By Susan Jarvis
July 16, 2007

The Sustainability and Community Trees Task Forces, chaired by Redmond (WA) Mayor Rosemarie Ives and Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo, respectively, convened a joint task force meeting during the United States Conference of Mayors 75th Annual Meeting. Both task forces, began Ives, are challenged with identifying and implementing good ideas to increase the quality of life in their community.

The first presenter, Mike Town, a science teacher at Redmond (WA) high school, is the creator of the Kids for Climate Protection (KCP) Program, which challenges schools to educate students on how to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions. “Any 2020 greenhouse reduction strategy must include an education component,” began Town, noting that the graduating class of 2020 begins kindergarten in the fall. The first part of the KCP program is the “cool schools challenge”, which challenges schools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to Kyoto levels. The second part of the challenge is the 1,000 pound Greenhouse Gas Reduction Challenge, which asks teachers to reduce 1,000 pounds of more of CO2 in their classroom. Students become the “energy auditors” actively participating in the process. In addition to cool schools and 1,000 pound challenges, the KCP program also encompasses an interdisciplinary science and math curriculum, a website with pledge sheets, interactive greenhouse gas calculators, a curriculum, fact sheets and resources and the development and implementation of teacher workshops to create a teacher greenhouse reduction champion in every school.

The KCP program also aims to create life long lessons, teaching the students to speak “carbonese”, educate their families, and reduce greenhouse emissions throughout their lives. While the KCP program will roll out in fall 2007, Town is already thinking about expanding nationwide. “Global Climate Change is the ‘Silent Spring” of this generation” concluded Town. “Students want to be part of the solution, so let’s not ignore them.”

Kelly Caffarelli, Executive Director of The Home Depot Foundation, briefed the attendees on the work of the Foundation, which focus on building affordable, responsible housing, and the preservation of community trees. The foundation’s work has an emphasis on keeping energy bills low, transit-oriented development and an increased focus on air quality. The Foundation is working to increase awareness of the relationship between quality affordable housing, community green space and trees. Ms. Caffarelli also addressed the new challenges faced by the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive species attacking trees throughout the midwest and in some mid-Atlantic states. The devastating loss of trees is being combated by planting new young trees between older trees. It is a challenge cities will be needed to continue to address, as there is “no cure”.

Mike Katz from EPA’s Energy Star program gave an update on some new Energy Star programs, including a new website, an Energy Star challenge toolkit, and an updated list of partners. The Energy Star program is also looking to do audits and implement solutions in existing buildings. Katz noted that commercial buildings can see a 10 percent reduction in energy use with little or no investment the day the audit is completed.