Commit Westport to Becoming a Net-Zero Community by 2050
- Target:
- Town of Westport Representative Town Meeting
- Region:
- United States of America
The Town of Westport has long been recognized as a leader in the State of Connecticut in environmental sustainability initiatives. The resolution, while aspirational, is important for the community to remain a leader in sustainability and resilience.
In an effort to identify and manage its greenhouse gas emissions, Westport established a Green Task Force in 2006 which inventoried the community’s emissions and developed a climate action plan. In 2007 Westport was the first town in CT to include a Sustainability chapter in its Plan of Conservation and Development. Since then, with the help of 20 Westport organizations, Westport won the Department of Energy’s Neighbor-to-Neighbor Energy Challenge, and helped launch the Solarize Connecticut program. By the unanimous vote of the RTM Westport was one of the first towns in the state to adopt CPACE financing for energy efficiency and clean energy projects. Recently the Town’s First Selectman reaffirmed our commitment as a municipality to the Paris Climate Accord.
What is Net Zero?
-Net-Zero greenhouse gas emissions means reducing the community’s energy consumption through energy efficiency and conservation measures; and producing or buying enough clean energy to meet those needs.
-Net-Zero water means preserving and protecting the quality and availability of water to sustain our community.
-Net-Zero waste means reducing our waste to a minimum, reusing what we can, recycling the rest, and sending zero waste to landfill.
What do we mean by sustainability for Westport?
It directs us to live within our means and create a sustainable (social, environmental, and economic) community. Across all key resources (energy, water and waste), we will endeavor to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Why is the ‘Net Zero’ goal important?
It ensures we create a community that can sustain itself for generations to come. As with any long-term goal, it sets us on a path to explore all options available to the Town. It requires approaches that are economically viable, of social benefit, and environmentally responsible.
Going forward, Westport would benefit from a comprehensive approach to achieving Net Zero by 2050. To this end, we ask you join us in petitioning the RTM.
In order to build upon Westport's leadership in sustainability, and to create a community that is vibrant and viable, where our younger generations would choose to raise their families the undersigned individuals and the Town of Westport's Green Task Force petition the RTM to pass a Sense of the Meeting Resolution:
"Be it resolved that the Town of Westport shall commit to using its best efforts to become a Net Zero community by the year 2050, where the community has reduced its impacts across energy, water and waste so that they are sustainably managed, using approaches that are economically viable, of social benefit, and environmentally responsible."
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Commit Westport to Becoming a Net-Zero Community by 2050 petition to Town of Westport Representative Town Meeting was written by Town of Westport, Green Task Force and is in the category Environment at GoPetition.