[cid:image001.jpg@01CEFFD9.ABF613A0] News Release >From the City of Tacoma, Washington www.cityoftacoma.org<http://www.cityoftacoma.org> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Dec. 23, 2013 MEDIA CONTACTS Gwen Schuler, Media and Communications, gschuler@cityoftacoma.org<mailto:gschuler@cityoftacoma.org>, (253) 591-5160 Carrie McCausland, Media and Communications Office, cmccausland@cityoftacoma.org<mailto:cmccausland@cityoftacoma.org>, (253) 573-2005 Greenhouse Gas Inventory Shows Significant Improvement Green is more than a holiday color in Tacoma In 2008, a group of Green Ribbon Task Force volunteers created Tacoma's Climate Action Plan calling for community-wide emission reductions of 15 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Tacoma's Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability reports that as of 2012, Tacoma not only met, but exceeded this goal. Community-wide emissions achieved an overall 16 percent reduction, with per person emissions down by 27 percent. Tacoma's 2012 emissions were calculated at 1.51 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. That's comparable to 6,488 railcars of burned coal. The community-wide emissions measure includes landfilling at 2 percent of total emissions, building energy use at 40 percent and transportation at 58 percent. City staff attribute the community reduction to drops in building energy use, particularly industrial facilities, and a significant decrease in how many miles people are driving. "While Tacomans can be proud of how our community is improving, we have more work to do," said Councilmember Mello, an original member of the Green Ribbon Task Force. "Even in just the last few years we're seeing dramatic examples of how climate change is impacting our world and why we have an ethical obligation to address this issue at the local level." The City is doing its part to lead by example. Since 2008, when reduction efforts began receiving greater focus, the City organization has achieved a reduction of 7 percent. Municipal emissions include buildings, fleet, employee commutes, streetlights and traffic signals, waste and wastewater, and landfilling. The most significant municipal reductions came from fleet and wastewater treatment plant operations. Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability staff are quick to point out that this inventory doesn't account for emissions associated with materials shipped here from elsewhere. Including Tacoman's consumption-based emissions would increase current emissions by an estimated 400 percent. The original 25-member Green Ribbon Task Force represented a wide cross section of the community including business and trade advocates, environmental advocates, government agencies, higher education, the health community and citizens. It's worth noting that since beginning work on the group's 2008 plan, community-wide emissions have dropped an impressive 24 percent. Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability staff's next step will be to involve the community in updating the Climate Action Plan, including a review of uncompleted action items that may need to be carried over into the future. The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Update Report is available online.<https://www.cityoftacoma.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=9659> The Tacoma Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability serves to research, develop and make recommendations on sustainable practices and policies, report on sustainability and the Climate Action Plan goals, promote sustainable practices, and help the organization by integrating sustainability values and establishing partnerships. In November, Tacoma received a four out of five-star rating from STAR, the first robust national community livability and sustainability rating system. Tacoma is the first of 30 pilot communities to submit and receive STAR certification. ###