“Cool Cities” provides the framework for becoming energy efficient

The level of our community investment has been an issue for many folks over the last several years, and rightly so. Our communities should be organized to provide the best experience of humanity for all our citizens at the lowest achievable cost. Smart government cuts costs without cutting services, and creates collateral benefits as well.

The “Cool Cities” initiative is sponsored by the Maine Council of Churches, Physicians for Social Responsibility, American Lung Association, Maine Energy Investment Corporation and the Sierra Club of Maine. Citizens of Lewiston and Auburn and the surrounding region are gathering to make a difference in our community budgets, our health, and the long term sustainability of a life supporting environment by working to make our cities and towns “cool.”

As everyone is aware, the cost of petroleum products is rising, and will only continue to do so as demand from highly populated and rapidly developing countries like China and India climbs. Fighting wars to maintain access to oil is an inefficient and ineffective investment of community resources. It is costly in human life and capacity, creates pressure to raise taxes, and ironically, burns up tremendous amounts of oil.

The “Cool Cities” initiative provides citizens with the tools to help our local governments implement energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions. A simple, but serious commitment to reduce the idling of city vehicles, for instance, could have significant positive impacts on municipal budgets, vehicle wear and tear, air quality (and hence citizen health), and contribute to the reduction of global warming.

Auburn, Lewiston and Poland schools operate a total of 75 school buses. If each of those buses idles for just five minutes a day, about thirteen gallons of fuel each will be wasted each year. That is a total of 975 gallons at a cost of almost $3,000 per year. How many minutes do our buses idle in the parking lot and at the school each day?

That is only the simplest opportunity that requires no new equipment or outlay, just training and commitment. Keene, N.H., is saving almost $4,000 a year after installing LED traffic lights, a project with a two-year payback period. Saco is anticipating $15,200 in savings each year with a five-year payback on its energy efficient lighting project in all its schools and municipal buildings.

Seven Maine cities have already committed to the “Cool Cities” initiative: Biddeford, Saco, Belfast, Yarmouth, Portland, Kennebunk, and Kennebunkport. Several others are actively exploring the possibility. If people are serious about operating governments efficiently, communities must be encouraged to subscribe and commit to the “Cool Communities” initiative.

The “Cool Communities” initiative doesn’t just make sense, it makes dollars. It also provides health benefits and extends the quality of life for generations to come. That is a heritage worth conveying.

This Earth Day, I encourage people to take effective action and contact the Sierra Club Maine office at 207-761-5616, and visit maine.sierraclub.org/cool_cities_maine.htm, and www.coolcities.us.

John Henderson lives in Auburn.