Resolution 2009 - 18 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

The warmth of the earth is a natural phenomenon of our planet. However, from human activity during the 20th and 21St centuries there is scientific evidence that the earth is warming at an alarmingly accelerated pace that threatens our very existence. Global warming is caused by large amounts of greenhouse gases made up of carbon dioxide and methane being trapped in the earth's atmosphere. Emissions from carbon dioxide are produced whenever fossil fuels are burned (oil, natural gas, gasoline, diesel fuel and coal). As result of even a slight increase of global temperature, major changes in climate patterns have been emerging, including extreme weather events (such as Hurricane Ike and other major flood inducing storm activity). Methane (or CH4) is a byproduct of organic waste and sewage decomposition. Organic waste is made up of paper, yard trimmings, wood and food waste as it decomposes in landfills. Sewer treatment plants are a significant source of methane, which is 21 times more powerful per unit than C02 in its greenhouse effect. While it may seem like the actions of one community cannot change the global climate, it is the Green Practices Committee's belief that if each community measures its greenhouse gas emissions and takes immediate action to curtail activities that cause increased emissions, that we will indeed affect climate change for the better. University City aspires to be the leader in community sustainability and as such should set the protocol in the actions it takes to reduce the community's carbon footprint. The first step is to measure exactly where we are through a greenhouse gas inventory. The baseline of data will inform policy, decisions and actions taken by the City and the community. As an example, Creve Coeur performed their greenhouse gas inventory and found, to their surprise, that much of the traffic related emissions are not from its three major thoroughfares (I-270, Lindbergh and Olive), but from the 99 miles of collector streets. Without this information, the City of Creve Coeur may have approached their plan for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in a completely different manner. It is important to note that COze, which is being measured, is the result of energy consumed, fuel used and land-fill and other waste generated. It is also important to note that GHG emissions are not necessarily emitted in our community. The GHG inventory measures in part the emissions from where the electricity isgenerated. Electricity itself does not produce carbon emissions, but rather the process of generating electricity is where GHG are emitted. Here, Ameren's coal-fired electricity generation plants, which is its primary method of generating electricity, is the primary cause of carbon emissions. To insure the accuracy of the GHG inventory, the measurement of GHG uses coefficients that are based on electric generation of the fuel mix on the grid for our region. Reduction in electricity usage does reduce electricity generation and therefore emissions. So reduction in electricity usage is key. With our membership to ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability) we received GHG software (CACP) that will enable us to inventory our GHG emissions as a City and as a community. The data used to measure the GHG includes: electricity and other fossil fuel sourced energy use, transportation data (vehicle miles travelled and/or fuel consumed), quantities of waste generated and land-filled. Based on experience, the bulk of emissions come from vehicles, street lights, commercial electricity use, residential heating/cooling and land-fill waste. 4