Climate Action Plan
Current and Completed Climate Change Initiatives
Goal: to reduce emissions in our city operations by 21% below our 2001 baseline.
Salt Lake City has now achieved a 31-percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in our municipal operations from the 2001 baseline.
This success is based on achievements in conservation, alternative fuels and cogeneration.
Salt Lake City Climate Action: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions and Goal |
||
2005
|
2006
|
|
| Building energy efficiency | 2016 |
5944 |
| Wind power | 796 |
796 |
| LED traffic lights | 716 |
716 |
| Fleet conservation and alternative fuels | 327 |
327 |
| Cogeneration at the waste water treatment plant | 2586 |
13,600 |
| Landfill methane capture for reuse | 16,240 |
16,240 |
| Total Emissions Reductions | 22,627 tons eCO2 |
36,223 tons of eCO2 |
| Percent of goal to reduce 21,426 tons of eCO2 | 105% |
148% |
Mobility
City Fleet
- Since 2003 we have decreased our light-vehicle fleet by 143 vehicles.
- SUVs are being eliminated from City use in all non-emergency applications. Forty-one have been removed from the fleet so far. The City recently purchased three gas-electric SUVs where their use was required.
- The smallest most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles are being purchased for all City departments.
- Bio-diesel is now being used at all fueling locations throughout the city. Currently, we are using a B5 blend (5% bio – 95% diesel). When warmer weather arrives, we will revert back to a B20 blend.
- All diesel fuel now being received from the refineries is an Ultra Low sulfur blend which complies with recent EPA mandates. Fuel has gone for 550 ppm to 15 ppm sulfur content.
- With the use of bio-diesel, 62% of all City-owned off-road vehicles are being operated on alternative fuels (bio-diesel, CNG, Hybrid, etc).
- 19% of all City-owned light vehicles are operating on alternative fuels (bio-diesel, CNG, Hybrid, etc).
- Alternative Fuels 31% of all City owned vehicles are operating on alternative fuels (bio-diesel, CNG, Hybrid, etc). At the airport, 100% of the shuttle buses and 52% of the light vehicle fleet use CNG.
- Parking Enforcement Several automobiles have been replaced by five new three-wheeled parking enforcement GO-4 Interceptor vehicles, which use less than one-eighth as much gasoline as the vehicles they replaced. Electric chariots, that use no fossil fuels, are also in use.
- All riding lawnmowers are operating on bio-diesel and Ultra-Low Sulfur (ULS) diesel fuel.
- Push mowers are all 4-cycle motors which burn much cleaner than the 2-cycle which required oil to be mixed with the fuel.
Bike and Alternative Transit
- Free bus passes for city employees.
- Employees who carpool to work receive a permit for reserved parking spaces at the City-County building.
- Free parking for low-emission and alternative fuel vehicles at all city parking meters.
- Since January 2000, we have added 15.3 miles of bike lanes on city roadways.
- The light rail line to the University is complete.
- The Salt Lake City Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan has been written and adopted.
- To encourage walking, we have created numerous pedestrian safety initiatives:
- Crossing flag equipped crosswalks: 189
- Pedestrian countdown timers: Over 1000
- Pedestrian-actuated overhead flashing lights: 7
- “LOOK” crosswalk pavement markings: Approximately 500
- Advance crosswalk pavement indicators: 45
- Raised crosswalks: 11
Energy and Buildings
- Salt Lake City Corporation has reduced carbon dioxide emissions in its municipal operations energy use by 31% since 2001, surpassing our goal to meet the Kyoto Protocol standard by 148%, seven years early.
- LEED ordinance All City owned building projects and renovations will be certified energy and environmentally efficient pursuant to the US Green Buildings Councils LEED silver standard.
- Wind Power: Salt Lake City purchases 12,960 KWH of wind power, reducing CO2 emissions by 796 tons/year.
- An Energy Management Coordinator has been hired to find and implement energy savings in all city buildings.
- Energy efficient building lighting Energy efficient lighting and room occupancy light sensors have been installed in many city buildings. Energy systems have been adjusted to building use patterns.
