Archive for the 'Announcements' Category

Burlington receives recognition for the Mayors' Climate Protection Award

On June 11, 2010, Burlington was one of five small cities to receive an honorable mention for the national Mayor’s Climate Protection Award.  Sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., this program recognizes mayors for innovative practices in their cities designed to increase energy efficiency and combat global warming.  An independent panel of judges selected the winners from a pool of over 140 applicants.  For more information, visit the Green Living link.

Way to Go! Week Ends with a Bang

Friday, May 21, 2010 marked the end of the week-long Way to Go!Commuter Challenge.  To highlight the initiative, Edmunds School of Burlington, Vermont sponsored a parade attended by the Mayor, the UVM basketball team, two mascots and other community leaders.  Food and free stickers awaited the kids when they got to school.  Burlington-based Local Motion reported that one-third of all children at Edmunds School were walking, biking or scootering to school every day during the 2010 Way To School Challenge (http://www.localmotion.org/programs/safe-routes-to-school/events). 

In coordination with the  Way to Go! Challenge, the Way to School Challenge is an annual event with the goal of  ”Helping school communities make smart and healthy travel choices now and in the future” (http://www.waytogovt.org/).  Now in its seventh year, the Way to Go! Commuter Challenge encourages the use of healthier and less-polluting alternatives to the single occupancy vehicle (SOV) such as walking, biking, telecommuting, carpooling, and the use of public transportation.  Last year, 3,552 Way to Go! participants saved an estimated 236,813 commuting miles, 206,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, and $33,000 in transportation expenses. The Vermont Energy Investment Corp, this year’s Way To Go! host,  set an ambitious goal to try and save at least 500,000 pounds of transportation pollutants.

“Participation in this event has grown significantly… This is great opportunity for folks to accept a new way to commute to work, school or anywhere else they might usually drive,” said Debra Sachs, Director of Community Climate Action, 10% Challenge, one of the event’s organizers. The weeklong event is designed to be easy and fun and encourages everyone to try an alternative way than driving alone every day. Interest in commuting alternatively is sky-high and the Commuter Challenge proves that other ways to commute are indeed the ‘Way to Go!’” (http://www.beelinevt.com/?p=173).

As in past years, businesses, schools and communities competed throughout the week  for 2010 Way to Go! awards.  Recognition for the highest percentage of employees that walked, cycled, telecommuted, carpooled or took the bus from May 17-21 will be held at a ceremony on Thursday, June 17th at 11:00 am. Watch the events page at www.waytogovt.org for more details on the awards ceremony and other special events.  This year, in addition to schools and businesses competing, there was a challenge to Vermont communities: Who will be Vermont’s “greenest commuting city or town?” The winner will be decided based on the highest participation rate of residents in each municipality (http://www.beelinevt.com/?p=173). 

Vermont Public Radio highlighted Spring Hill Solutions and their work on Burlington’s the Climate Action Plan during a recent broadcast.  Please see below for complete transcript:

Burlington Eyes Carbon Reductions
Monday, 05/17/10 6:06am
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP)

Vermont’s largest city could reduce its carbon output by nearly 59,000 tons and save $21 million annually during the next 25 years if it implements strategies designed to reduce its carbon emissions.

That’s according to Spring Hill Solutions, a Burlington-based consultant that has been studying ways for the city to reduce its carbon footprint.

The consultant has been meeting with a range of city residents and officials and has studied more than 200 strategies to reduce emissions of carbon, a greenhouse gas blamed for climate change.

Strategies identified range from getting schools to serve more local foods in their cafeterias to setting up alternatives to commuting by car for city employees.

Burlington, VT – April 22, 2010. EPA New England announced today that the City of Burlington will receive an “Environmental Merit” award for the design and implementation of its stormwater management program which is a program of the City’s Department of Public Works. Burlington will be recognized in an awards ceremony today at Faneuil Hall in Boston, planned to coincide with the 40the observance of Earth Day.

