May 9, 2008

Keeping green all year long

By Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager
Special to the Times

Earth Day was officially observed this year on April 22, and more individuals and businesses are finding ways to stay green all year round.

County government is no exception. I have been pleased to see the board of supervisors taking aggressive steps to reduce the county’s carbon footprint and preserve our natural resources.

The biggest culprit of global warming is greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. Vehicle exhaust pipes in the United States spewed the equivalent of 1.8 trillion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the air throughout 2006, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Only burning fossil fuels for energy produced more greenhouse gases.

Santa Clara County has adopted California’s plans to cut these enormous amounts of toxic gases. By 2020, California and Santa Clara County plan to bring greenhouse gas emissions down to the levels produced in 1990.

The county has already begun adding more hybrid and low-emission cars and trucks to its fleet of about 2,500 vehicles. However, a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions comes from unnecessary or inefficient car trips. In February, I asked the county to complete a full audit of its vehicle fleet to make sure the cars and trucks were used as efficiently as possible. Limiting unnecessary trips will not only avoid emitting greenhouse gases, but it will save the county money on fuel and vehicle maintenance.

On Thursday, May 15, thousands of Bay Area residents will leave their cars at home and participate in Bike to Work Day. Nearly 80 “energizer stations” will be set up throughout the South Bay to provide refreshments and motivation for beginning bikers and experienced cyclists alike. Last year, I participated in the Team Bike Challenge, which encourages teams of two to five people to ride their bikes every day throughout the month of May. I logged about 100 miles on my bike, and I hope to add even more miles to that total this year. You can learn more by visiting www.svbcbikes.org.

The county also must plan for the future when constructing new buildings. Our new county facilities incorporate green practices into the designs, and we make sure that the structures will use fossil fuel energy as efficiently as possible and take advantage of renewable energy. The county crime lab, which is being constructed next to the Main Jail on Hedding Street in San Jose, has been certified as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, building, exemplifying sustainable and green practices. The county is working to apply some of these practices to its existing structures to reduce their carbon footprints.

Individual residents can also become environmental stewards. Simple practices such as bringing cloth bags to the grocery store can help reduce plastic and paper bags, which pollute the environment and use up natural resources. If we each do our part to decrease our carbon footprints, we can ensure that our natural resources last forever.

Five living green tips
1. Leave your car at home twice a week and participate in a carpool, rideshare, or bike-to-work program. Doing so can prevent releasing more than 1,500 pounds of greenhouse gases a year.

2. Take reusable shopping bags to the grocery store. Most local grocery stores offer incentives such as small discounts to customers who bring their own bags.

3. “Just say no” to junk mail, which uses millions of trees to produce tons of paper. Visit www.optoutprescreen.com to opt out of receiving advertisements and pre-selected credit card offers.

4. Buy locally grown produce at a farmer’s market. Buying locally is not only a good way to find the freshest and healthiest fruits and vegetables, it also cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions from the delivery of produce over long distances.

5. Turn off your computer and other appliances when not in use. Leaving electronics on all day can contribute to the release of thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs can also help the environment by using less electricity than incandescent bulbs.

As always, I encourage you to contact my office if you have any concerns. You can reach me at (408) 299-5040 or via e-mail at Ken.Yeager@bos.sccgov.org.