Edmonds’ local climate-change contingent has a new place to hang out.
Sustainable Edmonds is a brand new group that members hope will give like-minded environmentalists a place to talk green, act together and highlight efforts in Edmonds’ backyard.
Its second ever public meeting was scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 21, at the law offices of City Councilman Steve Bernheim at 512 Bell St.
The group is new and emerging, but members are “concerned with what citizens can do to improve the sustainability of Edmonds,” said Bob Freeman, who is already actively blogging on the organization’s Web site, sustainableedmonds.org.
Sustainable Edmonds is patterned after other sustainability groups in communities around Puget Sound, members said.
There is a Sustainable Ballard group, a Sustainable West Seattle group, a Sustainable Renton group and so on.
“Something like this has been brewing here for some time,” Bernheim said.
Climate change in Edmonds is a topic that has gotten so popular that is has broken out of its city-sponsored shell.
About two years ago, Mayor Gary Haakenson began hosting monthly meetings with an appointed Climate Change Committee.
The group is trying to develop green building ordinances styled after the popular LEED (for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) system. It is also working towards determining Edmonds’ carbon footprint, Haakenson said.
But, the mayor’s committee focuses on the city as an entity — working to make city buildings more green and city practices more environmentally friendly.
Sustainable Edmonds wants to think about Edmonds’ citizens, members said.
“That is great,” Haakenson said. “It just means we are having the desired effect, which is to bring this issue to the consciousness of the public.”
That the new group is related to the mayor’s committee is reflected in its meeting time: Its Feb. 21 meeting is taking place an hour before the mayor’s group meets, and just across the street.
Members of the group hope that it can accomplish four goals: educate the public about sustainability issues, advocate for action, demonstrate individual and collective efforts already happening locally, and partner with like-minded organizations, said Janice Freeman, an early member and the wife of Bob.
There are plenty of local efforts that deserve recognition, said Janice Freeman, who was the chair of Edmonds’ planning board in 2007.
Multiple homes in Edmonds have solar panels to gather energy, some homes have innovative rainwater collection systems and many other efforts could serve as inspirations to residents, she said.
“These are the sorts of things that we’d like to highlight,” she said. “These are the things that we can say ‘Your neighbors are doing (this), and you can be doing it, too.’”
Reporter Chris Fyall: 425-673-6525 or cfyall@heraldnet.com
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