The City began a comprehensive review of its stormwater management practices and regulations with the appointment of a Mayor’s Stormwater Task Force in January 2007. The Taskforce included several City departments, citizen representation, and other stakeholders, while taking input from a broad range of sources. The Task Force made a set of recommendations to overhaul City ordinances and establish a fee system for the regulation and enforcement of substantially improved stormwater practices. In December 2008, the Burlington City Council approved the proposed ordinance changes and fee structure, leading to the implementation of the new program in April of 2009.

“Lake Champlain is an invaluable natural resource that promotes economic vitality and tremendous community enjoyment,” said Mayor Kiss. “The steps we’ve taken in Burlington help protect the Lake and our future for years to come. This recognition from the EPA is a testament to the commitment and work of numerous City staff, citizen-volunteers, and Boards and Commissions, among others, on this vital issue.”

The EPA Merit Ward is intended to recognize “teachers, citizen activists, business leaders, scientists, public officials and others who have made outstanding contributions on behalf of our region’s public health and our natural environment.” More information about the EPA New England’s Environmental Merit Award can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/region1/ra/ema/. Scott Gustin of the Planning Department, who served as co-chair of the Mayor’s Task Force, will be attending the awards ceremony in Boston today. More information about the City’s stormwater program can be found at: http://www.dpw.ci.burlington.vt.us/stormwater/.

Last year, the Vermont legislature authorized municipalities to establish Clean Energy Assessment Districts (CEADs) to facilitate investment in energy-related improvements and to create green collar jobs. Burlington’s Clean Energy Assessment District, named the POWER Program (Property Owners Win with Efficiency and Renewables) was formally approved on March 2, Town Meeting Day. Seventy-seven percent of voters supported the measure. An interdepartmental team with representatives from City Government and the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC) has been meeting regularly over the past six months to create the program framework.

The City is currently assessing different financing options for a three year pilot program, after which it could look for a general obligation bond based on the success of the pilot. The cost of the CEAD program is borne solely by the participating property owners and not as an added cost to city services. Repayments are calculated to recover the costs of the program over a term that is less than the useful life of the installed efficiency measures or renewable energy project, weighted by cost.

Burlington Electric Department (BED) will operate the program for City property owners. BED will work closely with customers and contractors to explain the program in detail and make participation as seamless as possible. Efficiency Vermont is currently working with other interested communities around Vermont.

BED has been offering energy efficiency programs for many years, and we have heard from our customers the need for more creative ways to help pay for all types of energy-related building improvements. This program will allow for longer participant re-payment terms, which may encourage more customers to undertake energy efficiency projects.

A complete list of eligible energy efficiency and renewable measures (along with complete ACT 45 language) can be found www.burlingtonelectric.com/page.php?pid=141&name=Burlington%20POWER%20Program%20(CEAD)

Ms. Frank Leads City in Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Policy ImplementationMakes “Green Purchasing” Cost Effective; Reduces Truck Traffic with Consolidated Purchasing

Burlington, VT – April 12, 2010.  Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss is pleased to announce that Jessica Frank, Executive Secretary to Burlington’s Chief Financial Officer will receive this year’s Governor Award for Environmental Excellence for her work to implement the City’s Environmentally Preferred Purchasing (EPP) Policy.  Ms. Frank will receive the award on May 3 at an award ceremony at the House Chamber of the State House.  Governor Douglas and Jonathon Wood, Secretary, Agency of Natural Resources, will present the award.  Ms. Frank will attend the ceremony with several city colleagues also working on EPP implementation and a representative from Mason Brothers, the City’s paper and office supplier who has worked collaboratively with the city to make “green” purchasing cost effective while centralizing and coordinating deliveries, minimizing truck traffic and pollution.

