news & events
announcements
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Did you know that each person is responsible for roughly 15 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year?
Help reduce Denver metro greenhouse gas emissions by calculating your carbon footprint.
Calculate Your Savings
The Stop Global Warming calculator shows you
how much carbon dioxide you can prevent from being released into the atmosphere, and how much money you can save by making small
changes in your daily life.
15 Easy Low-Carbon Tips
We have also compiled this handy list of simple and inexpensive steps we can all take to reduce our own carbon footprints.
Greenprint Council Releases Draft Climate Plan
Read the Climate Reports
Join the Blog Discussion
May 17, 2007
The Greenprint Denver Council has released its draft climate action plan, which coincides with the completion of the city's most comprehensive inventory of local greenhouse gas emissions to date.
The inventory, a calculation of Denver's citywide "carbon footprint," reveals that greenhouse gas emissions have increased in almost direct proportion to the significant population growth Denver has experienced over the past decade, with both population and annual greenhouse gas emissions increasing 24 percent between 1990 and 2005.
Overall, Denver's per capita greenhouse gas emissions have remained nearly constant at about 25 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per person per year from 1990 to 2005, with total annual greenhouse gas emissions increasing from 11.8 million carbon dioxide equivalents in 1990 to 14.6 million in 2005.
Results of the inventory demonstrate that energy use by buildings contributes the largest amount (52 percent) of Denver's total greenhouse gas emissions, including commercial and industrial facilities (35 percent), and residential structures (14 percent). City government and Denver International Airport activities (offices, facilities and fleets) contribute 3 percent of this total.
Tailpipe emissions are the second largest contributors, making up 30 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. This includes light trucks and SUVs (12 percent), passenger cars (7 percent), air travel (6 percent), heavy trucks (4 percent), and mass transit (1 percent). The production of materials has a significant impact (18 percent) as well, including food and packing (9.5 percent), fuel processing (7.5 percent), and cement manufacturing (2 percent).
The inventory breaks down the measures of personal contributions to Denver's carbon footprint, and suggests a variety of actions that individuals, businesses and city government can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Greenprint Denver Advisory Council spent eight months analyzing this data and working with local and national experts to develop its draft climate action plan, which incorporates many of the recommendations. It focuses on increasing energy efficiency in the government, corporate and residential sectors, and suggests market incentives for energy conservation and waste reduction. It also promotes density and transportation options, and identifies opportunities for regional, state and federal action.
Together, the two reports specify ten priority strategies to meet a short-term 2012 climate goal of total annual emissions reductions of 1.8 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents, thereby decreasing Denver's per capita greenhouse gas footprint by more than 10 percent relative to 1990 levels.
Mayor Hickenlooper and the Greenprint Council are seeking public feedback on the draft action plan before it is finalized, and a series of presentations and meetings will be held over the next several weeks:
Presentations & Meetings
Friday, May 18
10 a.m. -1 p.m.
Earth Fair Presentation
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Wednesday, May 23
12-1 p.m.
Public Presentation and Discussion Forum
REI - Meeting Room
1416 Platte Street
Saturday, June 2
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Earth Fair Presentation
Magna Carta Park, Hampden and Colorado Blvd.
Friday, June 8
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
City Employee Lunchtime Brown Bag
Webb Municipal Building, 201 W. Colfax Avenue
4th Floor, Room WMB 4.G.2/4.F.6
Saturday, June 9
8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Neighborhood Conference
West High School
951 Elati Street
Tuesday, June 19
11 a.m.
Denver City Council's Public Amenities Committee Meeting
City Council Conference Room 391
City and County Building
1437 Bannock Street
Wednesday, June 27
4-5:30 p.m.
Business Conference
Denver Newspaper Agency Auditorium
101 W. Colfax Avenue
Saturday, July 14
10-10:30 a.m.
Neighborhood Forum
Mt. Loretto Apartment Community Room
3101 S. Federal Boulevard
Additionally, feedback can be provided on the new Greenprint Blog, or by e-mail to greenprint@ci.denver.co.us.
IN-DEPTH:
- Read the climate action plan press release.
