KC Climate Protection Forums Forum: Interactive and Other Topics

harison on "How to Use This Forum"

harison — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:45:03 +0000

good stuff people will like it any way thanks for the article
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harison
http://www.goinggreenbuzz.com

arshu123 on "How to Use This Forum"

arshu123 — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 18:19:09 +0000

Hi Friends,

I am taking notes on things that GOV should do to avoid Global warming.

http://globalwarming-awareness2007-arshad.com/

Please help me expand the topic.

Thanks!
Arshad

admin on "KC Star Climate Change Response - Start Here"

admin — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 16:56:04 +0000

This forum is divided into seven areas of conversation, see below. Use the search to find topics too.

ENERGY - http://www.allspecies.org/forum/forum/1
TRANSPORTATION - http://www.allspecies.org/forum/forum/3
SEQUESTERING GREENHOUSE GASSES - http://www.allspecies.org/forum/forum/2
POLICY & EDUCATION - http://www.allspecies.org/forum/forum/5
WASTE STREAM - http://www.allspecies.org/forum/forum/4
MULTIPLE TOPIC ISSUES - http://www.allspecies.org/forum/forum/6
VISION - http://www.allspecies.org/forum/forum/7

KC Star Climate Change Site
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/special_packages/changing_climate/

TomNeff on "Links - Pew Center on GCC & World Resource Inst."

TomNeff — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 04:00:32 +0000

The pdf file called "Getting Ahead of the Curve: Corporate Strategies That Address Climate Change" prepared for the Pew Center on Global Climate Change October 2006 by Andrew J. Hoffman of the University of Michigan, can be found here:

http://www.pewclimate.org/docUploads/PEW%5FCorpStrategies%2Epdf

The World Resources Institute has a series of documents associated with the "GHG Protocol Initiative" that provide measurement and adaption concepts for the business community.
http://www.wri.org/

MartyKraft on "Coming Home to Eat Challenge"

MartyKraft — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 02:58:41 +0000

Simple Cheap Solar Collector

One of the quickest, simplest most inexpensive ways to begin cutting greenhouse gas emissions is to put an old fashioned solar collector in your yard by creating a vegetable garden. You will be taking the suns energy and turning it into energy to run your body. That energy takes you anywhere you wish to walk or bicycle. It allows you to think up other ideas for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Your extra vegetables become diplomatic community builders with your neighbors. In the process, you save the fossil fuel it takes to bring you food from California or New Zealand. The garden is the perfect place to mulch your leaves in the fall while learning the wisdom of nature which we have ignored too long.

jgt on "Coming Home to Eat Challenge"

jgt — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 10:13:06 +0000

I attended the conference, Coming Home to Eat, this weekend. While I was there I encouraged participants to visit this site and use it to express their issues, and hopefully make connections. I also told folks that we should each create one post on the site as a way of introducing ourselves and our interests/concerns.

My area of concern is that the issues of global warming and lack of sustainable practices is a symptom of a bigger problem. The larger issue is the human tendency to be self important and self centered. The idea being that we use our sense of self importance to justify our exploitations, and the unsustainability of this means that it is really our self-centeredness which is unsustainable.

We also need to move from exploitive capitalist models of business and economy to sustainable models based on collaboration and consensus. We would like to develop a program that provides young people with this kind of an experience that deals in sustainable agriculture.

I have a daughter that is a junior in high school and she and I have been brainstorming on this project together. She has mentioned the project to a teacher at her school that is the sponsor of an environmental club there. This teacher has expressed interest in the project and we are planning to have this teacher to our home for dinner in the next couple of weeks to discuss things and do more brain storming. Anyone else that is interested in this idea will be welcome as well. Our feeling is that the more input and collaboration that we can generate the greater the consensus and the more sustainable the solution.

admin on "Mayors Conference on Climate Protection"

admin — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 02:55:08 +0000

Mayors Conference has its own Climate Protection website : http://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/

This past week at their last conference the Mayors Conference called for $4 billion in block grant to combat global warming. Check out the press release: http://usmayors.org/75thWinterMeeting/eebg_012507.pdf

admin on "Help Publicze this Discussion"

admin — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 23:35:06 +0000

To help others know about and participate in the KC Climate Protection Process go to the link that follows and print the page. Take a pair of sizzors and cut the page across the middle from side to side. Then cut along each of the dotted lines so people can tear off the address to take with them. Post the pages EVERYWHERE you can think of. All citizens should be invited into this process. Thanks, Marty Kraft

'Discussion Group Tearoffs'

admin on "How to Use This Forum"

admin — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 02:23:40 +0000

This forum is for the people of the Metro Kansas City area to participate in Kansas City Missouri's Climate Protection Planning Process through discussion. How do we reduce greenhouse gas emmissions as individuals, families, businesses and governments in order to reduce global warming? The process has seven work group topic areas. Vision, Energy, Transportation, Policy & Outreach/Education, Carbon Offsets (pulling carbon out of the air), Solid Waste and Interactive or Other Topics. We will have a sixth topic area which is ideas that don't fit in any of the other categories or fit in more than one topic area.