In June 2009, Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss enacted an Environmentally Preferred Purchasing (EPP) policy.  Drafted over many months by the Mayor’s Burlington Sustainability Action Team (or “green team”), this policy reflects the city’s commitment to human and environmental health, and wise and effective use of city funds for all its operations.  At the suggestion of several purchasers and “green team” members, Ms. Frank was identified as a possible staff person to play this key role. In the first months after the EPP went into affect, Jessica single-handedly organized and guided City Hall’s departments to collectively purchase a myriad of green office products.  She also successfully negotiated cost effective pricing, saving the City money on Forestry Certified Paper and other products.  By late summer 2009, Ms. Frank devised a system with the vendor, by which departments could order supplies every two weeks, ultimately reducing truck deliveries to City Hall by 75%.   Then, in late 2009 Jessica drafted and distributed a RFP to secure a long-term vendor contract.  Mason Brothers ultimately won the contract launching a relationship to help ensure that the city can buy the most environmentally benign products at the most competitive prices for years to come.   Ms. Frank is also working with Mason Brothers to pilot a “returnable tote” project, so that supplies are no longer delivered in cardboard boxes with bubble wrap, but in plastic totes that can be returned and reused for other deliveries.

Anyone with comments or questions can contact Joe Reinert, Assistant to the Mayor at jreinert@ci.burlington.vt.us .   A copy of the EPP Policy can be found at: http://burlingtonclimateaction.com/announcements/burlington-making-headways-with-the-implementation-of-its-environmental-purchasing-policy-epp/attachment/epp-policy-adopted/

On September 17, 2009 city staff, with the help of Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD), sorted through one day’s worth of City Hall’s trash and recyclable materials. The goal of this exercise was to discover if city employees properly sort recyclables and trash, and if enough compost is generated weekly to justify beginning a composting program in city facilities. As employees started sorting through trash cans, it quickly became evident that a large portion of what they found was not “TRUE TRASH” and should have been recycled or composted. In fact, in terms of volume, the results of this exercise showed that 1/3 of the materials found in the trash bags were recyclables (33 gallons), another 1/3 could have been composted (32 gallons) and only 1/3 was true trash (32 gallons).

A month-long pilot project has been developed to help educate city staff, reduce the amount of trash generated and hopefully save the city money. This pilot project started with an education session with CSWD to ensure that employees are knowledgeable with regards to recyclables and compostable materials. Next week, trash cans will be removed from individual offices and only a very few trash cans will be located in general and public areas along with compost bins. The hope is that if employees have get up and walk a few feet to dispose of something, they will them be force to make a conscious decision about where to sort their disposables.

Once this pilot complete, staff will report back to the Burlington Sustainability Action Team (BSAT) with the results. If successful, this program could be implemented in all city departments/facilities. The BSAT will be in charge of developing a department-wide approach to waste reduction.

September 2009 – This summer, Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss endorsed the City’s new Environmentally Preferred Purchasing (EPP) policy to help save the City money while helping the environment. EPP or “green purchasing” is buying products or services that have a lesser or reduced affect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services the serve the same purpose. Drafted over many months by the Mayor’s Burlington Sustainability Action Team (or green team), this policy reflects the city’s commitment to human and environmental health, and wise and effective use of city funds for all its operations.

In mid-June, 23 City purchasers from 12 departments gathered to review the policy and begin implementation. Assisting them was Dr. Kevin Lyons, a nationally recognized EPP specialist and Director of Purchasing at Rutgers University, along with Jessica Frank, the city’s CFO Executive Secretary. Since that initial training, several departments have been working together to purchase office supplies through Jessica Frank every two weeks, reducing significantly the truck travel by our supplier as well as elimination of packaging waste.

And while the policy expresses the city’s commitment to “green” purchasing, green purchasing isn’t new to Burlington. Last year Fire station #2 transitioned to Green Seal Certified cleaning products including glass, carpet and tile cleaners and to washroom towels and toilet tissue made with 100% recycled fiber. “Although initially doubtful” says Captain Tom Costello, “we’re satisfied with these new products and are happy to have made the switch. We hope others will follow suit and consider buying ‘green’ whenever possible.” The Parks and Recreation Department has been using these and other “green” products for several years.

Burlington Environmental Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Policy