Boulder city and county: The first to become carbon neutral by 2012?

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The city and county of Boulder may be the first to become carbon neutral by 2012. Boulder is the most progressive city and county in the nation when it comes to green living initiatives, including mandatory green building standards on new construction and collecting a carbon tax from residents and businesses relying on fossil fuels. Other cities and towns are taking Boulder’s lead.

Boulder has always been known for its progressive and environmentally conscious planning. Boulder has mountain trails in their backyard, flatirons to climb, and miles of paved trails to walk and cycle. Many places like Mapleton Hill welcome visitors with its tree lined streets and oblivious deer seen browsing in front yards. It also hosts many smaller and locally owned businesses in its downtown district. Residents of the city and county favor open space and protecting the environment and this is reflected in their green initiatives.

Boulder has fairly strict building codes and BuildSmart, which was mandated on April 8, 2008, requires all Boulder County (unincorporated) and Boulder city new construction (including additions, demolitions, etc.) to be energy efficient and water conscious. For residents and businesses who are unable to afford “green building” mandates, there are Climate Smart loans available from the county and grants offered through the Governor’s Energy Office. Furthermore residents can take advantage of the many rebates offered on solar and energy efficiency through Boulder city and county and Xcel Energy.

Boulder has some of the most ambitious green goals. In 2007 they were the first city in the country to implement a carbon tax on electricity produced from fossil fuels (75% of Colorado’s electricity is produced from coal) to cut green house gases (GHG) by 7% by 2012. This tax, which has an average cost of $16.00 per year for residential and $46.00 per year for commercial utility users, helps to pay for education and outreach programs on energy efficiency. Those who use WindSource for their energy needs are exempt from the carbon tax. David Driskell with the city stated that the city plans to raise the carbon tax to fund programs to further reduce GHG in order to meet their 2012 goal.

The other sustainability goal for the city of Boulder is to reduce solid waste by 70% by 2012 through recycling, reducing, and reusing materials. Both the city and county have free drop off recycling centers or residents can pay for single stream (paper, plastic, metal, glass) recycling pick up at the curb through a private collector. Ecocycle, a non-profit organization, has recycling centers located in Boulder, Louisville, Broomfield, Lafayette, Erie, and Longmont. The city and county in coordination with Ecocycle and the partner cities are recycling all types of waste, including hazardous waste. Plus, small businesses can improve sales through the Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE) program, which offers free assistance to help improve energy efficiency and using the three R’s.

Boulder doesn’t stop there. They even have a progressive program to recycle yard and food waste and encourage residents to compost organic materials. Right now the county has a compost bin sale going on until April 25th for county residents and they offer free workshops on composting.

In addition to Boulder’s strict rules on energy and solid waste management, they will be one of the first cities in the country to implement the Smart Grid. The plans for the Smart Grid began in 2008. About 1,200 Boulder residents are encouraged to complete an online survey to see if they qualify for this digitally monitored and managed system. The Smart Grid is a program where the city is partnering with Xcel Energy and seven other partners to develop a way for residents to better manage their energy usage. One of the biggest highlights is managing appliances and household energy remotely through the Internet. While Boulderites are away from home, they can periodically check their home’s energy usage and act accordingly from their computers. This includes setting the digital thermostat remotely, turning appliances on or off according to peak usage periods, switching to WindSource when needed, and discovering what appliances and fixtures consume the most energy in order to conserve more effectively.

Boulder not only strives to reduce solid waste and energy consumption but is also concerned about water and open space conservation. The city works with the Center for ReSource Conservation (CRC), another non-profit, on programs for residents to conserve energy and water. CRC has workshops on gardening and xeriscaping. They also offer rebates and are selling Garden in a Box to Boulder County residents this spring. In addition, the city provides a number of resources in water conservation on their website. Also, the county has sustainable partnerships with farmers to lease open space for agriculture. These practices support and protect the environment.

Furthermore, both the city and county are working together to extend their trail system called the Greenways project. Boulder would like residents to take advantage of their extensive mass transit system (Hop, Skip, and Jump buses) and purchase the Eco Pass for commuting, but also take advantage of their expanding trail system for walkers and cyclists under their program called Go Boulder.

This is only a sampling of the many sustainability projects the city and county have planned, including plug in hybrid vehicles, green jobs, and government offices using more renewable energy in their buildings.

Watch out California! Boulder, Colorado may become the first carbon neutral city and county in the nation.