Albuquerque leading the way in sustainable development
Albuquerque leading the way in sustainable development
Albuquerque is leading many cities in the United States, and even the world, in efforts to develop a sustainable development program by which future generations will not have to suffer for the industry and economic growth of the present.
“AlbuquerqueGreen” is the name of this project, backed by City Administration, that seeks to encourage residents and businesses to enact small to large changes in their lifestyles in order to create a culture of sustainable living.
There are eight essential pillars of sustainability recognized:
Sustainable water – Albuquerque is a desert community, and even though the city straddles the Rio Grande, water is an all-important resource. In 1994 city leaders called for water consumption to be reduced by 30% and to a large extent the city has met this challenge. This has been accomplished by a number of means, through the reintroduction of natural plant life in city parks, so that less irrigation is required, to the development of water treatment plants that will convert waste water into water for irrigation. The city also offers water bill rebates for business and households who have adopted the “xeric” (dry) landscape for their gardens, which encourages plants that are water efficient.
Green Buildings – in 2005 the City Administration set new legislation requiring that all new buildings and renovations adhere to principles set out by the U.S Green Building Council, making them more energy efficient through the use of natural lighting, and the use of renewable energies such as solar energy.
Energy and Emissions – although the Global Warming debate has cast doubt on much of the scientific evidence to support a theory of human-led global warming, Albuquerque has none-the-less adopted policies aimed at encouraging the use of renewable energy. 20% of the cities power is derived from wind turbines, and all traffic lights in the city are intended to be converted to LED lights, which are more efficient, by July of 2010. This is part of the energy efficient lighting, which will see all city facilities equipped with light-bulbs that are less heat-intensive.
Forestry and Agriculture – the City of Albuquerque has outlined an ambitious plan to plant around 11,000 varied species of trees in city parks, which would provide 60% canopy cover and so ensure the protection of urban plant life, while also keeping the air clean and helping recycle carbon dioxide emissions.
Transportation – is another major factor in the city’s sustainability plan. There are various tax incentives encouraging residents to use bicycles, busses, or hybrid vehicles (a hybrid vehicle, for example, doesn’t have to pay for parking in the city’s public parking spaces). Each year there is also a Strive Not to Drive week, and the police department employs the regular use of electric Segways for routine patrols rather than cars.
Recycling and Waste reduction – the city has implemented a 20-year plan which will eventually see the closure of the city’s landfill site, this is called the “Zero Waste” plan and, rather over-ambitiously, it seeks to see the recycling of almost all waste materials in the city.
But, the policies of the city outlined above have been controversial, some Albuquerque news providers and residents see the efforts of the City Administration as a drain on public finances, money that is wasted on projects that will only see results, if any, in the distant future while problems of the present, such as a high crime rate and city deficits, loom large.
Either way, the Albuquerque Green project, although limited in its initial accomplishments, especially with regard to renewable energies and waste disposal, does put one in mind of the famous “butterfly effect”, the theory that a butterfly flapping its wings could cause a tornado on the other side of the world.
Either way, changes today, however small, will surely have some impact on our future.
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Albuquerque leading the way in sustainable development
The Global Warming debate over whether humans or natural processes are to blame for rising temperatures, is far from settled. But for many environmentalists and conservation groups there is a concern that the debate may detract from the fact that something must still be done about the unsustainable way in which humans currently live.
Albuquerque is leading many cities in the United States, and even the world, in efforts to develop a sustainable development program by which future generations will not have to suffer for the industry and economic growth of the present. Read more
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