Activists Consider Ways County Can Combat Climate Change
About 80 climate activists came together Tuesday to discuss ways Montgomery can take the next step in enacting policy changes in reaction to last year’s County Council resolution declaring a “climate emergency.”
The activists broke off into smaller workgroups that then presented ideas to the larger body.
“The theme that’s coming out of … the discussions I’ve been a part of, it’s going to take more than just the government, it’s going to take everybody,” said Patty Bubar, the acting director of the county’s Department of Environmental Protection.
Last December, the County Council declared a “climate emergency,” calling for a reduction in greenhouse gases. Part of the resolution was for the Leggett administration, public schools and county’s Park and Planning Commission to advise the council on ideas to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gases.
In June, Chief Administrative Officer Timothy Firestine sent Council President Hans Riemer a 55-page document listing about 100 ideas for greenhouse gas reduction.
Some of the ideas include changes to the county zoning code to allow greater solar and wind power in the Ag Reserve, increasing the number of charging stations for electric vehicles in county garages and facilities, fast tracking permits for buildings with green roofs, greater incentives for telework and require restaurants to compost food scraps.
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County Council Declares ‘Climate Emergency’ Prescribing Greenhouse Gas Reduction
No reference among the chief recommendations listed here to the apparently radical notion of creating roads that allow for an option of safe travel by means other than motor vehicles? Apparently it will have to get a whole lot hotter and stormier before folks will think about truly changing their ingrained assumptions.