Cities are responsible for 70% of greenhouse gas emissions. Hartford may be a small city, but there’s no reason we can’t take the lead in showing what cities can do to reduce their footprint — with little or no up-front cost to taxpayers, and potentially saving us money in the long-run. Here are just a few ideas:
Considering Energy Performance Contracts
By making our public buildings more energy efficient—from City Hall to our schools, park and recreation buildings, police and fire stations, and warehouses— we can be better stewards of our environment and of taxpayer dollars. There’s a financing mechanism known as Energy Performance Contracting, which would allow Hartford to partner with third parties like electric service providers and engineers to make Hartford’s buildings more efficient. The up-front costs would be paid by the third parties, and the City would pay them back over time from the long-term energy savings. If our Department of Public Works and the Hartford Public Schools could start studying this idea now, we could be ready to start implementing next year.
Modernizing the Trash-to-Energy Plant
Hartford has a position on the Board of the entity formerly known as CRRA, now known as MIRA. I would use that spot to advocate for shutting down the existing trash to energy plant in the South Meadows, which is obsolete, inefficient and pollutes our air. Ideally, it could be replaced by a much smaller, much more efficient — and less polluting — generation facility elsewhere on the South Meadows, which could supply a micro-grid in Hartford.
Promoting Transit-Oriented Development
By working in partnership with the State to promote transit oriented development (TOD) around the Fastrak nodes in and around the Parkville, Asylum Hill, and Frog Hollow neighborhoods, we can help demonstrate what it could look like for a City like Hartford to get away from a complete dependence on cars. When designed right, TOD reduces automobile traffic because it gives workers and residents the ability to hop on transit, instead of getting into their cars.
For the rest of my Earth Week posts, click here.