Upgrade street lights
Description: Cities everywhere are switching their street lamps to LED. In Berkeley, CA before the upgrade, streetlights consumed 32% of the City’s municipal electricity load and accounted for 900 metric …
Implemented
Urban tree planting to reduce energy use
Description: In partnership with the Sacramento Tree Foundation, California’s Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) provides free shade trees to residences to help reduce energy use for air conditioning. More than …
Reduce embodied CO2 emissions
Description: Of all building materials, Portland cement – one of the primary components of concrete – has a particularly intense impact on the climate. Carbon dioxide emitted from cement production …
Use land use plans to increase building energy efficiency
Description: The Housing Element of the El Cerrito, CA General Plan seeks to conserve and improve El Cerrito’s existing housing supply, encourage the development of housing at all income levels …
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Community campaign to reduce GHG emissions
Description: Drawdown Marin (Marin County, CA) is a comprehensive, science-based, community-wide campaign to reduce GHG emissions by personal and community actions. The County, with support and input from the entire …
Reduce or eliminate parking minimums
Description: Historically, cities have required a minimum number of parking spaces for each new development, residential and commercial, even in transit- rich locations. This requirement increases costs and encourages car …
Reduce methane emissions from landfills
Description: Alameda County, CA has two recycling ordinances that are mandatory. Both limit the amount of organic material deposited in landfills by requiring diversion to composting facilities thus reducing methane …
Pump testing and variable frequency drives
Description: Pump Testing – Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) in Riverside County, CA works with Southern California Edison (SCE) to regularly test the performance of its pumps. Testing ensures they …
Use demand response
Description: Demand Response – Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) in Riverside County, CA has enrolled multiple facilities in a Demand Response (DR) program. Shutting down major electricity-using equipment (e.g., pumps) …