Arlington Sustainability Action Plan
Six Percent by 2010, Twelve Percent by 2015Recognizing
that its own greenhouse gas emissions had a negative impact on the
global environment, Arlington became a part of the Cities for Climate
Protection Campaign (CCP) in May 2000. By joining this campaign, the
Board of Selectmen declared Arlington’s commitment to reduce its
contribution to climate change and to develop a climate action plan. As
part of Arlington’s Sustainable Action Plan, Sustainable Arlington
proposes that the commitment the Town makes is to reduce its carbon
dioxide emissions to six percent below 1997 levels by 2010 and to
twelve percent below 1997 levels by 2015 in order to help realize the
vision of a more healthy and vibrant future.[1] This document outlines pertinent information regarding necessary steps for the implementation of these realistic goals.
These may appear to be relatively modest percentage goals, but in the
context of a society whose energy usage and therefore emissions have
been growing annually, they will require strenuous efforts to attain.
They should also be viewed in relation to the goal in the Massachusetts
State Climate Protection Plan of reducing emissions to 10% below 1990
levels by 2020. In addition, the reductions planned here are for the
most part ones that can be taken within the Town by its residents,
businesses, and municipal government (except for transportation, which
includes some policy decisions made at higher governmental levels).
Since the state and federal governments, and other actors, are also
making decisions that will reduce global warming pollution, actual
emissions by energy consumers in Arlington could be reduced by greater
amounts.
The Arlington Sustainability Action Plan lays out recommendations for the town, individuals and businesses in four areas:
- Energy Efficiency (Buildings)
- Energy Sourcing
- Transportation
- Community-based Social Marketing
[1] The year 1997 is used here because the baseline inventory of emissions against which we are comparing was done for 1997.
For the full text of ASAP, click here .
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