Green Leadership
As President George Bush has steadily rolled back environmental protections -- his shocking commitment to open up our beautiful coastlines to offshore drilling is only the latest outrage -- the responsibility to protect our environment has fallen to cities, states and many dedicated individuals.
San Francisco is one of the greenest cities in the country today because we did not wait for Washington. We are taking action now to green our environment and our economy from the ground up. But we are making so much progress because we are working with so many talented people.
One of our most visionary partners in protecting the environment is Van Jones. Van is the founder and president of Green For All. He is combining solutions to America's two biggest challenges -- social inequality and environmental destruction -- by creating and promoting green collar jobs.
I am proud to announce that I will be introducing Van at Netroots Nation on Sunday in Austin, TX. For details click here.
With the help of people like Van we are establishing a new green economy in California while reducing our dependence on foreign oil, slashing the amount of greenhouse gases being released into the environment, and promoting clean and renewable energy. We are ensuring that the neighborhoods that were locked out of the pollution-based economy are locked in to the new green economy.
In San Francisco, we are moving aggressively to combat climate change because we believe we can be a model for other cities.
We have already attained carbon emission reductions that bring city and county levels nearly to 1990 levels, and city government emissions are already below 1990 levels.
San Francisco has the highest recycling rate in the nation at 70%. And we have just committed to 75% by 2010.
On July 1st San Francisco launched the nation's largest solar incentive program providing solar rebates to local residents and businesses ranging from $3,000-$10,000, making solar a reality for every home in San Francisco that wants it.
We have converted the City's entire diesel vehicle fleet to B20 biodiesel -- that's a total of 1,500 cars, trucks, buses, and other vehicles.
We have also introduced the most comprehensive green building ordinance in the country. It imposes green building requirements on newly constructed residential buildings, newly constructed commercial buildings over 25,000 sq ft, and renovations over 5,000 sq ft. And we have made this commitment hand-in-hand with private businesses and developers. They understand that building "green" isn't next year -- it's right now.
We are aggressively advancing local renewable energy generation -- tidal, wind, wave, solar and geothermal. And this is just the beginning. With the help and encouragement of people like Van, we are going to light our neighborhoods with renewable power.
If you are at Netroots Nation, I hope you will stick around on Sunday morning to see Van Jones speak. He has been an inspiration to me, and I know his commitment to a fairer, cleaner future will inspire you too. For details click here.
Follow Gavin Newsom on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GavinNewsom
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See Paige Donner's Profile
Mr. Newsom - how awesome that you are leading with a green agenda for S.F.! What do you think about LA's municipally-owned wind turbine farm up in Tehachapi? Might be fun to have a bit of a city "rivalry" to spur comradely competition in Greening a City. How about it? Greening Hollywood (on Huff Po)
We are all so very proud of Mayor Newsom! The best way to solve our global climate issues, to re-invigorate our economy, and to ween ourselves from foreign energy supplies is to lead by action locally.
Because of Mayor Newsom and the extended renewable rebate program, the Haight-Ashbury is going solar! The restored Victorian and studio kitchen for our Hippy Gourmet TV series is teaming up with Akeena Solar to install a full array! Now the rest of the neighborhood, including other businesses are joining in!
Our bright future is indeed hopeful, especially with proactive politicians such as Mayor Newsom!
this is great! i hope you are clear that we need to break free of ALL Big Energy monopolies, not just foreign ones. millions of acres of our taxpayer-owned intact wilderness is under siege by Big Energy trying to build gigantic, wasteful power plants right now. It is no consolation that they will be fueled (only in small part, in the case of most solar thermal plants) by sun or wind, because the land they destroy is gone forever. add to that the huge network of unnecessary new powerlines RETI is plotting to steal our homes to build, and we have a total enviro-meltdown that is being GREENWASHED!
you have it right - the first 80% of our solution must be point of use. renewable generation, conservation, feed-in-tariffs, electric cars, and NO MORE MONOPOLIES! Since CA ratepayers already have to pay 100% of the cost of any new power plant and any new power line, even in a different region, we should all insist that the "infrastructure" surcharges all come BACK TO US FOR OUR OWN ROOFS!
Just exactly how much have taxes increased in San Francisco in the last ten years? You have to pay for this greening with greenbacks - a ton of them!
viva san francisco!
i wish i lived there.
unfortunately, my family is in L.A.
and most of them think i'm a Peak Oil nut
oh well....
my second choice is Edo Japan, but then you have to watch out for samurai
but I'd settle for the pacific northwest
or vancouver british columbia
anything but L.A.
we out here in sf are moving on. we're not siding with the nascar lovin chest beatin truck driving insular flag lapel wearing church obsessed americana anymore. Tired of watching the country regress into the rear view mirror, we're not paying attention to you anymore. We'll be our own country and keep moving ahead. People out here know that we are as much a part of asia as we are of america. Lets make our capital Tokyo, get rid of washington, keep living our progressive life and leave the overconsuming anti-intellectual closed minded hee-haws in the dust. see ya.
Mr. Newsom,
Thank you for your leadership on so many progressive issues - you make me proud to be a Californian. I hope you do run for governor, and eventually president - I'd certainly vote for you.
The city's economic analysis committee says the green building requirements will have a negative impact on San Francisco's growth by slowing new construction and causing businesses to avoid the city. But the committee is absolutely wrong. Greater energy efficiency and lower environmental impacts are a huge draw for businesses, and new construction across the country has largely gone green regardless of local regulation.
Mr. Mayor, your blog was the first time a lot of readers of the Huff post have had the chance to hear you. As a native of Burlingame (bay area) I just want to take this moment to ask my friends here to see what a great president you would make, I know I wont be the first to say this but Newsom in 2016
Tidal energy under the Golden Gate Bridge!
I love it!
Have you started it yet?
What is there to love about a destructive technology that will shred marine life and alter flow patterns in sensitive eco-systems?
welcome to huffpost, mr. mayor!
peace from just north of the bridge...
I think I'm getting a taste of where California's next gubernatorial race is heading, and I like it.
As San Francisco goes, so go the cities of the nation!
One can only hope that's true!
I love Gavin. No, really. As a Californian I can't tell you how saddened I was that Bush will continue to try to ruin America right down to his last day in office. He's kept telling lies about how Drilling will help, and people are buying it. The truth is, it will not help. Conservation and change will help, not drilling. If Bush was more like Gavin Newsom, America would look more like SF, on the road to energy independence, with jobs and a future. Instead the oil giants are still playing the same old cards, and imprisioning us in the past. GO GAVIN.
Thanks!! I always use you as an example of progressive thinking and action, especially when comparing to Schwarzenegger and Villaraigosa!!
You have our full support for your local PV/micro-wind and we hope that you will push hard for feed-in tariffs like Germany, Spain, Japan, Greece, and now Switzerland enjoy, so that every person can be rewarded for doing the right thing by installing renewable generation (including oversized systems!) on their own property.
I hope Van Jones will also start speaking in terms of working class people OWNING the means to their independence by establishing programs to get PV and micro-wind into their communities. This will create far more jobs than a few jobs at a Big Energy power plant, and will allow people to fully engage in the Green Economy as more than consumers, spectators, or hourly clock-punchers. It's important for dignity and commitment to get people owning their own futures...
Forget net metering. Forget remote generation and lengthy transmission. Forget Big Energy monopolies. Long live Renewable Energy Independence! Long Live Feed-In Tariffs! Long Live incentives and lending programs!
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