For decades now, the City of Burlington has taken steps to reduce energy consumption and the impacts of climate change. Below is a list of programs and initiatives already in place, their description, and relevant links for more information.
Energy Efficiency in Buildings
Burlington Electric Department Installs LED Streetlights
The Burlington Electric Department (BED) is in the process of installing very high efficiency LED (Light Emitting Diode) streetlights along Shore Road and nearby streets that for the most part will result in a 74 percent energy savings. This is the first installation of LED streetlights in a residential neighborhood in Burlington and the first using the cutoff cobra head fixtures. Previously, LED streetlights have been installed along upper Main Street, lower College Street and Center Street, using decorative fixtures.
Burlington School District
The schools have obtained a $9M bond to address the most critical needs that include significant energy efficiency improvements to three schools. These improvements have included replacing old boilers with high efficiency units, upgrading lighting systems, installing heat recovery units, and improving insulation for walls, roofs, and doors.
The 10% Challenge
Started right here in Vermont by the Climate Action Alliance, the 10% Challenge is a voluntary program to raise public awareness about global climate change and to encourage households and businesses to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10 percent.
Local Farms, Gardens and Food Production
Burlington School Food Program
The Burlington School Food Project (BSFP) is a citywide collaborative formed to address the integration of local foods into school meals and food insecurity among school aged children in Burlington, Vermont. Partners in the BSFP include the Burlington Legacy Project, Shelburne Farms, VT FEED, NOFA VT, the Intervale Center, the Burlington School District Food Service, City Market/Onion River Co-op, and Healthy City Youth Farm. The BSFP carries out its food, farming, and nutrition activities with direction from the Burlington Food Council, an open community group dedicated to the work of the BSFP.
Harvest Café at Fletcher Allen
Fletcher Allen Health Care recently opened the Harvest Café, which incorporates fresh, organic and local fare, such as local squash and soy milk, locally-raised ground beef, chicken and turkey raised without non-therapeutic antibiotics and arsenical compounds, vegetarian choices, and organic fair trade coffee. The goal of the café is to be the most sustainable retail establishment in health care, not just with seasonal foods offered year-round, but with environmentally friendly furnishings, such as marmoleum flooring, for example. As the State of Vermont largest ‘restaurant’, we spend a quarter of our budget, or $660,000, on the purchase of local foods from area farms and businesses.
Urban Forestry
Urban Forestry Plan
With tree cover at over 45%, Burlington is one of America’s greenest cities and hopes to increase its cover to 50% with the Climate Action Plan in place. To help protect and foster our beautiful trees, Burlington has created a progressive Urban Forestry Plan. Written with assistance from the University of Vermont, this plan details our plans and vision to ensure the endurance of this valuable resource. Various community and government stakeholders are responsible for bringing this plan to life including Branch Out Burlington, a non-profit group committed to maintaining and supporting urban forestry.
Transportation
Compressed Natural Gas in Burlington
DPW is currently using a new compressed natural gas (CNG) recycling truck recently unveiled by Mayor Kiss, DPW Staff, and President of International of Colchester, the supplier. The purchase price of the CNG is higher than a standard diesel, but the environmental and human health benefits include lower greenhouse gas emissions, less air pollution, quieter operation and a truck powered by CNG with fuel costs less than diesel. This is the first CNG recycling truck in Vermont.
CarShare Vermont Membership
Burlington has committed to using some of its Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant funding to secure municipal employee membership in CarShare Vermont. This will not only reduce the need for personal vehicles, and hence reduce single occupancy vehicle use in town, but potentially save the City money by eliminating costly reimbursements to staff that use their own vehicles for business.
Employee commute program
In an effort to reduce the amount of mileage driven every year by its employees, the City’s Burlington Sustainability Action Team (BSAT) is beginning to develop a commute reduction program that will likely include incentives for staff to use alternative modes of transportation, car and ride sharing programs, as well as flexible work schedules. So far the team has begun discussion with CATMA (Campus Area Transportation Management Agency) and CarShare VT for finding ways to partner in this effort. Stay tuned for more details on this brand new program!
Way to Go! Commuter Challenge
The Way to Go! Commuter Challenge encourages Vermonters to try smarter ways to travel in their commutes, like carpooling, biking, and public transportation. Participants pledge to use these alternative transportation methods for one week in May. This year’s challenge is from May 16 - 24.
Anti-Idling Campaign
Burlington’s No-Idling Campaign has involved an extensive outreach strategy, including the placement of no-idling signs around the community. Most recently, the DPW Commission approved changes in to the original ordinance, including limited idling from 5 to 3 minutes and eliminating the season exemption. Legacy is currently working with a school-coordinator on outreach and education about idling in the school community. To view the updated ordinance, click here for the no idling ordinance update.
CATMA Promotes Alternative Transportation
Fletcher Allen Health Care, UVM, and Champlain College continue to promote alternative forms of transportation to employees through with CATMA. Currently, more than half of FAHC’s Medical Center employees carpool, take the bus or walk or bike to work, up from approximately 30% five years ago.
Colchester Avenue Complete Streets Design
The Colchester Avenue Demonstration Project is part of the City's enhanced Street Paving Program . The City has been working with residents, planners, and engineers to address traffic issues on Colchester Avenue, most notably safety. The Demonstration Project will help to determine if a "complete streets" configuration will increase safety for all users. The Complete Streets concept is one that designs streets to enable safe access for all users. In the case of Colchester Avenue, the City is hoping to reduce weaving traffic, which has contributed to sideswipe crashes.
Old North End Bike/Recreational Path
Volunteer residents, in collaboration with City departments and non-profit advocacy organizations, recently completed a new entrance to the Old North End Bike/Recreational Path including an information kiosk with “you are here” way-finding signage, fencing, benches, and a water fountain for commuters and recreationalists.
Waste Reduction and Recycling
City Waste Sort/Reduction Program
On September 17, 2009 city staff, with the help of Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD), sorted through one day’s worth of City Hall’s trash and recyclable materials. The goal of this exercise was to discover if city employees properly sort recyclables and trash, and if enough compost is generated weekly to justify beginning a composting program in city facilities. As employees started sorting through trashcans, it quickly became evident that a large portion of what they found was not “TRUE TRASH” and should have been recycled or composted. In fact, in terms of volume, the results of this exercise showed that 1/3 of the materials found in the trash bags were recyclables (33 gallons), another 1/3 could have been composted (32 gallons) and only 1/3 was true trash (32 gallons). A waste reduction policy was adopted by the City administration in 2009 and the program has been implemented in all downtown buildings so far. Composting is now in place and recycling has improved greatly.
Policy, Research and Education
Stormwater ordinance and utility
The City of Burlington is establishing a dedicated stormwater program in an effort to address the state and federal stormwater permit requirements. The City must meet specific compliance requirements that are not fully addressed presently. Fully addressing these requirements is key to improving the water quality of Lake Champlain and the Winooski River, as well as the streams that flow into them.
City Adopts Environmental Preferable Purchasing Policy
In the summer of 2009, the City of Burlington adopted an Environmental Preferable Purchasing (EPP) policy, which requires the “purchase of products and services that minimize environmental and health impacts, toxics, pollution, and hazards to worker and community safety and to the larger global community to the greatest extent practicable.”