Moving the City of Alexandria towards a sustainable future requires coordinated participation by the Environmental Policy Commission, City government and the community. On Saturday, June 14, 2008 the Alexandria City Council voted 7-0 to adopt the City’s and the Region’s first Eco-City Charter – a document that guides city leaders and residents towards a more sustainable, holistic, and healthy environment. It defines Alexandria’s commitment to sustainability and provides policy makers, staff, and community and business leaders with an overarching direction.
The next step is turning the ideas, principles and core values of the Charter into action. The Environmental Action Plan is a road map for city leaders, staff, and citizens to implement the Eco-City Charter. The Action Plan establishes specific policy objectives, identifies programs and resources, sets tentative timelines, and develops measures of success.
All members of the Alexandria community as well as others interested in making Alexandria an ecologically sustainable city are welcome and encouraged to participate in the creation of Alexandria’s Environmental Action Plan. The Environmental Policy Commission needs your help to turn the Eco-City Charter into reality. Take a look at the Compendium of Sustainable Practices to see what other cities in the United States are up to.
Citizens can also access relevant public documents here as well, like meeting agendas and minutes, letters written by the EPC, and official reports and policy recommendations.
Meeting Agendas and Minutes
03.02.09 – Land Use and Open Space Discussion Agenda
02.23.09 – Civic and Community Sustainability Background Report
02.23.09 – Civic and Community Sustainability Background Report – Discussion Agenda
If there is a specific sustainability topic you are interested in, then check out categories in the sidebar to the right.
Share your ideas, comments and questions! Your input is very valuable.
I came across an article about the Climate Action Plan for the City of Chicago that I thought might interest some EPC members and Alexandria residents. The take away advice was, in order to cut emissions, you must know how much and from what areas of the city the emissions are originating. Putting in bike trails and expanding public transportation is not going to solve the problem. There must be extensive outreach to the businesses and property owners.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=chicagos-plans-to-go-green&page=4
Chicago’s Plan to go Green in Scientific American
By: Dana Gowland on December 24, 2008
at 5:31 pm
Dana,
Thanks for your comment. I will pass along your sentiments to the EPC at tonight’s work session (City Hall, Room 2000 at 7:30 PM).
I think you will be happy to know that the EPC has already endorsed monitoring emmissions within the city and has policies targeting the factors causing the most pollution.
I believe that putting in bike trails and promoting mass transit will reduce emissions because 30% of an individual’s carbon footprint comes from owning, operating, and servicing a personal vehicle. If the City and the community work together to simultaneously discourage the use of the automobile and promote greener (and healthier) forms of transportation (e.g. walking, biking, mass transit, or some combination thereof, etc.) then Alexandria will lower its emissions and lighten its carbon footprint.
This blog is just one way to reach out to stakeholders in Alexandria; I agree that the EPC should redouble and diversify its efforts to reach out to Alexandrians. Please let the EPC know if you’d like to take a more active role in the outreach/education process by attending a meeting, calling the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services at 703.838.4966, or dropping a line on this blog.
By: bullmooser08 on January 12, 2009
at 12:00 pm
carbon – nitrogen trading will affect Virginia
http://www.cpe.vt.edu/esmes/
By: BoyRDee3 on February 11, 2009
at 3:13 pm