Ecological Concern, Gas Cost Spur Steps
By Lauren Wiseman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 17, 2008
The traffic lights in Annapolis use LEDs. The crosswalk signs rely on solar panels to power their blink. And city officials drive hybrid vehicles.
Rising fuel costs, combined with concern for the environment, have prompted the city to adopt "green" initiatives to help conserve energy and save money.
"It's more than a trend," said Frank Biba, chief of the city's environmental programs. "In the absence of initiatives on state and federal levels, local governments can make a difference."
An ordinance approved in February encourages city departments to purchase material that can be reused, recycled or turned into compost. Under the former rules, departments would pick the cheapest materials, Biba said. Now department heads are expected to take energy reduction and life span into account.
LeeAnn Plumer, director of the city's Recreation and Parks Department, said she is making choices that reflect the environmentally friendly policy. She chooses certified green cleaning products and fertilizers with organic substances rather than phosphorus-based chemicals. All new park benches are made from recycled materials, and parking lots are being paved with "glassphalt," which uses crushed glass, instead of asphalt.
"We are certainly looking for more green alternatives, and we are trying to do it in a more aware sense. If we have choices, we try to pick ones that are a better fit for the environment," Plumer said.
City officials also see storm-water management as key to preserving the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
The city instituted a storm-water utility tax this year that will pay for repairs for the storm-water system under the campaign "Five Cents a Day for the Bay."
Officials also created the Stormwater Education Experience at Back Creek Nature Park, with exhibits that include a faux beaver dam, various types of porous pavers, rain gardens and other eco-friendly storm-water controls.
"It is not a typical energy initiative, but it helps the younger generation learn the impact of storm water in yards and about pollution in the bay," Plumer said.
Howard County has also embarked on initiatives to save energy and money. Last week, County Executive Ken Ulman (D) instituted a flexible hours policy for county employees designed to save on gas costs and cut pollution.
"We have been working for a long time on creating a family-friendly workplace," Ulman said in an interview. "Gas prices just created a sense of urgency."
Employees can choose to work 40 hours in four days or 80 hours in nine days. That makes sense to Samantha Stoney, a community planner from Baltimore who is considering a condensed workweek. She said her 17-mile commute usually takes 40 minutes because of traffic on Interstate 95.
"Going through the tunnel every day is painful, so to not have to do it once every two weeks would be great, and it would definitely save on gas," said Stoney, who works in the Department of Planning and Zoning.
The scheduling is one of several initiatives Ulman has introduced in recent weeks in a bid to find energy-efficient and, over the long term, cost-effective approaches. Also last week, he announced the creation of the Green Business Council, which he said could help Howard capitalize on the nationwide growth of "green-collar" jobs.
"If there is something we can do to encourage environmental sustainability and business growth, then this is where our focus should be. We need to make sure Howard County is seen as a place to locate and grow green business," Ulman said.
The county already owns a fleet of hybrid cars and uses LED traffic lights, said Joshua Feldmark, director of the county's Office of Environmental Sustainability. The county recently installed solar panels at the East Columbia Branch of the public library, and in a few months it will do the same at Worthington Elementary School in Ellicott City.
"It's not as much about saving money as it is about saving energy and doing the right thing. But as energy prices rise, it is likely we are paying less for energy than if we bought off the grid," Feldmark said.
The county is also instituting a plan to measure and reduce carbon emissions, he said.
"We need to be building from the ground up, so we have an infrastructure that takes energy efficiency into consideration," Feldmark said.
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