Contra Costa County recognizes that climate change is a critical issue that poses a substantial long-term threat locally and globally. In 2005, the County Board of Supervisors acknowledged that local leadership is critical to address this urgent issue and formed the multi-departmental Climate Change Working Group comprised of top-level managers representing five County departments. The County has already implemented a wide range of policies and practices that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by reducing vehicular emissions, conserving energy and minimizing waste.
Contra Costa County Accomplishments:
- County Board of Supervisors voted (4-0) in support of joining the CaliforniaFIRST program.
- Received EECBG funds for LED streetlight projects.
- Ranked second place among counties for the total watts of solar energy installed in 2009.
- Replaced 40 of its 131 buses with eco-warrior vehicles. The new buses reduce emissions by 85% through filtration devices and are made of 100% recyclable aluminum panels. Nine of the new buses are hybrids.
- Adopted Strategic Energy Plan to reduce energy use at County facilities
- Replaced traffic (90%) & pedestrian (80%) signals with energy-saving light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
- Use solar energy to power selected County facilities and outdoor lighting
- Now using B20 Biodiesel for County's entire diesel fleet
- Continue increasing number of hybrids (72) and alternative-fuel vehicles (51) in County's fleet
- Passed a Construction & Demolition (C&D) Debris Recovery Ordinance
- Completed County's municipal and communitywide GHG Emissions Inventory
- Adopted US Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration.
- Adopted County's Municipal Climate Action Plan
- Released Municipal GHG Reduction Toolkit for use by other local governments interested in reducing GHGs from their municipal operations
- Environmental Purchasing Policy
- Joined ICLEI's Cities for Climate Protection Campaign
- County's Climate Protection web pages
- Contra Costa County Website