Making Albany a Green City
Introduction
The Green Cities movement strives to make cities healthier and more livable. Green Cities
incorporate sustainable, environmental principles into issues such as garbage, park and
land maintenance, building design, transportation, child care, housing, energy use,
economic development and water. Sustainability includes a vibrant, diverse economy that
provides living wage jobs for residents.
Green Cities try to make it possible for people to easily move around without using cars.
Ever since World War II, public officials and transportation planners have restlessly
defaced and carved-up urban neighborhoods to speed the flow of traffic. Reducing the use
of cars reduces the pollution produced by cars. Green cities emphasize public
transportation, bicycling, and walking as well as urban villages, which reduce the need
for travel by meeting people's basic needs in neighborhood shopping districts. Green
cities are places where people both live and work, with mixed uses incorporated into
neighborhoods (e.g., walk to work). Separate safe paths for bike riders are provided
within the city limits; public bicycles can be provided to ride from one place to another
and left for someone else to ride.
Green Cities promote open spaces. Not only parklands, community gardens and urban farms,
but also the restoration of ancient creeks buried under pavement and concrete. Vacant lots
and rooftops would be used for orchards and vegetable patches. The Greens support the
expansion and protection of the Pine Bush preserve; it opposes Mayor Jenning's proposal to
use land promised to the preserve to expand the landfill. The Greens also oppose the
proposed new hotel in the Pine Bush.
Green Cities are rebuilt with lots of sun pouring into the interiors, heating and
refreshing the air without the use of fossil fuels or nuclear fission. Solar collectors
and windmills would glint in the sun. Trees are planted along city streets. People are
encouraged to plant on rooftops and in window boxes. Green Cities are alive with bicycles,
solar greenhouses, creeks, plants, animals, and people.
In Green Cities, growth takes place within the city limits. Downtown neighborhoods and
business districts are fully developed, not left partly empty as in most American cities.
Buildings are re-used, taller ones are built, and vacant lots are filled in as the city
grows, protecting open space and farmland outside the city.
Albany should sign onto the UN Urban Environmental Accords. www.wed2005.org
Green City Proposals for Albany
Pesticides.
Phase out the use of pesticides on City Property, including parks, public housing and
safety. Develop sustainable lawn practices utilizing integrated pest management. Albany
County phased-out the use of pesticides six years ago.
Promote the public health and environmental benefits of supporting organic and sustainably
grown foods, especially produce and products produced within the region. Ensure that 50%
of the food served in public facilities (e.g., schools) is local and organic within five
years.
Solid Waste, Recycling and Composting
Albany has signed a DEC order to close its landfill. The City should have saved space in
the landfill years ago by stopping the importation of garbage from other communities once
it became clear we had to close it. Instead, Albany has become a garbage addict, using the
landfill as a cash cow. The City of Albany is expected to raise nearly $14 million in 2005
from selling landfill space to private garbage haulers and 12 other communities. Even now,
we can keep the landfill open longer by taking aggressive action to stop the amount of
garbage coming in. Even at present disposal rates, it is expected the landfill can remain
open five years.
Overhaul the City's recycling program. Establish an overall solid waste recycling rate of
50% by 2006; 60% by 2008. Go to a volume based garbage system, where those who produce the
most garbage pay the highest fees (e.g., charge per bag of garbage, while recyclables are
collected for free.) In a volume-based garbage system, residents would be charged
based on the amount of garbage they throw out, while recycling would be free. This would
provide a financial incentive for households to reduce the amount of waste they throw
away.
The Greens have long advocated a regional Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to improve the
collection and marketing of recyclables by local governments. The Greens also advocate
diverting food and yard waste out of landfills, including both promoting backyard
composting and having curbside pickup of food waste. The City currently picks up yard
waste.
Zero Waste
Adopt a zero waste to landfill policy by 2020. The Zero Waste Movement looks beyond
recycling to preventing garbage itself. Many communities worldwide have begun to join the
Zero Waste campaign. It is particularly strong in New Zealand, where a third of all local
government councils have now passed resolutions to work for 'Zero Waste to landfills by
2015.
Mandatory recycling is enforced through fines. City and local businesses practices are
changed to prevent waste. For instance, copy machines are set to default to double-sided
copies on recycled paper; more use if made of electronic documents. Manufacturers are
required to take more environmental responsibility for their products and to create
materials that cause fewer disposal problems. The effort includes "take-back"
programs for computer monitors, furniture and possibly even prescription drugs. The city
would also adopt a "green purchasing" program -- buying non-toxic window
cleaners, janitorial supplies and "environmentally preferable" electronics, as
well as paper.
