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Eco-Municipality Resolutions and The Natural Step So, Now What Do You Do?

This presentation explores the concept of sustainable development and how city governments can incorporate sustainability principles to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It discusses the Natural Step framework and provides examples of strategies and practices that city governments can adopt to promote sustainability.

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Eco-Municipality Resolutions and The Natural Step So, Now What Do You Do?

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  1. Eco-Municipality Resolutions and The Natural StepSo, Now What Do You Do? WGFOA spring conference – March 19, 2010

  2. What is Sustainability? “Sustainable Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” United Nations 1987 Brundtland Report - Our Common Future City government -- as both consumer of natural resources and a steward of our environment -- must incorporate the principles of sustainability to ensure the needs of tomorrow can be met.

  3. The Natural StepThe Funnel as a Metaphor • As time goes by, population growth and consumer habits increase the demand on natural resources and the environment. • At the same time, the capacity of natural systems to accommodate that demand is shrinking. • The convergence of these two realities will restrict our options. • In a sustainable society, these two pressures are stabilized or even reversed. Graphic provided by TNS Canada

  4. 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 The Natural Step System Conditions for A Sustainable Society In a sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing: concentrations of substances extracted from the earth's crust concentrations of substances produced by society degradation by physical means and, in that society… people are not subject to conditions that systematically undermine their capacity to meet their needs. Slide provided by TNS Canada

  5. The Natural StepStrategic Planning Framework • Right direction? • Flexible platform? • Return on investment? • Fiscal ROI • Environmental ROI • Social ROI Slide provided by TNS Canada

  6. The “Typical Process”: • Chief executive hears about a new process improvement framework • Dozens of staff and managers go through intensive training • They comprehend the gravity/urgency of the situation, believe in the principles taught, and are inspired • They then go back to the office, check voicemail, get caught up on email, finish the work they left behind, and get back to business as usual as quickly as possible

  7. Key elements that helped Madison avoid the “typical process”: • Executive Sponsorship AKA: What a mayor can do • Informal Steering Committee • Inter-Departmental Project Teams • Project Charters

  8. 1. What a Mayor Can Do: • Make sustainability a policy priority • It’s about better management and controlling costs • Sustainability = Energy conservation, taxpayer savings, service improvements • No one has ever asked a mayor for a more toxic environment or for basic services to simply cost more • Take steps to ensure a mindset of sustainability outlasts the current administration

  9. 1. What a Mayor Can Do: • Require training to promote common language and vision • Madison has trained over 140 staff and managers in The Natural Step • Assign a point-person and/or team • To assign roles and keep to keep projects moving • Not unlike any other municipal or public works project • Listen to staff and managers • Technicians and practitioners know best • Staff and managers suggest and implement projects • The Natural Step is a democratic process

  10. 1. What a Mayor Can Do: • Use standing agenda items for regular updates • Bi-monthly TNS updates at mid-manager meetings • Bi-weekly TNS updates for cabinet members • Issue internal executive orders to memorialize and promote new policies • Ask managers how implementation is going • When you provide funding for sustainability projects, know and communicate what you get for it • Give credit and seek recognition • People get the job done • Share knowledge and methods with other cities

  11. 2. Informal Steering Committee • Set about to tackle “So, now what do we do?” • Composed of private volunteers, non-profits and City staff • Breadth and depth of knowledge • Diverse background, deep experience • Bi-weekly meetings • Role as project coaches • Mentors for project managers, provide updates to rest of group, keep trains running on time

  12. 3. Inter-Departmental Project Teams • Monthly TNS “meetings of the whole” • Cross pollination, fresh perspectives • Involving end users of new policies or practices • Green Cleaning policies were developed by: • Monona Terrace Convention Center • Purchasing Services • Public Library • City Engineering • Mayor’s Office

  13. 4. Project Charters • Single document conveys all the specifics: • Why is the project needed? • Who is working on it? • What are the gains/trade-offs for the four TNS System Conditions? • What is the fiscal, social, environmental ROI? • When is the project done? • What gets written down and gets shared… Gets done!

  14. TNS Charter Template

  15. Lessons Learned: • Do your homework and put together a proposal for reaction – get it to the “B+ Level” • Then take it to the people impacted by the policy • The Natural Step proactively provides answers to the questions that decision makers have • Frequent progress reports ensure refinement and approval • Frame the issue in as many ways as possible • Financial… “the usual” doesn’t do it anymore • ROI: fiscal, environmental, social • Environmental… The Natural Step made the difference!

  16. “Energy Wasters” Inventory and Triage Commuting Incentives Green Fleet Green Cleaning Public Housing Upgrades Zoning Code Rewrite Solar Installations at City Facilities Waste Vegetable Oil Sewer Rodder Garage Door at Metro Transit Bus Wash and Vacuum Systems TNS Top 10 List for 2007

  17. Solar Energy for Madison “Zero Waste” Initiative Olbrich Botanical Garden’s Green Team Paper Reduction Initiative: Planning Department Green Office Green Electronics Green Fleet (on-going) Data Center Energy Reduction Lower Impact Lawn Maintenance Automated Work Orders for Forestry TNS Top 10 List for 2008

  18. Northeast Neighborhoods Plan Zoning Code Rewrite Zero Waster Energy Efficiency for Residents & Business South Madison Library Branch MadiSUN Outdoor Lighting CO2 Inventory Water Conservation Plan Olbrich Garden Green Team Initiatives Green Purchasing Green Fleet IT Initiatives On-line Work Orders for Building Inspection TNS Top “10” List for 2009

  19. Mpowering Madison community campaign MadiSUN LED conversions Lighting upgrades Improved roof insulation Solar hot water at Fire Stations Boiler replacement in public housing IT energy improvements Purchase renewable energy Solar canopies Other Sustainability Projects

  20. LEED and Green Buildings • Engineering Services building • Monona Terrace convention center • Goodman park maintenance facility • Sequoya Branch Library • Fire Station #12

  21. For More Information: • www.cityofmadison.com/mayor • Andrew Statz, Mayor’s Office astatz@cityofmadison.com 608-266-5975 • Jeanne Hoffman, Facilities & Sustainability Manager jhoffman@cityofmadison.com 608-266-4091 • Karl van Lith, Organizational Development Office kvanlith@cityofmadison.com 608-266-9037

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