You can start by making yourself familiar with Kansas City Missouri Environmental Management Commission's Climate Protection Report at http://www.kcmo.org/manager/OEQ/cpr.pdf. This is the starting point for the City's Climate Protection Process. You can also see a copy of An Inconvenient Truth, a DVD about global warming. It should be available at video stores. In general, read as much as you can about the state of the environment and how we might change to reduce our impact. Continue to follow along with the discussions on this site.

If you already realize there is a problem and have thought about solutions this is the place to begin the enormous process that will move us toward change. Put your ideas here and and take part in the discussion that follows. This undertaking is so big that it will take all of us to make a significant change in the greenhouse gasses that we are putting into the environment.

Please choose a topic area and share what you have to say.

MartyKraft on "Best Ways to Recuce Emmissions"

MartyKraft — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 03:40:20 +0000

Here is an itemization of energy Best Bets from the Natural Capitalism Climate Protection Manual for Cities, prepared by John Ware for your consideration. John has also made suggestions re which Best Bets are appropriate for consideration as Phase 1 recommendations or Phase 2 recommendations.

Best Bets
The following was gleaned from Best Bets DRAFT and could serve as a start for Climate Protection Plan recommendations.

Municipal Buildings
Phase One: Low Hanging Fruit
CFL and T-8 with electronic ballast conversion. [Also analyze benefits of T-5 which are the new generation of linear fluorescent lamps.]
Step One: tabulation of fixture types in all municipal buildings
Step Two: select investigatory upgrades to establish labor and materials cost. Choose locations that represent the range of conditions that will be faced (circuiting, access, etc.).
Payback typically equals $12 annual savings/installation cost. If acceptable, create plan to retrofit all municipal fixtures as quickly as possible. Contract with an electricians or identify staff to convert all municipal buildings.
Occupancy sensors and timer switches: same three-step process.
LED exit lights: same three-step process.

Phase Two: Leadership, Analysis and Retrofit
Identify an Energy Manager for the City
Conduct Energy Audits of municipal buildings on a prioritized basis.
Walk though audit conducted quickly to tabulate priorities
Comprehensive audit conducted per priority order
Predictive modeling of energy efficiency and financial outcomes
Prioritize Energy Upgrade Plans of each building.
High efficiency electrical fixtures, motors, pumps and controls
Windows
HVAC
Energy management sub-metering, controls and ESCO agreements
Cool roofing
Conduct post-Upgrade audit to confirm assumptions and document improvements.
Establish a comprehensive building maintenance plan and fund its budget.

Architectural and Engineering Process: set expectations and requirements
Integrated design process and green design charette early in schematic phase
Life cycle cost analysis of schematic alternatives: create model and protocol
Life cycle environmental analysis of schematic alternatives
City provided methodology and database for predictive modeling in design development phase, confirmation in the construction document phase

Building Standards
LEED Silver goal for regularly occupied buildings:
KC Requirements: not optional
Stormwater best management practices
Cool paving 100%.
Water efficiency of at least 30%.
At least 50% energy efficiency improvement over code required.
Construction waste diversion of at least 75%.
Local materials use of at least 20% of materials cost.
Post-occupancy satisfaction and productivity survey.

Property Management
Confirmation of predictive Life cycle cost analysis after one year occupancy.
LEED – EB for Existing Buildings after five years occupancy and thereafter.
Energy Star purchasing requirement for appliances and office equipment.

Maintenance and Operations
Create a ReCommissioning Plan in partnership with facilities staff.
Establish maintenance endowment for each upgrade project based on cost projections of the ReCommissioning Plan.
Establish protocols and green building orientation for building occupants.

Best Bets

Businesses

Phase One: Low Hanging Fruit
Require a carbon emissions analysis with each building permit.
Enforce the currently adopted IBC Energy Code for commercial construction.
With each commercial building permit, require submittal of a LEED Checklist authored by a LEED AP on the design team.
Require a construction waste diversion plan with each commercial building permit and with demolition permits of any kind.
Priority permit processing for builders and developers who propose low-carbon projects; quicker review and reduced permit fees
Climate Protection Awards; recognition for developers who use energy efficient or renewable energy technologies.
For builders incorporating solar energy into their projects; eliminate all City fees and provide next week turn around of submittals from Planning to Permitting. In addition, the city will provide signs to go up at the job site to let the surrounding community know of the project’s environmental benefits.
Free promotional space on the city website and in green building information packets that are distributed at various events and through the mail to participating architects, engineers and builders.
Advocate with PSC for inclusion of energy conservation profit center for Missouri energy providers. Get them into the energy conservation business.
Advocate with PSC for net metering on a sliding scale relative to the customer’s GHG emissions from energy production relative to the energy provider’s emissions.

Phase Two:
Establish a KC Energy Auditor certification process.
Require submittal of a certified energy audit with each major renovation/addition; both residential and commercial.
Establish a consulting arrangement with all building permit applicants.
Require LEED Certification to be undertaken on all regularly occupied buildings.

