However, the low-density character of our community limits the extent to which those alternative modes are feasible for some people. Electric vehicles that could be charged from renewable electricity sources are a promising future solution. In the meantime, reducing the amount we drive, using public transit, using vehicles with high gas mileages, using alternative fuels, and even keeping our tires well inflated can cumulatively make a substantial difference.

Reducing our contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is only half the story. Making our community resilient to the effects of climate change is the other half. This means preparing for when the cost to transport items into the region becomes more prohibitive. Food is probably the most basic of these imports but it includes other items as well. Increased transportation costs may also cut into our tourism economy. Developing local businesses that will flourish during this period such as solar panel installers, alternative technology research and developers, and sustainability knowledge professionals will both diversify our local economy and position us to take advantage of emerging opportunities.

In order to ensure the success of these sustainability efforts, it’s necessary to have a strong public education and outreach effort. There are a lot of people making a lot of claims about what to buy, what to do, and what to invest in. How can a person make sense of it all? The Green Building Codes are intended to provide that measure for buildings, but similar measures are needed for everything else. A well-informed public can make the smart decisions required to create a real difference. We need to have the biggest bang for every buck we spend. The City’s new Sustainability Division can help provide unbiased information to help sort it all out. Check out our webpage by clicking the “Sustainability” button on the lower left of every City of Santa Fe webpage. You can also read the complete Sustainable Santa Fe Plan there: www.santafenm.gov.

Katherine Mortimer is the supervising planner in the Long Range Planning Division for the city of Santa Fe and staffs the Sustainable Santa Fe Commission. She holds a Masters in Environmental Planning from UC Berkeley and has 24 years of experience in environmental and land use planning.

City and County
Initiatives

The City and the County, are working together on sustainability-oriented initiatives. The new County courthouse will be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. The County uses bio diesel fuel for its vehicles.

The new Community Convention Center was designed to earn LEED Silver certification. Materials from the demolished Sweeny Center and construction waste from the new facility were separated for recycling. The Center was built entirely by union labor and features a gallery to display the work of local artists and craftsman.

Mayor David Coss and First Lady Carol Rose

The City’s new Southside Branch Library, which includes an Environmental Resource Center, is one of the greenest public buildings in northern NM. Daylighting and controlled passive solar gain in all primary spaces reduce energy costs for heating and cooling. Low-VOC (volatile organic compound) adhesive and paints reduce off-gassing. Recycled content materials were used in the carpeting, flooring and ceiling tiles. Farmed cherry wood was used whenever possible. Countertops were made from recycled paper and wood residual fiber. A concrete floor on the south side of the building serves as a heat sink in the winter and in the summer is shaded by a carefully placed awning. An automatic control system dims artificial lighting when not in use. State-of-the-art waterless urinals reduce water consumption. Low “e” operable windows provide natural ventilation. Automatic timers irrigate xeriscaped plants using water collected by four cisterns, which hold up to 30,000 gallons of roof-runoff.

SF has received a grant to install a combined heat and power cogeneration installation at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center. The City is interested in
installing a large solar-power system near the waste-treatment plant.