San Jose Mayor unveils 10-point strategy to make city greener

“The people of San José and Silicon Valley have changed the world,” Reed said. “With our history of innovation and environmental stewardship as a foundation, San José will become the world’s center of innovation in clean, green technologies. Our goals for innovation, sustainability and green mobility are bold and comprehensive. I believe that in 15 years, we can succeed and build a better future for our children, our residents and the world.”

The plan outlines 10 goals that address energy consumption, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts. The goals are:

1. Create 25,000 clean technology jobs. To achieve this, Reed's plan calls for government incentives and services “at every stage of growth” to encourage clean technology firms to stay and grow in San José. His plan also calls for partnerships with local universities, job training for local residents and legislative changes to support the growth of the clean tech industry.
   
2. Reduce per-capita energy use by 50 percent. The plan calls for the city government—which has reduced its energy consumption by 200 million kilowatt-hours since 2001—to partner with residents, entrepreneurs and civic groups to encourage the adoption of energy-efficient products such as energy monitoring systems and green roofs.
   
3. Receive 100 percent of electrical power from clean renewable sources. The city aims to supply 10 percent of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's goal of 1 million solar roofs in California. The plan also calls for the city to support power-purchase agreements, helping to facility the procurement of solar energy technology.
   
4. Build or retrofit 50 million square feet of green buildings. The city recently opened what it claims is the first green community center and has “adopted aggressive standards for green-building practices for city facilities.” According to Reed's plan, the city will work with “private-sector partners to ensure sustainable commercial and residential construction.”
   
5. Divert 100 percent of waste from landfills and convert waste to energy. Instead of sending 712,000 tons of garbage to landfills every year, Reed's vision calls for “partnerships with innovative companies” to convert solid waste and biosolids into biodiesel, methanol, biogas and electricity.
   
6. Recycle or beneficially reuse 100 percent of wastewater (100 million gallons per day) through water conservation, expanded use of recycled water and habitat protection.
   
7. Adopt a general plan with measurable standards for sustainable development.
   
8. Ensure that 100 percent of public fleet vehicles run on alternative fuels. “To develop a system of green mobility,” the plan says, “we must reduce reliance on single-occupant vehicles and ensure that alternative transportation is efficient, convenient and environmentally sustainable. By focusing on long-term land-use planning, reducing emissions from vehicles, embracing clean transportation technology, creating smart green streets, providing pedestrian and bicycling opportunities and creating a green airport, San José will achieve its vision of green mobility.”
   
9. Plant 100,000 new trees and replace 100 percent of the city's streetlights with smart, zero-emission lighting.
   
10. Create 100 miles of interconnected trails.

Municipal efforts include installing solar on city buildings

Strategies to make the city government greener and more cost-efficient include installing solar on city buildings and retrofitting facilities to be greener. San José City Council earlier this year adopted some of the nation’s most aggressive greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals for municipal operations. The city has set a goal that all new municipal facilities be built to achieve LEED-gold certification.

Reed noted that San José—which is the nation's 10th largest city—was one of the first communities in the nation to develop curbside recycling. He added that San José leads the nation in diverting waste from its landfills.

“As we have in the past, San José can do the research and development necessary to show the cities of the world how to become clean and green,” Reed said. “Over the next 15 years, we can cut our per-capita electricity usage in half and get 100 percent of our electrical power from clean renewable sources. We will demonstrate that energy efficiency saves money and is worth the upfront investment.”