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2019-10-03 Citizens Climate Protection Committee MinCitizens Committee on U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement Mission: 1. Encourage citizens to be a part of the solution 2. Encourage City staff and citizens to conserve current resources 3. Work with the City Council to implement ideas 4. Effectively address the future impacts of climate change DRAFT Climate Protection Committee (CPC) October 3, 2019 - Meeting Minutes In Attendance: Cynthia Pruitt, Kernen Lien, Shane Hope, Jenna Nand, Diane Buckshnis, Dawna Lahti, Lisa Conley, David Schaefer, Nancy Fleck Opening: The regular meeting of the CPC was called to order at 8:45 am on October 3, 2019 in the Fourtner Conference Room of City Hall by Cynthia Pruitt. Introductions & Minutes: Committee members signed in and attendees introduced themselves. A motion was made and seconded to approve the September minutes. Motion passed unanimously. CLIMATE TOOL UPDATE Updates have been made to the Climate Tool (the Tool) to incorporate the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) target of 1.5 degree and to provide graphics to assist the public with easier understanding of progress we are making toward our target. The Tool's information will be gathered on an annual basis with 2017 data providing the baseline. Remember the Tool is not showing how we will achieve all of our goal —some of the steps we take and progress we make will be mandated by the State's new Clean Energy Bill. The Tool provides our current status and how we will achieve progress toward reducing GHG within the ten areas targeted. The areas we targeted were selected in part due to the ease of gathering information for tracking. The City will get from ESA Consultants all of the sources used to set our goals. ESA built in reasonable assumptions that are adjustable if needed. Because City staff already have so many projects on their plate it was suggested that the Council discuss adding some F. T. E. (time for a new employee) to the budget to help maintain the Tool. Volunteers could be used to help gather information in some areas, but it really needs to be one person who can focus on keeping the data accurate and consistent. A message to the community members will be crafted with community input. It will be the community that gives this action the political will to continue moving forward. It would be nice to provide Educational Organization such as Edmonds Community College an opportunity to explore the Tool. It was suggested that we have a joint meeting with the Youth Commission to provide them with updates on our progress. We would need to attend one of their meetings since our meetings are held during school hours. And we should present the "final" Tool to the Council again possibly at the January meeting. IDEAS ABOUT POSSIBLE PRIORITIES OF POSSIBLE CLIMATE ACTION ACTIVITIES TO PURSUE IN 2020 FROM SEPTEMBER BRAINSTORMING SESSION - Committee members in attendance discussed their preferences for outreach actions to include in the draft 2020 Climate Action Plan. The items in red were voted as a high priority for action. Type Description Climate Action Plan • Review 2010 Action Plan (e.g. goals to continue/goals reached) • Review documents, policies (e.g. previous reports and inventories) • Outreach • Align with ten target areas • Implementation • Monitor & report on climate progress • Track carbon emissions for targets CPC Meeting Speakers • Earth Day 202o-Interfaith Committee • What to Do Until Good Batteries-PUD Art • Write on the Sound: climate theme for their writing contest • Arts Walk: feature art about climate and sustainability • Theater Shorts: competition for short plays on a climate theme Media Outreach to engage the community to • Letters to the Editor act to preserve Edmonds beauty • Article: Edmonds Climate Action Plan • Article: Idle -Free Zones • Article: Carbon Footprints • Article: Individual Actions • Article: Emission reduction goals* • Interview: Online with Teresa Wippel Youth Outreach • School Presentations • Idle -Free Poster Contest: Create poster to turn off their engines when picking up students (Win: Lunch w/Mayor) Business Outreach • Measure your Carbon Footprint • Reduce food waste by connecting citizens with businesses • Book Groups/Clubs Special Events & Workshops • Book Groups/Clubs • Film Series • Fix -It -Cafe: broken items fixed for free by volunteer fixers • Carbon Footprint Workshops • Climate Smart Travel • Blue Carbon/Edmonds Marsh • Food Choices & Food Waste • Public Health Workshops (asthma, heat, vectors, mental health) • Participate in 12,000 Rain Gardens • Participate in Better Globe Forestry's plant 1 trillion tree campaign. Efficient Housing • Low Carbon/Clean Energy Home Model in Edmonds for citizens to tour • Designs of new homes that meet low carbon/clean energy standards for citizens to review* • Ways to move away from natural gas/interim measures to use • Explore Montreal's experience with prefabricated "Stacked Units" Incentive Programs • Encourage citizens to use electric vehicles, use solar panels, reduce carbon footprint (similar to current Federal programs)* Funding for Climate Projects • Local climate offset funds established through targeted emission reduction plan. • Grant from Diversity Commission Connect with Others • Solicit support of individuals and organizations to promote programs (e.g. connect with Interfaith Climate Action group) • Gather list of environmental organizations within Edmonds • Retirement Communities like Edmonds Landing • Surrounding communities: Woodway, MUK City Budget • Establish ongoing City budget item to maintain accurate carbon emission data each year. • Establish adequate annual budget amounts to meet City's target emission reduction plan, make these budgeted costs mandatory and use for offset funds Continue to ponder the items on the list created in September and at our next meeting we will discuss this topic further and include possible partners. Remember to consider what sort of budget and resources are needed to complete an action. There is always a balance between staffing and budget. REASONS MEMBERS STAY ACTIVE ON THIS COMMITTEE • Learn more about Climate Change and how to keep the planet from burning up • Health Effect of Climate Change and UN's report about how quickly GHG is climbing • Urgency of Climate Change and support the actions by Greta Thunberg and her generation • City's ability to implement changes to reduce GHG's • Islands such as Fiji facing submersion and the Climate impact on our local Orca's (e.g. the death of J-50) • The most important issue of our time and we need to act locally for change • Allowing future generations to have the same world and resources that I have enjoyed Announcements & Public Comments: Rick Steves has donated money to local organizations working to fight climate change. The 32nd District of the Democratic Party has created an Environmental Caucus. Saturday, October 19 from loam to zpm at McCollum Park a Fix It Cafe will be held where you can bring broken items to be fixed by local repair experts. Adjournment: Meeting was adjourned at 9:5o am by Cynthia Pruitt. The next general meeting will be on Thursday, November 7, 2019 beginning at 8:45 am in the Fourtner Conference Room at City Hall.