Another Zero Waste initiatives would include Use-It-Again Albany, featuring community
"garage sales" throughout the city, allows residents to drop off and pick up
items free (no electronics, appliances, couches or mattresses).
In Seattle, the Take-It-Back Network returned 600 tons of computers monitors and other
components in 2004 to participating retail stores. Groups such as the Rechargeable Battery
Recycling Coalition intercept items that shouldn't go in landfills. A city "green
building" program, aimed at recycling, water and energy conservation and waste
prevention, has also produced results. Eleven city projects last year kept nearly 57,000
tons -- or $560,000 worth -- of salvaged or reused materials out of landfills.
Establish City policies to use recycled antifreeze; recycled latex plant; and paper with
at least 30% post-consumer recycled-content paper.
Hire a resource-conservation manager to reduce solid waste the use of energy, water and
other resources at City facilities.
Promote Municipal Power
Albany should conduct a feasibility study of providing electricity both to itself and to
residential and commercial customers. More than 50 municipalities in New York, including
Green Island, run their own power system with rates significantly below that of the
investor-owned utilities. While some of the savings are due to access to cheap federal
hydroelectric power that a new municipal power system could tie into, considerable savings
for both taxpayers and consumers would still be likely due to the elimination of
the profit margin and reduced administrative costs. Last year the City of Auburn approved
a referendum establishing a municipal power system and the County of Cayuga is voting on a
similar system this November. Such a power system would also provide jobs to local
residents and cheaper power would help attract new businesses. A municipal power system
would also assist in promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation, both
by the system and individual customers.
A municipal system would provide increased consumer protection under the new deregulated
energy market.
Nationwide, the 2008 public power systems in the country delivered power to residential
customers for 18 percent less than IOUs during 1999. The average price was 7.2 cents per
kilowatt our for public power systems and 8.5 cents per kilowatt hour for IOUs.
Energy deregulation, largely a cover for the massive multi-billion bailout of the
failed nuclear industry, has changed the cost dynamics of the electrical industry.
However, public power systems are still able to keep their prices lower for two basic
reasons. First, they don't have to pay dividends to stockholders. They aim to run at cost,
without a markup to cover profits. Second, most public power systems are democratic. Their
boards are elected at public elections, or at least appointed by elected politicians. The
ultimate boss is the consumer served by the utility, not the shareholders seeking to
maximize profits.
The responsiveness of public power systems to consumer concerns has also been a reason why
public power systems have led the way in energy conservation and renewable energy
production. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) provides a case in point.
With the antinuclear movement instigating a broad citizen movement that petitioned for an
initiative referendum, SMUD voters decided in 1987 in a public referendum that they wanted
to shut down SMUD's financially disastrous Rancho Seco nuclear power plant. SMUD then
redirected utility investments toward energy conservation and renewables. Today, SMUD has
paid down its nuclear debt and is one of the leading utilities in the world in energy
efficiency and solar-based, renewable energy production. That is why they were able to
provide low-cost, uninterrupted service during last winter's California energy crisis.
Reduce Exposure to Lead
Strengthen efforts to reduce exposure to lead, especially in the city's low-income
neighborhoods. Lead is a highly toxic metal that was widely used in paint until it was
banned in 1978. – before 95 percent of Albany's housing stock was built. In three of
the city's Lead Paint Abatement target areas, Arbor Hill, West Hill, and the South End,
the City estimates there are 6,600 children under age 6 and 95 percent of them are at risk
of lead poisoning.
Infants, children under age 6, and pregnant women are the groups most at risk of lead
poisoning, which affects every system of the body. At high levels of exposure, lead can
cause coma, convulsions, and death. At low levels, it can affect children's developing
brains and nervous systems, causing reduced IQs and attention spans, reading and learning
disabilities, hyperactivity, and behavioral problems.
Albany should adopt legislation that takes a pro-active approach to lead poisoning.
Right now is a finding of high lead level in a child's body that triggers action. Albany
should look at the existing NYC lead prevention ordinance and the proposed ones for
Rochester. At a minimum, apartments should have to be certified as lead free when they
obtain a certificate of occupancy or if there is evidence of a potential health
hazard (e.g., paint chips). In addition, homes determined to be at high risk should
be required to show they are lead free. Rochester's proposed ordinance defines such
dwellings as: all rental housing constructed prior to 1978; all owner-occupied
housing constructed prior to 1960 if a child 6 or younger is expected to reside or play
there; and mixed use properties. In addition, if a child is found to have elevated lead
levels in their blood, the county should require that a clearance test be conducted
to ensure that invisible lead hazards do not continue to exist.
