Green Arlington
By: Lowell
Published On: 1/2/2007 9:36:55 AM
Reason #5,872 why I love Arlington:
Arlington County will buy more wind-generated electricity, give tax breaks for hybrid cars, require new public buildings to be green-certified and hand out energy-efficient light bulbs to residents as part of a major push toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions, county officials said yesterday.
For more on Arlington going green(er), read the Washington Post article here. Now, let's see the rest of Virginia's counties and cities do the same. If the Bush White House is going to keep its head in the sand on the world's greatest, most immediate, potentially disastrous environmental threat, it's up to us at the local and state level.
"Think globally, act locally." As long as science-deniers Bush and Cheney are in the White House, that's what we've got to do. Regardless, going "green" environmentally is also a great way to go "green" economically. A compact fluorescent light bulb, for instance, "uses 75 percent less electricity, lasts 10 times longer, produces 450 pounds less of greenhouse gases and saves consumers $30 over the life of each bulb." And Wal Mart realizes it, which is why their goal is to put them into 100 million homes. "Green" goes "green." I love it.
P.S. Great work by Paul Ferguson (pictured above), new chairman of the Arlington County Board, on this issue!
Comments
The Green issue is good, but budget issues will come to the fore in 2007 (Arlington Tom - 1/2/2007 12:19:01 PM)
The Washington Post also mentions that the County faces a deficient this year. Perhaps commercial or government property can explain some, but taxes keep going up while services remain about the same (yes-they are very good, but nonetheless are becoming expensive). It will be interesting to see who (and how many) run against the incumbent Board members this year.
Exactly why we need green (Kindler - 1/2/2007 4:09:58 PM)
Since funding is always an issue, we should make the investments today to reduce energy and water use so we don't have to pay for our wastefulness year after year. Another element of green building that is a critical investment is improving indoor air quality so as to raise productivity and reduce absenteeism and health insurance costs.
It's the old saying -- You can pay now or pay (more) later!
If done right ... (A Siegel - 1/12/2007 5:24:45 PM)
these can be packaged to literally pay for themselves, such as what San Francisco did with a combined energy efficiency and solar power bond program. (See www.votesolar.org)
There's a great article in this month's (Lowell - 1/12/2007 5:36:23 PM)
Outside Magazine, by the way. Here's the summary...to read the article, I think you have to pay.
A MIGHTY WIND
Tiny Samsø, Denmark, sitting in the sea, is an eco-tech giant. FLORENCE WILLIAMS surveys the carbon-negative wind-powerhouse and comes away embarrassed for America. Turns out it's relatively easy being green, so why are we so far behind the great Danes?.
Very inspirational...no reason the US can't do this.
Fresh AIRE a step in the right direction (TheGreenMiles - 1/2/2007 1:55:51 PM)
Major props to Paul Ferguson for pushing some long-overdue environmental initiatives. Equally-liberal Montgomery County is way out in front of Arlington on issues like wind power, so I'm glad we're taking steps towards catching up.
As for the financial side, I agree that funding is the elephant in the room. But tax RATES have been going down, it's assessments that have been rising. Arlington voters always approve park bonds and the like by wide margins, and they'll support this spending if they know it's going to make the county greener.
Kudos to Arlington!! (summercat - 1/2/2007 2:53:46 PM)
I wish every metro area would enact an environment commission to look at good ideas.
A modest suggestion for Fairfax and other counties (Kindler - 1/2/2007 4:14:50 PM)
You can contrast Arlington's approach with
Fairfax County's and see how far behind Arlington is leaving its neighbors in the dust.
So, my modest suggestion to Fairfax and other jurisdictions is this: when it comes to policymaking, use Arlington as your baseline to benchmark against. Is there a reason I'm missing that Arlington can achieve these things when Fairfax can't? (Yes, I know that Fairfax County is bigger, but that increases not only the challenges but also the opportunities.)
The District of Columbia is also (Lowell - 1/2/2007 4:19:32 PM)
moving ahead rapidly in this area. If DC can do it, I see no reason why any county or city in Virginia can't.
So proud today to be an Arlingtonian! (Leaves on the Current - 1/2/2007 5:16:21 PM)
Arlington is setting an excellent example for the rest of Virginia. And I love that Gore's
Inconvenient Truth is what inspired these initiatives!