Westland sizes up its carbon footprint

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Westland officials have decided to find out what the size of the city’s footprint when it comes to the environment.

The City Council has approved the hiring of Resource Recycling Systems to do an assessment of the city’s emissions, or so-called carbon footprint to provide a baseline for setting goals to reduce the city’s impact on the environment.

“This will enable us to take a go hard look at where we are currently with the intention of reducing our output going forward,” said Mayor William Wild. “This measurement will give us the ability to track our progress as we proceed with future initiatives.”

The carbon footprint study will be based on the city as a whole and will look at emissions from such things as vehicles, electricity, natural gas, waste disposal and other potential sources of carbon emissions. It will help the city as it moves toward green initiatives, like Wild’s Mission Green, an initiative to promote environmental wellness practices throughout the city, which he unveiled earlier this year.

The largest green effort the city has on tap is curbside recycling which Resource Recycling Systems has had a part in. The Ann Arbor-based firm has sent out requests for proposals for a “single stream” program in which accepts more materials that don’t have to be separated for recycling.

Wild hopes to roll out the recycling program on Earth Day, April 22, 2009.

The mayor said he heard about the carbon foot printing at the Conference of Mayors. Cities like Seattle and Toronto have done similar assessments.

“We need a baseline to get started as we move forward and look at energy efficiency,” he said, adding the Resource Recycling Systems also will provide recommendations on what the city can do to cut emissions.

“They’ll show us that by turning off lights or servers, we can cut emissions,” he said. “The whole thing, the whole aim is to reduce global warming.”