the subject line please type Step It Up Discussion.
Update:
As we go to press there has been a number of people coming forward with various ideas:
1. Create a petition so other individuals and orgs can sign on.
2. Create a massive outpouring of support at a press conference to be held soon.
3. Create a Political Action Committee
4. Have a booth at Earth Day to have people add their suggestions and plans of action.
5. Join with SeaChange, the Sustainability Committee of the SLO's Chamber of Commerce.
6. Join forces with the Focus the Nation group at Cal Poly (SLO).
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