The Long Beach Sustainable City Commission and the City of Long Beach Office of Sustainability are seeking public input on the prioritization of sustainability action items for the coming year (2016-2017). We invite you to engage with us in this ongoing discussion of sustainability priorities for the coming year.
We encourage you to take a look at the action items proposed in the Long Beach Sustainable City Action Plan (SCAP). Adopted by City Council in 2010, the SCAP is intended to guide operational policy and financial decisions to create a more sustainable Long Beach. The SCAP is organized by seven key focus areas with each focus area containing a list of sustainability action items. If there are specific actions you feel should be prioritized for this year, please address them in the Focus Area Topics listed below. We also welcome you to review the action items we prioritized this past year in our 2015-2016 Work Plan.
In addition to your online feedback, we encourage you to attend a special public comment component of the Sustainable City Commission meeting on Thursday, August 25th from 4:00pm to 6:00pm in the City Council Chamber of City Hall at 333 W. Ocean Blvd. Members of the community will be able to address the Sustainable City Commission on the prioritization of sustainability action items.
For more information about the Sustainable City Commission and the City of Long Beach Office of Sustainability, please visit: http://www.longbeach.gov/sustainability/
Caitlin K over 8 years ago
Establishing City purchasing guidelines while promoting and educating residents/businesses on sustainable waste practices should be a priority. Establishing food waste recovery program and an E-waste facility (if one does not already exist) are also valuable ideas.
Tony Damico over 8 years ago
What she said, for sure.
Also, a more established and far-reaching compost program for local businesses is long overdue - we have a strong and growing network of community gardens and urban farms that could benefit from rescuing organic materials, and the regional large scale composting system is evolving so that we will be able to capture a majority of this so-called waste!
Working with restaurants more closely to reduce food waste by making portions more reasonable, and encouraging programs that get excess food to the hungry and even allow it to be sold inexpensively would be helpful. There are some great emerging ideas in this field that should be considered!
Tony Damico over 8 years ago
What she said, for sure.
Also, a more established and far-reaching compost program for local businesses is long overdue - we have a strong and growing network of community gardens and urban farms that could benefit from rescuing organic materials, and the regional large scale composting system is evolving so that we will be able to capture a majority of this so-called waste!
Working with restaurants more closely to reduce food waste by making portions more reasonable, and encouraging programs that get excess food to the hungry and even allow it to be sold inexpensively would be helpful. There are some great emerging ideas in this field that should be considered!
Louise Fleming over 8 years ago
I strongly support the vision of the Don't Waste Long Beach's Coalition, and commend the City Sustainability Commission, Department Heads and Sustainability Offices, for preparing this comprehensive Sustainable LongBeach Plan.
This is a pivotal moment for the City of Long Beach to vastly increase its current, low, 15% waste diversion rate, up to the statewide waste reduction goals of 75% diversion. It is an opportunity to not only catch up to other LA county cities' current waste reduction rates of 50%, but to surpass the others in providing innovative, sustainable solutions, and potentially become a Model for CA Green cities!
The City of Long Beach's path to successfully moving forward in its Sustainability plan, is to include aggressive Waste Management - Reduction programs that would serve all of the Commercial and Residential sectors of Long Beach.
The keys to a successful transition to a fully managed, Waste Recycling System, is to establish higher standards that address the needs of the small businesses, large office complexes, restaurants, or home owners, while providing fairness in pricing. This can be accomplished through Exclusive, long term contracts with Trash Haulers and Recycling facilities. This would have the impact of giving fair and consistent rates to customers. Also, by making haulers efficient in their trash routes, it would reduce air pollution and traffic congestion. Franchised Haulers would use modern, clean technologies on their trucks and recycling processes that would dramatically reduce carbon emissions.
It is long overdue - The people are demanding that recycling programs be put in place for all waste, including organic (food and green waste). Most business owners and residents want to recycle, or dispose responsibly of their organic waste, but they don't currently have access to it in their neighborhoods.
I urge that you expediently begin the process of instituting a Long Beach Waste Reduction program and seek to franchise haulers who meet the City's solid waste reduction requirements. They must satisfy efficient truck routing and utilize clean technologies, while providing rate fairness to customers, and accessibility to all.
Sincerely,
Louise Fleming (Volunteer with BHCLB, LAANE, the Sierra Club, for environmental issues, and also a former resident of Long Beach)
Ryan Kwong over 8 years ago
I am a huge supporter of "Don't Waste Long Beach's Coalition" and seeing waste as an opportunity to use for uses that benefit the community. I have been a volunteer with food finders for over 1 year now picking up excess food from restaurants all over Long Beach to deliver to agencies who provide a safe living condition for people who can’t afford food. It is truly a blessing that a lot of Long Beach restaurants support Food Finders but I believe that we are still scratching the surface on what could be possible if all services a lot on the food industry participated to not waste their excess food supply. Volunteering and serving the community is one of the greatest highlights of my week knowing that excess food supply is being used and not been thrown away to a garbage site. I have really got to know the people from the food donors and host social service agencies and it has been more than just volunteering for me, but a friendship and sharing of interests to make a difference in the community. I always hear from the donors that all people not just restaurants should think about what they can do with excess food or goods.