Fresh AIRE

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Fresh AIRE
Fresh AIRE Arlington Initiative to Reduce
Emissions

• Arlington County, Virginia

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Impacts of Climate Change

• Intense, more frequent storms
• Flooding of coastal and tidal areas
• Increases or decreases in regional precipitation
• Increased distribution of pests and pathogens

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Arlington Government Carbon Reduction Commitment

• January 1, 2007 County Board Chairman Paul
  Ferguson pledged
• 10 reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from
  County government operations from 2000 to 2012

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Arlington County Government Operations
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Arlington Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2000

• Government emissions lt 4 of Arlington total

Government emissions less than 4 of community
total
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County Commitment

• AIRE Community-wide Action Plan
• Government operations
• Businesses
• Residents

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County Commitments 2007

• Cut energy use in County buildings by 2 per year
  through improved energy efficiency
• Plant 1,200 trees
• Solar projects on County facilities
• Distribute 2,000 CFLs
• 20 free home energy audits

• Buy more wind power
• New county green building policy
• Renewed emphasis on recycling

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Commitment for FY08, Beyond

• Environmental Sustainability Fund
• New residential electric and gas utility taxes
  for Arlington.
• 1.5 million for climate action,
  institutionalizing AIRE, 4 new FTE.
• Funds County facilities upgrades, and outreach
  plus incentives to residents and businesses.

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Businesses and ResidentsThree areas of
opportunity

• Energy
• Transportation
• Waste Reduction

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Businesses and Residents

• Integration of County Environmental Programs

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Residential Outreach

• ACE Green Living Challenge
• Switch lightbulbs to CFLs
• Use a reusable mug for coffee/tea
• Use cloth grocery bags
• Use green cleaning supplies
• Plant a tree
• Recycle regularly
• www.arlingtonenvironment.org

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Residential Outreach

• ACE Green Living Challenge launched
• Hands-On Green seminars launched
• Home energy audits
• Over 300 applications
• 20 audits to be completed
• Weatherization of low-income senior homes
• Distributed CFLs
• Transit, ZipCar/FlexCar, bike/walk
• Collaboration, coordination with other
  jurisdictions and programs

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Residential Recycling and Climate Change

• Recycling Saves Energy

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Residential Recycling and Climate Change

• Arlington Curbside Recycling
• 4000 tons paper, commingled and scrap metal
• 5380 tons yard waste composted
• WARM Model

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Residential Recycling and Climate Change

• Arlington Curbside Recycling
• Reduced GHG Emissions by 43,556 Metric Tons of
  CO2
• Equivalent to taking 9500 cars off the road for a
  year
• Equivalent to saving 5 million gallons of gas.

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Business Outreach

• Target Audiences
• Building owners and management companies
• Office tenants
• Retail
• Affordable housing developers

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Business Outreach

• Partnerships with EPA Energy Star, WasteWise
  Communities
• Chamber of Commerce and their individual members
• Faith community (Interfaith Council, Virginia
  Interfaith Power Light)
• Leveraging existing tools and partners
• Workshops planned for commercial office sector,
  retailers, multi-family properties. First
  summit April 25

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Business Recycling and Climate Change

• Environmental and Economic Benefits
• Reduce trash disposal costs.
• Save energy.
• Prevent the emissions of greenhouse gases and
  water pollutants.
• Produce recycled material to manufacture new
  products.
• Conserve natural resources.

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Business Recycling and Climate Change

• Manufacturing goods from recycled materials uses
  65 - 95 less energy than producing goods from
  virgin materials.
• Recycling 35 of U.S. trash would reduce global
  warming emissions equal to taking 36 million cars
  off the road.-EPA

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Economic and Social Services

• Climate action serves County goals
• Serve seniors, fixed-income, and low-income
  populations.
• Positive impact on public health.
• Smart growth and transport planning.
• Economic development.

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County Contact Information

• www.arlingtonva.us/climate
• www.arlingtonclimateblog.com
• General inquiries climate_at_arlingtonva.us
• Jan Guastaferro 703-228-7866
• jguastaferro_at_arlingtonva.us