Sustainability Task Force

I just completed my first meeting of the City of Chico Sustainability Task Force today and here are a few observations.

First, it seemed to be pretty well rounded, we had public and private sector, business, building industry, CSUC, and regular citizens represented by the 15 appointees.

Second, so far the focus seems to be doing things better, more efficiently, and at less cost. I’m all for that.

Third, everybody seemed to get along, no shouting matches or fistfights broke out.

While the group is still feeling their way, I expect that given the makeup of it, we’ll get some useful suggestions and ideas from it that may very well get implemented as policy someday. I was worried that we might have a group of folks who were so focused on the goal of “green” that we’d see odd policy come from it like our famously silly nuclear weapons ban in the city limits.

I’ll keep you posted. I have a few ideas of my own that I’ll discuss here.

Some folks ask me how I can be against the idea of man-made global warming but for alternate energy. Its simple really, if its more efficient, pollutes less (on any venue) has no social cost, and has a lower operating cost, I’m for it. Mostly I’m for alternate energy becuase California has essentially legislated out the ability to build any traditional forms of energy generation, such as coal, hydro, and nuclear. That leaves wind, solar, and conservation as the future of energy in California. whether you beleive in man-made global warming or not, our future energy needs have to come from some source, so we’d better get started now. If they have beneficial side effects, all the better.

One thing I’m not for is a carbon credits/trading programs. I think the whole idea is simply a cop out and designed to benefit the few that setup these programs. See why in this post.