The City of Edmonton and its citizens took a strong step forward on a path to a greener future with City Council’s adoption of The Way We Green environmental strategic action plan.
The plan was approved at the July 20th City Council meeting paving the way for City administration to begin work on an implementation plan that will see the goals and strategies outlined in The Way We Green put into practice over the next 30 years.
The plan was passed after about two hours of discussion by members of City Council. Councillor Ben Henderson, who spoke in favour of the plan, said passing of the plan was vital to ensure Edmonton is not left behind other cities who are taking more aggressive action on the environment.
“To say no to this is to put our heads in the sand.”
The Way We Green describes a future Edmonton that is carbon-neutral, generates zero waste, is significantly less dependent on fossil fuels, has clean air and water, is able to withstand and bounce back intact from a range of possible environmental disturbances, and where in the course of everyday life, residents experience a strong connection with nature.
This plan’s vision is articulated through 12 goals, 43 objectives and 193 strategic action that take aim at Edmonton’s environmental and ecosystem challenges involving land, water, air, energy, climate change, food, and solid waste.
Councillor Don Iveson, who holds the environment portfolio on Council and who has been involved with the creation of The Way We Green from its inception said that it was important to remember that passing of The Way We Green was just the beginning of the work to protect and preserve Edmonton’s environment.
“This isn’t the end of the conversation. This is the beginning of the next conversation.”
City administration will spend the next few months working on an implementation plan for The Way We Green which will detail how the goals and objectives of the plan might be set into motion. The implementation plan will be presented in the fall.
The Way We Green was developed with significant public input and that input will continue over the coming months and years as the City and citizens work together to implement the goals of The Way We Green.
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My congratulations to all those who have worked on this project. I would add my sincerest appreciation for including the major Edmonton problem of light pollution, one that has been addressed in The Way We Green. The support of this program will help to convert Edmonton to a Light-Efficient Community, one which will much better serve Edmontonians by protecting our health and environment while reducing our resource use and greenhouse gas production. My thanks as well to City Council for their foresight and determination in creating a better Edmonton for all.
Plan your work, then work your plan. Simple and age old advice and hard to follow.
Discipline in execution involves creating new realities, changes on the ground to existing structures and methods, for example setting a target for increasing population density in mature neighborhoods and renewal means saying “No to more of the same urban sprawl”, and relocating some of the growth demand in existing neighbourhoods. It means restructuring incentives and regulation to change the economic drivers and produce the results that benefit the people who will live and work in the city. Not the developers and companies who seek to maximize profits by the development of the city with projects that provide the greatest margin, for their benefit and to further their interests alone. The bottom line is the bottom line profit for their company, the Cities bottom line, I would hope is profit, return on social investment of a livable, affordable city for its citizens – people who breath, drink and eat. Urban sprawl hasn’t improved air quality, improved watershed management, or improved food security any where in the world, why should it be different in Edmonton.
To make this comment relevant to current events. Edmontonians have invested for many years in the Commonwealth / Northlands sites as an exposition type sites routing the LRT by these sites, building overpasses, and roadways installing utilities etc. Do we cut Northlands out of new arena management and lose the public’s sunk costs or undermine the viability of this long term public investment. Today, we have not even seriously engaged this Northlands yet, or asked the question to my knowledge.
Or do we say, Yes, we want a down town arena and a vibrant expos-sites that leverages the best of both. Not only that we want a coordinated management authority and system to attract and manage all major attractions that can be attracted and bring benefits the interest of citizens. Break out of the zero sum game and say, “We what to attract at 25,000 – 30,000 person conventions, and host them in three sites; a downtown arena, convention centre and Northlands Expo building and arena, and they are available by LRT within 10 minute ride, delegates get on free. And for entertainment of spouses and delegates for entertainment can visit U of A, have a concert in the park, visit a Zoo, take in our heritage at Fort Edmonton on cycle tour in the river valley. In doing so we disburse impact and benefits of hosting such of major conferences across a swats of the city that need economic stimulus. And showcase our leadership as a livable city.
What is required is thinking outside of the box to that of looking seriously at the life-cycle of the developments of this significant nature, and their effect on the livability of the city. I think we need bold strategies for renewing existing residential and business areas, not by destroying one in favor of a bright and shiny new one.
Why see this plan as only applying to the future. Lets put it to work now and apply it to downtown areas, airport redevelopments and leap-froging the Anthony Henday Ring road with more urban sprawl.
Lets put a geothermal utility field under the NorthEast section of the Anthony Henday road, create a geothermal utilities to sell the green heat generated to refinery row, Sherwood Park and Northeast Edmonton homes and businesses.
While these ideas are new the existing mega projects are on paper they are possible to change now by including clean green energy production at this stage. Not only do serious consideration of these ideas create an ongoing benefits, it creates demand for this technology and expertise to locate in Edmonton. Technological leadership in alternative energy sources, sounds like a growth sector of the economy to me. Once the shovels, go in the ground they capital project like these lock us into a pattern for 50 to 100 years. I hope these comments encourage some life-cycle cost and leadership thinking today. Not only by city officials over the next few months.
Bigger, better bolder on new frontiers, not repeating yesterday’s blunders on a larger scale.
Local, Lean, Clean and Green Now.
Thoughts to question common wisdom,
Mike Hanna
Bravo!
Thank you councillors and all the people that worked on bringing this plan into being. Our children will appreciate it. I appreciate right here and now.
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