Kansas City Climate Protection Plan
Work Group Meeting Notes
December 14, 2006
Carbon Offsets and Waste Management Work Group
Summary of Work Group Activities
The following question was posed to the work group: What are the 3 most important measures we must implement in Kansas City to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020?
Participants were instructed that preference should be given to the following criteria:
• Build on existing initiatives
• Identify Low Hanging Fruit
• Economically viable options
• Options with partnership opportunities across the community
• Measures that have been successfully implemented in other cities
Participants were given three “sticky” notes on which to write their recommendations. The notes from the group were posted on a wall, and organized in columns by similar topic.
The work group reviewed the results and adjusted some of the placements after discussion. When there was general agreement on the groupings, the “dot” exercise was performed.
Each participant was given three sets of colored dots and asked to place them by the columns to help prioritize the initiative recommendations. Dot colors and definitions were:
• Green – “Early Victories” – Implementation can begin before April 2007
• Blue – Critical & Strategic, but Long Term – Will take more than 2 years
• Yellow – Need more information to determine priority level
Results
Results of the exercise are summarized on the following pages. Each heading represents a column or grouping of responses. Each bullet under that heading is a suggestion from the work group that was placed in that grouping. The number of green, blue, and yellow dots placed on the grouping is also listed under the heading.
Also attached is a list of comments or suggestions received from the work group participants on how to move forward or things to do differently next time.
The meeting chair and facilitator noted a number of potential initiatives that were not discussed but warrant consideration in future meetings. Those are also listed.
Carbon Offsets and Waste Management Recommendations
The underlined headings are the general categories or groupings of recommendations. Bulleted items beneath each heading are the specific comments received.
G = # of green dots
B = # of blue dots
Y = # of yellow dots
The categories are listed in the order they were arranged on the wall in the workroom, from left to right.
Open Space Preservation
G – 1
B – 3
Y – 3
• Use conservation easements to preserve open space
Education and Outreach
G – 3
B – 2
Y – 3
• Encourage other communities in the metro to participate in climate protection work
• Get into as many elementary schools as possible with our message
• Bring about a shift in consciousness
• Neighbors coming together to conserve and generate powerful fulfilling community
Integrate Carbon Offsets with Local Stormwater Management Initiatives
G – 3
B – 8
Y – 0
• Natural stormwater management
• Green solutions for wet weather problems
• Increase stream setbacks/required set-asides for greenspace in developments/Increase green infrastructure & greenways
• Enhance/preserve greenspace in developments, especially associated with floodways
Promote Native Landscaping
G – 7
B – 1
Y – 0
• Native landscaping – quit mowing, store carbon
• Plant natives – reduce mowing & fertilizing
• Expand native landscaping – sequesters carbon, stormwater management, reduce need for mowing which reduces CO2 emissions from high emitting engines, reduced maintenance costs
Improve Soil Capacity to Store Carbon & Improve Soil Quality
G – 0
B – 0
Y – 2
• Micorizzal fungi, No till, Urban agriculture, Eat Local, Glomalin
Plant Trees
G – 9
B – 0
Y – 1
• Neighborhood tree planting
• Plant trees – street trees, yard trees; Reforest larger areas
• Participate in a regional urban forestry plan – see Sac Tree Foundation’s “GreenPrint”
• Greater City funding for trees in parks & along streets
• Expand tree planting – quantifiable effects: sequesters carbon, removes pollution, reduces energy costs, reduces temperature & urban heat island, and increases property value
• Modify property taxes to give a discount for land covered by tree canopy
Plant Vacant Lots
G – 4
B – 1
Y – 0
• Vacant lots/community gardens
• Plant vacant lots with tree farms, then transfer to street trees
Promote Green Roofs and Related Site Features
G – 4
B – 3
Y – 3
• Green roofs, new buildings
• Promote green roofs including “infrastructure” for tools/maintenance
• Tree requirements for parking lots
Expand Recycling – Commercial Applications
G – 4
B – 3
• Recycle at multi-family buildings and at public events (e.g. – Plaza Art Fair)
• Expand KC Recycles to include municipal and commercial recycling with specific recycling goals
• Increase commercial recycling
• Recycling for commercial businesses, apartments, etc. (everything that’s not done now)
Expand Recycling – Residential Applications
G – 4
B – 6
Y – 0
• Increase curbside recycling
• Expanded recycling – curbside & drop-off; items that are recycled
• Design recycling stations for home builders & supply stores to install in new/remodel homes/kitchens
• City commit to permanent Community Recycling Centers, including expansion as education centers for environmental programs
• Provide incentives to increase recycling in low-income neighborhoods (Curitiba, Brazil)
Solid Waste Management Planning
G – 0
B – 3
Y – 7
• Long term solid waste plan that looks at integrated management and innovative alternative for diversion
Enact Ordinances that Promote Sustainability
G – 3
B – 5
• Revise LEED ordinance to include all major developments and establish minimum target for construction waste recovery
• City ordinance like Chicago to require C&D recycling
By-Product Synergy
G – 4
B – 3
Y – 5
• By-product synergy – recycling unwanted by-products as raw stock for another
• Expand recycling & market development of industrial by-products
• Find use for methane as energy source (some trash trucks use some methane)
• Use the BTU value in trash in place of fossil fuel
• Technical assistance to businesses to increase industrial by-product utilization
Reduce the Volume of Product Packaging
G – 1
B – 5
Y – 3
• Change product packaging to promote reuse instead of recycling, conserve both methods and energy
• Increase city purchasing of recycled content and reduced packaging products
Suggestions that Relate to the Other Work Groups
• Develop more powerful & dependable rechargeable small equipment. Re: trimmers, saws, mowers, and eliminate the use of 2-cycle gasoline engines (received 6 yellow dots)
• Energy conservation in buildings – new construction design, retrofit systems, weatherization
• Create more bike trails with commute to work as an objective
• Use less energy – create programs to encourage weatherization, use of alternate sources
Comments, Feedback, & Suggestions from Work Group Participants
• Green dots were used to identify things that can be done fast. But maybe we should identify the most important things to do and look at ways to speed them up.
• We may need to explain some of the topics. Not all work group participants are familiar with each topic.
• The “dot” voting was done by category. And within categories there are specific items that may be Low Hanging Fruit, and others that are long term actions. We probably need to discuss how to prioritize and separate items within the categories.
• Let’s develop an email distribution list for the Carbon Offset/Waste Management Work Group, and correspond before the next meeting to exchange information and ideas
• Low Hanging Fruit action items should build upon other initiatives that are already underway in Kansas City. For example: Promote green stormwater initiatives as part of the Overflow Control Program; Advance stream setback ordinances to preserve woodlands; Expand existing recycling programs.
• Are there any assignments for the next meeting?
• Identify missing elements that we didn’t catch today for the next meeting
• Participants would like to get copies of the notes generated by the other work groups, too
Topics to Add to the Discussion at the Next Work Group Meeting
Worthwhile issues that have not yet come up in discussion.
• Green tags
• Cap & trade programs
• Getting involved in carbon exchange markets
• City incentives - KCMO require that all TIF funding be contingent upon LEED buildings, LID site design, and construction waste recycling plan