Redlands Climate Action Task Force

CATF & Redlands Students Are Blogging Togehter!

2009-11-17T10:03:00.000-08:00

The CATF and Redlands Unified School District are blogging about sustainability! Members of the task force and fifth graders at Highland Grove Elementary School are blogging through the month of November about 'green' topics. To view how informed and active our local youth are in the sustainability movement in our local area click here.

The Price of Solar Energy

2009-10-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

By Glenna Wiseman
CATF member and VP, Marketing for HelioPower

The California Solar Initiative has declared October “Solar Energy Month.” The month is filled with events to help Californians understand the benefits of going solar. The celebratory month will end with the industry’s largest event, Solar Power International, being held in Anaheim starting October 27th.

One of the most compelling reasons to go solar is the price. Pressure for price reductions has come from several fronts in the industry; all to the benefit of consumers who want to trade in their skyrocketing electricity bills for lower, or even nonexistent, green energy costs.

Redlands has done a great job of installing solar. The Climate Action Task Force has found that at the end of 2008, there were 63 solar power projects completed. The projects included 4 large commercial projects including the installation at ESRI and 59 residential and small commercial installations for a total 795.675 kilowatts (kw) installed.

Why is the price of solar power systems dropping? There are several factors involved in the price reduction:

A greater worldwide demand for solar power photovoltaic (PV) panels has driven manufacturing cost down and efficiency up – thus, a cost-saving to the consumer.

The price of silicon, the key and most expensive element in the solar photovoltaic panel is down. This leads to a drop in the pricing of the panels.

Another reason for the price reduction is the amount of energy the panels produce. The technology of companies like SunPower and Canadian Solar have driven up the production power of the panels, requiring fewer panels for more power.

Finally, there are federal and state rebates and other financial incentives in place to reduce the cost of solar to the consumer. The California Solar Initiative rebates are only available in some areas. The federal programs, however, are a consistent 30% uncapped tax credit for homeowners and commercial property owners.

The cost of solar energy production on a kilowatt-hour (kwh) basis has dropped 8 percent, from a peak of 22.04 cents in January, 2002 to 20.40 cents in July, 2009.

The Benefits of Shade

2009-10-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

Well shaded streets are a critical component of a healthy, sustainable
community. A good urban forest which adequately shades pavement
surfaces can reduce daytime asphalt surface temperatures by as much as
40-50 degrees Farenheit. Other significant economic benefits of well
placed shade trees include: carbon sequestration, more walkable and
bikeable communities, lower ambient temperatures (mitigation of urban
heat island effect in technical terms), reduced peak stormwater flows,
and significant beautification. A liveable city is tremendously
enhanced by good shade trees and I trust this simple you-tube video will
illustrate the point from a bike commuter's perspective.

What Do You Think?

2009-10-07T16:29:00.001-07:00

Redlands has had a great recycling program for some time. Recently, growth has been somewhat stagnant. What ideas or suggestions do you have that might help to reinvigorate this community resource?

For more information on the Redlands Recycling Program click here.

Did You Know?

2009-10-07T16:08:00.000-07:00

A recent study conducted by CEO'S For Cities found that homes in neighborhoods more conducive to walking are worth more than homes that are located in neighborhoods that are not conducive to walking.

To read the full report click here.

Presentation to Redlands City Council

2009-08-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

The Redlands Climate Action Task Force made a presentation to the Redlands City Council in July 2009 to keep the Council apprised of the efforts by the CATF since it was established in January 2009. That presentation, included on this site, highlights some of the research conducted as basis for recommendations being made for the Council's consideration as that organization might move toward establishing a Climate Action Plan for the City.

Food For Thought

2009-07-02T09:17:00.000-07:00

In his Oct. 2008 research paper, David Roland-Holst, University of Berkeley, estimated that an aggressive program to install more renewable energy capacity and implement energy efficiency measures in its buildings could add as much as $76 Billing to our state’s Gross State Product over the next 20 years. It would also increasing real household incomes by up to $48 billion and creating as many as 403,000 new enery efficiency and renewable energy driven jobs. These projections assumes California's upward trend of climate action measures continues to intensify by one percentage point per year above the historic rate. What could growth in this part of the state’s economy mean for Redlands? What are the ways we can take advantage of this trend?

Message From the Mayor and the Chair

2009-06-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the City of Redlands Climate Action Task Force blog.

The CATF was formed by the city council to prepare a recommended climate action plan for the city. The CATF has been working since January to research some of the best ways the residents and businesses in Redlands, and your city government, can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and have an economically strong community.

This site is the first of several tools the CATF will be using to share its ideas and get your feedback. We look forward to you entering the discussion to help with job creation while achieving a sustainable future for all the residents of Redlands.

-Jon Harrison, Mayor & Jan Hudson, CATF Chair

What Do You Think?

2009-05-12T18:53:00.000-07:00

One subcommittee of the Redlands Climate Action Task Force (CATF) is charged with recommending ways to raise public awareness as it pertains to environmental issues, but we need your help! By sharing your perspective on the questions below you can provide us with valuable insight for us to utlize in our efforts to make Redlands a greener community.

1. What are some practices you have demonstrated or seen demonstrated that support a more sustainable environment?

2. What do you believe are great opportunities for improvement in this direction?