The well being, and perhaps the very existence, of the peoples of the world and of life generally on our planet, lie under grave threat from climate change which stems from the proliferation of greenhouse gases produced primarily by the activities of human kind.
This worldwide problem is of concern to the League at the national, state, and regional level. At the local level, we must reduce our carbon footprint, acting as individuals and through voluntary organizations, and through public private entities.
Our efforts should encompass four goals:
I. Reduction in energy consumption and increase in energy efficiency.
II. Promotion of energy sources that do not produce greenhouse gases.
III. Promotion of sustainability in the use of resources,
such as water and materials with an emphasis on use of local resources.
IV. Promotion of growth patterns (i.e., Smart Growth)that encourage walking, bicycling, mass transit,and carpooling in order to lessen greenhouse emissions.
Our targets include buildings and activities of:
I. Public entities such as cities, schools, and special
districts;
II. Commercial and industrial units and rental housing;
III. Housing of private individuals;
IV. Transportation systems.
Our actions include support of the following:
I. Development and utilization of measures to monitor progress; including establishing and tracking an inventory of local greenhouse gas emissions.
II. Education of the public, including students, and leaders of private and public entities on the necessity and means of reducing our carbon footprint.
III. Establishment of land use regulation and building codes to achieve a reduction in our carbon footprint.
IV. Financial and other incentives for reduction in our carbon footprint.
V. Full life cycle cost accounting including greenhouse gas emissions.
Adopted: 2010
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