Energy use and the environment have been extremely important issues for individuals, businesses and governments around the world. Many people are concentrating more on energy use, because of both rising costs and the impact of energy use on the environment. In August, the Bath City Council signed a resolution that commits the municipal government to reduce energy use, thereby decreasing the city’s energy costs and lessening its output of emissions into the atmosphere.
The resolution was presented by the Bath Cool Communities group, who funded a summer intern to work with city staff and study Bath’s city-wide energy and emissions statistics. The resulting report was presented to council with a request to sign the resolution and make a commitment to promote energy awareness in the community. According to the study’s results, 39% of the city’s overall emissions comes from residential, 25% from industrial, 20% from transportation, 14% from commercial and government, and 2% from waste (landfill).
Tasks for the municipal government, as set forth by the resolution, include: decreasing vehicle fuel use by regulating driving and idling habits, increasing building heating and cooling efficiency through insulation and sealing leaks, installing energy efficient lighting and electrical equipment, promoting energy awareness and recycling among employees, and exploring the use of economically viable alternative energy sources. Any measure that incurs additional cost will be implemented over time as finances allow.
The resolution also requests that the municipal government help educate Bath residents and businesses about energy-related choices. To achieve the resolution’s goal of reducing emissions by 20% by 2018, each sector should consider trying to reduce their energy use as much as possible. Please visit the links on these pages for information about how you can reduce your energy use and impact on the environment.
