We are preparing to give presentations to the six City Councils of our report: Determining Sustainable Practices
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Here are some terms that were used in the questionnaire.
AB 32 "The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006" California law that commits the state to GHG emissions at 1990 levels by 2020. Included is a provision that all cities add a Climate Action Plan to their General Plan updates.
AB 939 California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 which required cities to recycle at least 50% of their solid waste streams by the year 2000. As a result, California container recycling is the highest in the nation.
CAP Climate Action Plan + a city's plan to reduce GHG by determining ways to reduce emissions. Such plans are created with assistance from ICLEI.
CARB California Air Resources Board. A state entity charged with implementing AB 32 and SB 375 in order to decrease climate change impacts.
EE Energy Efficient
Focus 2050 A regional study by the San Diego Foundation, UCSD, and many other local agencies evaluating current and probably future impacts of climate change to San Diego County by the year 2050.
GHG Green house gas or gases.
HHM Household hazardous materials.
ICLEI An international association of local, regional, and national governments. It is dedicated to addressing local sustainability issues while protecting global resources such as air quality and water. It provides information, delivers training, organizes conferences to exchange information, carries out research and pilot programs and offers technical services and consultancy.
LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. A voluntary nationwide green building rating system developed by the U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is a nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction and operation of green buildings. There are four levels of LEED certification for new buildings-Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Certification is based on a point system, with points awarded for performance in categories of water, energy, materials, indoor environment, innovation in materials and sustainable sites. (from http://www.nationalonline.com) It costs around $25,000 to have a larger public building actually checked and certified by the LEED system, so many will meet all the criteria and skip the actual process.
MPO Metropolitan Planning Organization. This is a state recognized regional planning entity. All major regions of California have their MPO's.
SANDAG San Diego Association of Governments This is a regional entity which does various regional plans, such as transportation plans, for all of San Diego County. It functions as our MPO,for all 18 cities and the County of San Diego.
SANDAG Sustainable Region Program ( 6/09)
+ Action Plan + a model for how local governments can inventory, assess and plan ways to reduce energy usage within their jurisdictions.
+ Toolkit + A document which lays out specific strategies for cities to follow to finance, evaluate and manage their energy usage to achieve conservation.
SB 375 A bill which became law in 2008. It requires the CARB to establish regional GHG remission targets for agencies. It also requires the integration of regional transportation planning, regional housing needs assessment planning, and GHG planning while streamlining aspects of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Sustainable Communities According to the League of Women Voters of the United States, "In sustainable communities, levels of pollution, consumption, and population size are in keeping with regional carrying capacity; their members share an ethic of responsibility to one another and to future generations; the full social and environmental costs of production, provision, and disposal of goods and services are acknowledged; their systems of governance and leadership encourage democratic deliberation; and their systems of urban planning enhance neighborhood livability and preserve ecological integrity". Another popular definition of sustainability, according to Wikipedia, is "Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
U. S. Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement + A Compact for local mayors to sign which commits them and their cities to seeking federal and state governments active work at reducing GHG emissions, and a long list of local actions to encourage decreasing GHG in their own cities. At this time, seven cities mayors in San Diego County have signed this Agreement; Chula Vista, Del Mar, El Cajon, La Mesa, San Diego, Solana Beach and Vista.
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