The Greening of Burlingame

By Terry D. Nagel

Our city is actively promoting "green" practices by residents, businesses and local government.

Burlingame has already taken significant steps to "go green." The city completed an energy audit in 2003 and has retrofitted city buildings with energy-efficient systems. The city installed a co-generation system in its waste treatment plant that reuses methane gas to power 80 percent of the facility, which saves the city about $80,000 each year. The city recently received a $160,000 rebate from Pacific Gas & Electric for this project. This year the city had the highest waste diversion in its history. In June citizens recycled more than 40 tons of electronic waste. You can read more about the city's progress to date on the city's Web site.

Challenges Ahead

There is much more to be done. In August 2007 the Burlingame City Council unanimously supported the Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement to advance the goals of the Kyoto Protocol, which addresses climate disruption. We formed a Green Ribbon Task Force to help residents, businesses and local government adopt action plans for reducing carbon emissions and adopting sustainable practices.

In addition, we are working with the Association of Bay Area Governments' Energy Watch representatives to measure our city's baseline energy usage and learn new ways to reduce energy consumption. We have indicated our city's interest in joining ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability) to take the efforts of our city, businesses and residents to a higher level. We are one of six cities participating in a pilot program that recognizes businesses for reducing pollution and promoting environmental practices.

A Countywide Plan

In February 2006 the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors appointed me to the Utilities and Sustainability Task Force, a countywide commission charged with creating an energy and sustainability plan for all cities in the county. Our recommendations and action plan will soon be released.

I am committed to making Burlingame a leader in reducing carbon emissions and becoming more sustainable. I take heart in a recent city survey that showed that 74 percent of our residents support the city's involvement in environmentally friendly measures, even if the cost exceeds the projected operational savings over the life of the project. To those who say we can't afford to go green, I say: We can't afford not to.

If you are interested in participating in this important work, sign to be notified about "Green Ribbon Meetings and Activities" on the city's e-newsletter signup page or send an email to gogreen@burlingame.org.