2008 Woodie Awards
Mayor Reed looks to save money, environment with Green Vision Plan
Osvaldo Castillo
Issue date: 11/5/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Mayor Chuck Reed's Green Vision Plan will save the City of San Jose a lot of money by reducing energy use by 50 percent, according to statements made at the city council meeting held Oct. 30.
The plan will ensure that San Jose gets all of its electrical power from clean renewable sources, according to the council meeting.
"San Jose needs to step up and be an example in environmental conservation for the rest of the country," said Ben Yurman-Glaser, political analyst for mayor Reed. "We need to start solving the problems that we have created."
The plan will also create 50 million square feet of green - or environmentally friendly -buildings, divert 100 percent of the waste from the city's landfill to convert it into energy, plant 100,000 new trees and replace 100 percent of street lights with smart, zero-emission lighting, according to council meeting statements.
Yurman-Glaser said the plan was inspired after a meeting the mayor and his staff had with Rep. Mike Honda. Honda told them about his environmental concerns, and the mayor and his staff began working on the plan as soon as the mayor took office.
"The city needs this plan," said councilman Sam Liccardo. "What is not to like about this plan?"
Councilman Pete Constant said he approved the plan because of the economic impact that it will have on the city.
The mayor said that 25,000 "green-collar" jobs will be created. These are jobs that will focus on conserving the environment, Reed said.
"These jobs can not be outsourced," Reed said.
In addition, the Green Vision Plan will create 100 miles of interconnected trails, ensure that public vehicles like buses run on alternative fuel and get the city to recycle or beneficially reuse 100 percent of its waste water, according to the council meeting.
"The goals for this plan are very ambitious," Reed said at the meeting.
He added that even though San Jose leads the nation by recycling 62 percent of its garbage, it still needs to do more to save the environment.
Shirley Le, an SJSU alumna who is currently working on her masters in counseling, said she thinks the plan is an excellent idea because it will create jobs that people in San Jose can not lose to outsourcing.
"It will also make the city look more appealing to outsiders than it already is," she said.
Nga Dang, a San Jose resident who has a degree in bioscience from the University of Pacific, said she also likes the idea behind the Green Vision Plan.
"The city should start and focus on areas that really need improvements in appearance like downtown and poverty-stricken areas in the city," she said.
The plan will ensure that San Jose gets all of its electrical power from clean renewable sources, according to the council meeting.
"San Jose needs to step up and be an example in environmental conservation for the rest of the country," said Ben Yurman-Glaser, political analyst for mayor Reed. "We need to start solving the problems that we have created."
The plan will also create 50 million square feet of green - or environmentally friendly -buildings, divert 100 percent of the waste from the city's landfill to convert it into energy, plant 100,000 new trees and replace 100 percent of street lights with smart, zero-emission lighting, according to council meeting statements.
Yurman-Glaser said the plan was inspired after a meeting the mayor and his staff had with Rep. Mike Honda. Honda told them about his environmental concerns, and the mayor and his staff began working on the plan as soon as the mayor took office.
"The city needs this plan," said councilman Sam Liccardo. "What is not to like about this plan?"
Councilman Pete Constant said he approved the plan because of the economic impact that it will have on the city.
The mayor said that 25,000 "green-collar" jobs will be created. These are jobs that will focus on conserving the environment, Reed said.
"These jobs can not be outsourced," Reed said.
In addition, the Green Vision Plan will create 100 miles of interconnected trails, ensure that public vehicles like buses run on alternative fuel and get the city to recycle or beneficially reuse 100 percent of its waste water, according to the council meeting.
"The goals for this plan are very ambitious," Reed said at the meeting.
He added that even though San Jose leads the nation by recycling 62 percent of its garbage, it still needs to do more to save the environment.
Shirley Le, an SJSU alumna who is currently working on her masters in counseling, said she thinks the plan is an excellent idea because it will create jobs that people in San Jose can not lose to outsourcing.
"It will also make the city look more appealing to outsiders than it already is," she said.
Nga Dang, a San Jose resident who has a degree in bioscience from the University of Pacific, said she also likes the idea behind the Green Vision Plan.
"The city should start and focus on areas that really need improvements in appearance like downtown and poverty-stricken areas in the city," she said.
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