Results tagged “Sustainable City Commission” from Press Corps

How should Long Beach become an environmentally sustainable, green city? The Sustainable City Commission has its answer in the Draft Sustainable City Action Plan, and the commission wants your input. The action plan addresses everything from energy to transportation to water quality. You can read the action plan online and then take a survey to give feedback to the commission.

Click here to see the plan.

In many ways, Long Beach's Sustainable City Commission is the (hybrid, low-emission) engine that keeps the city's greening efforts going.

On Thursday, the commission will discuss approving its Green Economy and Lifestyle Focus Area and incorporating it into the Sustainable City Action Plan that is being crafted. What that means is some lofty goals to create a sustainable and green economy.

The Economy and Lifestyle plan calls for developing at least 2,000 green collar jobs in Long Beach by 2012 (with the economy the way it is, I'm guessing city leaders would be happy to see 2,000 new jobs of any kind); enrolling 100 green business in the Long Beach Green Business Certification Program by 2012; targeting half of the city's business grants and loans for green business development by 2012; and increase the city's green spending -- such as on office supplies -- to 100 percent by 2020.

Like I said, these are some lofty goals. On the jobs front, Long Beach has 925 green collar jobs now, which is 4.7 percent of the city's 195,000 total jobs, according to a city report. That means the city would have to triple the number of green jobs it currently has, which could be a challenge.

You can hear the commission discuss this plan and other green-related policies that may soon bloom around Long Beach at noon Thursday in the Aquarium of the Pacific's Watershed Classroom. Get more details on the meeting here by clicking on the agenda document.

The Sustainable City Commission paved the way for an eco-friendly business program today when it unanimously agreed to send to the program's initial framework to the City Council.
As it stands, the voluntary Green Business program includes establishing a four-step certification process, a green business logo and brand for businesses to use and a map or directory of the city's green businesses.
A green business in Long Beach would have to comply with federal, state and local regulations, pledge to carry out a number of conservation and waste reduction practices and annually renew its designation.
The proposal will come back to the council in early August.