Earlier this summer Council voted against declaring a climate emergency, but it raised the issue of what can be done to reduce their fossil fuel consumption and shrink their carbon footprint.
That from Councillor Chris Mayne, chair of Infrastructure and Operations, who says they decided to hold a Climate and Energy Conservation open house on Monday to garner input from the public.
He tells BayToday they got several good ideas.
“Everything from planting more trees, electrifying vehicles, biowaste was one that was proposed as well,” he says.
Mayne says they’ll rank the ideas on practicality and cost, see if it’s something they’re already doing and if it can be implemented in the short term or long term.
Information on city programs and initiatives, including key stats and data was also on display at the open house.
Senior Facilities and Environment Engineer Karin Pratte tells BayToday two major projects have included switching out street lights to LED and producing electricity through methane at the landfill.
In the future they’re looking at ‘on demand transit’ to reduce fuel consumption.
She says they have a five year plan with a variety of targets.
“In that five year plan we’re looking at targets of two percent reduction in fuels per year, two percent reduction in electricity per year and two percent reduction in greenhouse gases,” she says.
Their overall mission is to be in line with the Paris Accord, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by the year 2030, compared to 2005 levels.
Since 2007, emissions have already been reduced by 12 percent.

(photo by Linda Holmes BayToday)

Filed under: climate-change, open-house