- 100% of the electricity used at the City/County Building is renewable energy purchased through the Rocky Mountain Power Blue Sky program.
- LED traffic signal retrofits LEDs (light-emitting diodes), which use 90% less energy and require less maintenance, have been installed on all city-owned traffic signals. The estimated savings per year totals $55,000.
- The Salt Palace Solar Project was completed thanks to an unprecedented collaboration between Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and Rocky Mountain Power with the addition of a 20 kw, photovoltaic solar array that now takes advantage of Salt Lake City’s 300-plus days of annual sunshine.
- Renewable Energy at the landfill We are now capturing the methane that is produced as our city’s municipal waste decomposes and utilizing it as a clean, renewable source of energy, producing enough renewable electricity to power over 2500 homes.
- Wastewater reclamation plant cogeneration Digester gas from the plant is captured and used to produce electricity, saving the city $160,000 per year.
- Have upgraded Power Monitoring systems at the central heating plant.
Carbon Offsets for Air-Travel
- In addition to our focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions though the purchase of clean electricity, reduced energy consumption, high performance LEED certified buildings, clean-fuel cars, and alternative transportation, Salt Lake City will become the first city in the U.S. to voluntarily commit to offset the carbon emissions from all City related air-travel.
- Salt Lake City will invest in carbon offsets through the Pax Natura program to retroactively offset the carbon dioxide emissions from all City related air-travel for 2006.
- all future carbon emissions from City related air-travel will be offset through Pax Natura.
- Salt Lake City will promote carbon offsetting through Pax natura via outreach and education through the e2 Business and e2 Citizen programs, to encourage residents and businesses to offset their person carbon emissions.
Recycling and Reuse
- City offices recycle paper, plastic, and metal using the municipal recycling program.
- Residential recycling: Salt Lake residents recycle 11,000 tons of material each year, an 85% increase since 2000.
- Small businesses and apartments can participate in the municipal recycling program for a small fee.
- Household hazardous waste: Collected at the landfill and monthly in the city during the summer months.
- Christmas tree collection. Trees are collected seasonally for recycling.
- The city’s Fleet and Streets facility reduced the amount of hazardous waste produced by 98% from 2001 – 2006, and implemented or improved recycling programs for cardboard, metal, tires, batteries, brakes, solvents and oils.
Water and Wastewater
- Eliminate bottle water from
all City related functions
November 2006, the Salt Lake City Mayor's office asked all City
employees to eliminate their use of single serving, disposable
bottled water. In addition, all City sponsored meetings, interoffice
functions and events will no longer provide bottled water, instead
pitchers and refillable containers will be made available.
Click here to learn more about the negative impacts of bottled water
- Reuse A reuse study has been completed to use secondary water from the treatment plant for irrigation
- Water conservation Water use by city residents has dropped by 20% since 2000.
- Watershed and open space 450 acres of watershed and open space have been purchased since 2000.
- Open Lands Program A $5 million bond has been passed to protect open lands in the city.
Economic Development
- Walkable Communities A walkable communities ordinance has been passed to promote transit oriented development.
Urban Forest
- Since 1990 Salt Lake City has improved its pruning cycle from 30 years to 6 years.
- By monitoring pest activities, and adopting biological controls, the city is now using 60% less chemical interventions to abate insect problems in the urban forest.
- Salt Lake City is one of only 25 cities nationwide to receive the National Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City U.S.A. designation and Growth Award for more than 15 consecutive years.
Education and Outreach
- e2 Business program Over 50 businesses participate, and many more are on their way to saving money, energy, and resources.
- e2 Citizen program Over 600 local residents have pledged to take environmentally proactive steps in their everyday lives to reduce their contribution to global warming
- Sundance Summit Former Mayor Anderson hosted the second annual Sundance Summit on Climate Change. Thirty Mayors from around the country came together to learn about the science of global warming and climate change, and to strategize on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their own communities.
- SLC representatives regularly attend community events to showcase the city’s environmental efforts.