Greener City? Aliso Viejo to Vote on Climate Change

Will it make Aliso Viejo greener? On Wednesday, the City Council will decide whether to approve the Green City Initiative.

For over two years city staff have been preparing this 104-page policy document, which sets voluntary environmental goals for Aliso Viejo residents and businesses.

• Read Councilman Ross Chun's thoughts about voluntary ecology standards for businesses

As part of the initiative, the city inventoried its greenhouse gas emissions. The inventory shows that Aliso Viejo released about 320,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2008.

In total, 7.1 metric tons of greenhouse gases were released per capita in 2008, about half the statewide per-capita average of 14. See what causes Aliso Viejo's greenhouse gases here.

The policy report says Aliso Viejo can make money by following the plan. Here's how:

• Staff says the initiatives will save water and energy, and that will save money in the long term
• "An energy efficient 'green' residential and business environment could attract and retain investment money and business income" (from the report)
• When the city makes eco-friendliness a priority, it will be "an example for members of the Aliso Viejo community and for developers"

Criticism

As the initiative was drafted, the city fielded comments and complaints from the public. Here are some:

• Someone representing the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties said the voluntary measures will become mandatory. The complaint says the initiative "proposes to regulate literally everything under the sun (no pun intended!)"
• "The document should include an economic development impact analysis for quantifiable and voluntary Implementation Measures so the cost of 0382 'greening' businesses can be determined."
• "The Green City Initiative document is too long, making comment difficult."
• Someone representing the Orange County Association of Realtors: "The Green City Initiative does not provide supporting evidence that promotion of sustainability practices will increase business attraction and retention."

Read these and other comments, along with the city's responses, here.

What do you think of the initiative? Tell us in the comments below.