Encouraging smart growth policies and improving mass transit will have a positive impact on controlling climate change. However, municipalities can directly act to control climate change by improving energy efficiency of buildings and vehicles. Americans consume enormous amounts of energy, with consumption projected to increase at an unsustainable rate in the future. Reducing energy use will control greenhouse gases and greatly improve our environment.

Local governments can take the lead in reducing energy usage by encouraging conservation both within their own facilities and in private homes and businesses. Schenectady has already taken the lead by conducting an energy audit and committing to reduce its carbon footprint seven percent by 2012. The city has already cut its carbon output by four percent over the last four years, but to meet and exceed its seven-percent goal, NYLCVEF encourages the city of Schenectady to:

• Develop clear and attainable targets for reducing the city’s energy usage and carbon footprint. This action plan should be developed within the next year and should include reasonable deadlines and comprehensive metrics that allow the public to measure the city’s progress towards achieving its goals. Key components of the plan should:
• Adopt necessary local ordinances to require reduction in municipal energy usage;
• Develop a mechanism for the city to regularly report progress toward reducing its own energy consumption and carbon footprint;
• Require all new vehicles purchased by the city after December 31, 2008, to be hybrid or able to operate using ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel; and
• Require the city to purchase only EnergyStar-rated equipment.

In addition, NYLCVEF encourages the city of Schenectady to:

• Build on the recent construction of 10 affordable green homes in the city by adopting green building (LEED) standards for all new construction projects and creating incentives for the construction of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly private homes and commercial properties. Specifically, the city should:

• Update building and electrical codes to require energy-efficient appliances and construction techniques;

• Incorporate a review of proposed projects’ energy consumption into the land use approval process; and

• Create and fund a city office devoted to encouraging homeowners to make their homes environmentally friendly.

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