The Greens also support adoption of state legislation (A4201 - Gantt) to "enacts the
lead-safe housing act to make enforcement of lead hazard control standards in the state of
New York more certain and more effective; create a loan fund to assist owners in complying
with lead-safe requirements; provide for inspections and certification of inspectors and
remediators; require registration of affected properties; provide tax credits for
remediation; provide for appointment of deputy commission of housing and community renewal
to oversee provisions; and provide for educational programs relating to lead poisoning and
abatement."
Green fully supports implementation of the consent order that Arbor Hill Concerned
Citizens reached with the City over the performance of the City's lead abatement
program.Promote Better Air Quality
Promote Better Air Quality
The 2005 State of the Air report by the American Lung Association gave Albany a failing
grade on ozone levels (and a C on 24 hour particulates). Ground-level ozone is formed when
emissions from vehicles and gasoline vapors mix under hot conditions. The DEC issues
health advisories for people to stay indoors or restrict outdoor activities like exercise
on days when levels are likely to exceed federal standards. Wheezing, congestion, chest
pain and itchy, burning eyes are the typical symptoms asthmatics suffer on such days. High
ozone levels can impair the lung function of even healthy adults.
Convert CDTA buses to nondiesel such as hybrid electric, as the City of Seattle recently
did. Biodiesel could also be considered. Most aggressive city involvement in reducing air
pollution, such as going after existing and new air pollution facilities such as Besicorp
proposal across the river. Hire a pollution-prevention specialist to reduce environmental
and human health risks from air-, water- and land-based pollutants.
Action on Global Warming
The City of Albany should join with other Mayors across the country in endorsing the U.S.
Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. The U.S. Conference of Mayors unanimously passed a
resolution on June 14, 2005 requiring their cities to try to meet or surpass emissions
standards set by the Kyoto Protocol.
The City should initiate energy conservation in all city-owned buildings and schools,
including the use of renewable energy technologies (e.g., solar hot water heating,
windmills). The City should purchase wind power. The City should retrofit city facilities
with energy efficient lighting and urge employees to conserve energy and save money.
The City of Albany should adopt a Global Warming Action Plan similar to Portland, Oregon.
Such a plan would include actions such as: a formal goal related to reduction of
greenhouse emissions within the city; an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions from City
operations; investment in all energy-efficiency measures with simple paybacks of ten years
or less; establish City policy to purchase Energy Star or equivalent products for any
equipment using electricity, natural gas or oil; require all City construction projects to
exceed standard energy goals by at least 20%; convert street lights and traffic signals to
more efficient energy technologies as they become available; implement city policies to
encourage mass transit by city employees, initiate policies to increase use of mass
transit, bicycles and car pooling by individuals who work within the city; purchase
hybrid-electric vehicles for the city's fleets; increase average efficiency of passenger
vehicles in the City's fleet to 35 mpg; purchase at least 20% of the new renewable
resources by 2008 and 100% by 2012; planting more trees and native tree species within the
city to increase shading and absorb C)2; implement best management practices for city
urban landscaped areas; improving development practices to limit destruction of trees;
Green Albany's Building Codes
The city's building codes should require builders to incorporate energy saving devices,
such as solar (including building orientation to the south), low energy use appliances,
and high levels of insulation. The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program is a good
model. Under the program a building is evaluated based on six primary categories including
sustainable site, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor
environmental quality and innovation and design process. Points or credits are awarded for
the various line items in each of the above categories, and buildings are deemed LEED
buildings if they earn a certain number of points.
Waste Water Treatment
Should the Albany wastewater treatment need upgrading or replacement, the City should
examine use Living Machines and/or engineered wetlands instead of standard technology.
Greens in the Village of New Paltz recently successfully introduced reed bed technology,
saving tax dollars while improving environmental protection.
Living Machines are ‘whole systems' approaches to treating wastewater. They are
solar-powered, accelerated versions of the water treatment facilities found in mature
natural systems. Incorporating helpful microbes, plants, snails and fish into diverse,
self-organizing and responsive communities, Living Machines are site-specific, biological
solutions that re-route waste streams into resources. These technologies have been
customized for numerous communities and businesses throughout
the world.
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