Phase Three Infrastructure:
Install a municipal gray water system
Identify pilot project
Grow the system to include all properties
Market to outlying jurisdictions

Best Bets
Infrastructure

Phase One: Low Hanging Fruit
Remote streetlight control pilot program safety, acceptance and financial analysis
Water department energy audit: process energy
Analyze potential of cogen at wastewater treatment plants (ala San Diego).
Aggressive demand-side management policy and consumer education effort to minimize the total water consumed by the city.
Determine City leverage for landfill gas to energy.

Phase Two:
Upgrade to LED traffic lights throughout City.

Best Bets
Utility Green Power Programs

Phase One: Low Hanging Fruit
Resolve to purchase 10% of City power from renewable sources (Green-e certificates). Consider other energy saving measures as cost offsets.
Challenge the community to increase its renewable energy purchases.

Phase Two:
Analyze City owned renewable energy generating system.

Best Bets
Residents

Phase One: Low Hanging Fruit
Free energy audit for low income households.
Establish a KC Energy Auditor Certification.
Energy Award; recognition for super energy efficient households.
Permitting; priority review and reduced fees for green strategy projects. Eliminate all fees and offer next week reviews from Planning to Permitting for low-carbon/renewable energy projects.
Utility bills; eliminate wastewater bill for stormwater best management projects.
Split incentives for renters.
Set up a micro-ESCO program for carbon reduction upgrades.
Penalize large homes with water bill rate or property tax rate.
Track carbon emissions benefits of the low income weatherization, energy upgrade, insulation program and IAQ program.
Offer the opportunity for water customers to help fund energy efficiency programs for low income families.

Phase Two:
Rebate water and energy efficiency upgrades and efficient appliance purchases.
Incentivise smart metering.

MartyKraft on "Setting KC Climate Protection Goals"

MartyKraft — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 03:05:57 +0000

Received from Dennis Murphy, KC Office of Environmental Quality

City climate protection plan goals and how they were going to be established.

The Steering Committee will set GHG reduction goals for the climate protection plan. They've discussed it at their last two meetings, with Bob Berkebile and Bob Mann leading much of the discussion. They are striving to achieve a balance between being bold in setting the bar high enough to have a meaningful impact, while not setting it so high that it proves impossible to generate broad support throughout the community for implementing the plan.

As we developed the preliminary baseline inventory of GHG emissions for KCMO, it was obvious that we could not get reliable data from any year earlier than 2000, so that's the reason it is our baseline year.

What has been suggested by the Steering Committee is separate goals for GHG reductions community-wide (perhaps 20% below the 2000 baseline level by 2020) and for City government operations (perhaps 30% below 2000 baseline levels by 2020). There has also been discussion of perhaps setting some intermediate milestone #s (nothing specific yet).

At last Friday's meeting, Bob Mann also suggested a longer-term goal of KC as a "climate neutral" city and there was some discussion as to what that meant. As Bob Berkebile explained it, that would mean that KC only emits an amount of GHGs that can be absorbed by the planet (via vegetation and the oceans), altho it wasn't clear how to determine what that amount of GHG emissions might be for KC (as our share of worldwide emissions).

We don't expect the Phase 1 GHG recommendations from the work groups by March 6 to achieve the levels of GHG reduction goals that will be set by the Steering Committee, but that will be the objective in the ongoing planning effort. So for now, I look forward to whatever GHG reduction measures you recommend for consideration by the Steering Committee in order to make a start toward achieving significant reductions.

Just to provide a perspective regarding possible goals, if the Steering Committee were to set a 20% reduction goal community-wide, based upon the preliminary baseline inventory #s, that would equal approximately 2.6 million metric tonnes/year in reductions by 2020. If they set a 30% reduction goal for City government operations, that would equal approximately 96,000 metric tonnes/year in reductions by 2020.

I hope this is helpful. We will keep you informed as the Steering Committee establishes the goals.

Thanks,
Dennis

MartyKraft on "Climate Change, Sooner and More Severe"

MartyKraft — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 00:55:52 +0000

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change draft report says global
warming will happen faster and be more devastating than previously
thought. http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012207L.shtml

The frequency of devastating storms will increase dramatically. Sea
levels will rise over the century by around half a metre; snow will
disappear from all but the highest mountains; deserts will spread;
oceans become acidic, leading to the destruction of coral reefs and
atolls; and deadly heatwaves will become more prevalent.

And the cause is clear, say the authors: 'It is very likely that
[human-made] greenhouse gas increases caused most of the average
temperature increases since the mid-20th century,' says the report. The
report reflects climate scientists' growing fears that Earth is nearing
the stage when carbon dioxide rises will bring irreversible change to
the planet.

The IPCC report is the work of several thousand climate experts who have
widely differing views. Some think greenhouse gases will have a major
impact, while others do not. Only points that were considered
indisputable survived this process. This is a very conservative document
- that's what makes it so scary,' said one senior UK climate expert.