Item B: Sustainability Initiative Update

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There is a lot of media and community interest in the City’s sustainability initiatives, both within the City and state, and particularly outside Oregon, as many other municipalities, counties and organizations look to learn from what Eugene and others have achieved, especially with regard to energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Some of this attention resulted from the fact that Eugene was rated the #1 U.S. Green City by the Green Guide of the National Geographic Magazine in 2006. The attention is likely to increase as more cities embrace the need to be sustainable combined with the th announcement this month that Eugene was ranked the 5 greenest city in the U.S. by Popular Science Magazine (using a different rating system). This high ranking is partly due to Eugene’s electricity being provided from primarily renewable resources and endorses the great work that EWEB does on energy conservation and use of renewable energy. The sustainability section of the City website has been substantially redesigned and updated with pages created for the Sustainability Commission and internal City operations. Links were added to many of the different internal and community-focused programs the City undertakes to help make Eugene a more sustainable community. Both internet and intranet visitor counts for the website show that use of the sustainability pages has more than trebled since July 2007. A PowerPoint presentation is being developed by an intern working for the Sustainability Office which will be a resource for staff and the council to use for presentations to the community on the City’s sustainability initiatives. The format and information to include in a summary fact sheet of City sustainability initiatives are being researched so current information can be provided to keep the community informed of City action and results. Development of City performance measures and community indicators will aid this process. Sustainability Commission Recruitment for the Sustainability Commission reflected strong interest from the broader community for involvement in advancing sustainable initiatives throughout Eugene. From the 73 applicants, councilors chose 12 for the commission, and the Mayor appointed a councilor. The Sustainability Commission first met in late November 2007. From the first meeting, many commissioners expressed an urgency and commitment to getting the commission established as quickly as possible in order to move on to discussion of sustainability issues and the development of a work plan to begin addressing them. The group has created a mission statement for the commission and is in the final stages of adopting bylaws. A planning session is organized for Saturday, March 1, when the commission will begin development of its work plan to bring to the council for approval. Community interest in the commission is high with many people speaking during public comment time and up to 30 people attending the meetings. Business initiatives A variety of initiatives have been undertaken to help businesses and others improve their sustainability. A community and business needs assessment is being undertaken and a strategic approach to educational and technical support programs will be developed. In the intervening time, partnering opportunities have enabled the City to work with the Lillis Business College at the University of Oregon and EWEB, and the Eugene Chamber of Commerce to hold a business roundtable discussion with the chief engineer from Interface Inc., (internationally recognized leaders in integrating the triple bottom line into their carpet manufacturing and distribution business) along with Forrest Paint and Market of Choice representatives. Attendance was excellent, with over 45 people participating in the roundtable. F:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080225\S080225B.doc