A Green City
When you say "I live in a green city" it evokes different pictures in the minds of different people. Some people think "Yes, there are a lot of trees in Belmont." Others think "Oh yes, I heard about the Getting Green project at Central School, the one that earned a presidential commendation." Others think: "Oh, they recycle everything there, and doesn't the city use bio diesel in their vehicles." And still others think: "That's the city that recently dropped permit fees to zero for solar panel installations."
My position is that Belmont should be doing everything possible to strive to be a 100% Green City. We need to
- Continue to find ways to encourage green building, such as education of applicants about Green Building practices at our Permit Counter and on our City website, and perhaps new financial incentives, such as the recently instituted "Zero Fees for Solar Panel Permits" program.
- Take every step we can think of to assure that our city departments go green whenever the opportunity arises.
- Encourage green landscape practices, integrated pest management, and limit hardscape on new building projects.
- Carefully monitor our "suburban forest" and replant to assure that our tree population doesn't decrease as older or diseased trees are cut down or die.
- Encourage use of bikes, walking, carpooling, and public transportation, by building more bike lanes that connect the city end-to-end, assuring that sidewalks are safe, creating safe crossings at decent intervals along Ralston and El Camino, and maybe even starting a City-Car program, and provide hybrid vehicles for rent.
What do you think when you hear "A Green City?." tell me ...
Green Oasis Belmont at the City of Belmont Website
Recycling
Arbor Society (we do not have a chapter....yet)
CalTrain Fares, Schedule & Information