Burbank Survey: Are You Green?

Burbank asks “Are You Green?”
Survey results to assist in future communication efforts

BURBANK, Calif. (April 27, 2010) – The Sustainable Burbank Task Force is asking for public input on what citizens and businesses in the City are doing to be more environmentally responsible.

The short, seven question survey asks participants to highlight some of their current behaviors and practices when it comes to sustainability. Topics include driving, recycling habits and familiarity with the City’s already existing ‘green’ efforts.

“It’s essential to find out what people are actually doing to protect and preserve the environment,” says Burbank Vice-Mayor Anja Reinke. “We want to prioritize our efforts and goals and community input is very important.”

The Sustainable Burbank Task Force is a 15-member body intended to advise and make recommendations to the City Council on matters related to the implementation of the Sustainability Action Plan and to help engage the community by participating in various public education, outreach and promotional activities. The Sustainability Action Plan is the framework for the community to be environmentally proactive.

The survey can be found by clicking here. Results will be compiled in June and presented to both the Sustainable Burbank Task Force and the Burbank City Council.

Sustainable Burbank Task Force

Cataloging Green Efforts
Burbank Leader: June 26, 2009 by Christopher Cadelago

The Sustainable Burbank Task Force, a newly assembled group of developers, small-business owners and community leaders, began its meeting earlier this month deciding how not to spend its first year.

After a protracted discussion, former Mayor Jef Vander Borght took issue with one of the suggestions.

“Somebody said, ‘We’re not here to save the world,’” he said. “That I disagree with.”

His attitude appears to have permeated the Media Capital of the World, from the school district to the studios, City Hall to Burbank Water and Power, said Ron Davis, the utility’s general manager.

The City Council last year adopted the Sustainability Action Plan with an emphasis on waste, water usage, business practices, urban design, open space and transportation. Cities are urged to implement as many of the 21 actions before World Environment Day 2012.

Burbank modeled its plan on the United Nations Urban Environmental Accords, designed to promote energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase environmentally beneficial jobs and protect drinking water.

Charged with advising and recommending ways to the council for implementing the plan, the task force will examine initiatives at its monthly meetings as well as bring a fresh perspective to the agenda, said Public Works Director Bonnie Teaford.

“For the first time ever, Burbank has put together a comprehensive review of what the city’s efforts are,” she said. “All these little efforts added up will make a difference, and that is what we are starting to see happen.” READ MORE !

Burbank Sustainability Strategy

Burbank Driving Ahead of The Pack on Road to Future: City’s Sustainability Strategy a Model for Other Municipalities. SFV Business Journal: June 8, 2009 by Eric Billingsley

“Going green” isn’t a new concept in the city of Burbank. The city began automated curbside recycling in the early 1990s, has powered municipal vehicles with alternative fuels for nearly a decade, and is a pioneer in generating electricity from its landfill.

But government officials and businesses in the Media Capital of the World, population approx. 105,000 and home to production facilities for Warner Bros. Entertainment, NBC, and Disney, want to take environmental sustainability to the next level.

“The need for sustainability isn’t something that’s going away tomorrow,” said Burbank’s mayor, Gary Bric. “It’s about looking towards the future.”

In January 2008, the city council adopted the Burbank Sustainability Action Plan to boost environmental sustainability in areas such as energy, waste, water usage, urban design, parks/open space, transportation, and city business practices.

The plan is based on the United Nations Urban Environmental Accords, a list of action items that can be adopted at the local level to achieve urban sustainability, promote healthy economies, advance social equity and protect the world’s ecosystem.

The city also recently formed a sustainability task force, a 15-member group of businesses, non-profits and residents that will advise the city council on green issues and help educate the public.

“As long as I can remember Burbank has been committed to environmental sustainability, but adopting the action plan has made the efforts more formal and focused,” said Burbank council member Dave Golonski. “We still have a long way to go though.”

The city has an exhaustive list of environmental goals. But it’s already starting to see some results.

Burbank recently surpassed the milestone of generating more than 3 gigawatt hours of electricity from local solar energy, enough to power 6,000 homes for a month. It’s recognized as one of the top ten municipalities in the nation for solar power.

City-owned Burbank Water and Power (BWP) has supported 36 solar energy projects in the area, including installations on carports, residential and commercial rooftops, city pool facilities, movie studio stages, Jay Leno’s green garage, and a new airport hangar.

READ MORE !

Burbank's Sustainability Action Plan – Jan 2008

On January 22, 2008, the Burbank City Council approved a resolution supporting the United National (sic) Urban Environmental Accords. The Accords are a series of goals (called “action items”) that can be adopted at the local level to achieve urban sustain-ability, promote healthy economies, advance social equity and protect the world’s ecosystem.

The Council also passed the City of Burbank Sustainability Action Plan to implement these goals on a local level.
~ United National (sic) Environmental Accords
~ Burbank City Council Resolution supporting UN Urban Environmental Accords
and City of Burbank Sustainability Action Plan (January 22, 2008)
~ Sustainability Staff Report, January 22, 2008
~ Sustainability Action Plan Intro and Summary Table
~ Sustainability Action Items
~ Sustainability -- Status and Timeline
~ Zero Waste: Building Lean, Green Businesses and Organizations (PDF) Gary Liss, Gary Liss & Associates (5-2-08)