next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects
Information from the Federation of Canadian Muncipality home page: Questions for muncipal gov reps http://www.fcm.ca/ MUNICIPAL POLICY ON THE ENVIRONMENT Do you have a policy statement on environmental issues? Is it predicated on a sustainable development approach? Do you involve citizens, the private sector, environmental groups and others in the environmental planning for your municipality? As recommended in the World Commission on Environment and Development, we must be committed to sustainable development, that is, we must pursue a course which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We must integrate economic and environmental considerations in decision-making. Municipalities must take an integrated and sustainable approach to future planning in such areas as waste management,water quality and supply, land use and development, energy efficiency, transportation, and economic development. WASTE MANAGEMENT Do your policies follow the hierarchy of the Rs? Do you prioritize the promotion and funding of your waste management programs? DOES YOUR MUNICIPALITY: Have a waste diversion target of 25% by the year 1992 and 50% by the year 2000 based on the hierarchy of the Rs (using 1988 as the base year); undertake waste audits of their own operations; have procurement policies that: a) favour purchasing products and services that reflect waste reduction, reuse and recycling; and b) restrict the amount of excess packaging; undertake waste reduction programs, providing information, advice, incentives by-laws to alter waste generating behaviour or reduce the amount of waste requiring treatment or disposal; ban the dumping in your landfill site by commercial haulers of materials that are reusable or recyclable; have tipping fees at your landfill site(s) reflect the full costs of disposal in order to encourage waste reduction and provide revenue during the life of the landfill to cover the costs of closure, maintenance and replacement of the site; have waste collection user fees; and investigate opportunities for landfill gas management. SEWER, WATER AND WASTE WATER DOES YOUR MUNICIPALITY: have sewer use by-laws controlling chemical discharges into sewers; in keeping with the principle of user/polluter pay, obtain from the industrial discharges, costs of enforcing municipal sewer discharge controls that target these; encourage household hazardous waste collection systems operated by either the private or public sectors; promote, through public education programs, the use of alternatives to existing toxic products; pursue efforts and encourage other municipalities to control storm-water pollution at the source; charge water user fees and sewer surcharges that reflect the true cost of current service and provide resources for upgrading water and waste water infrastructure; pursue efforts to control stormwater pollution at the source; encourage household hazardous waste collection systems operated by either the private or public sectors; undertake a water audit of its operations; have a water conservation policy; have a public awareness program designed to encourage efficient use of water and industry by consumers; have water pricing practices that discourage overuse as well as marginal cost decreases for higher volumes consumed; have by-laws that require low flush toilets and urinals in new developments; use and encourage xeriscaping to conserve water through creative landscaping; have a rebate program to encourage participation in municipal water efficiency programs; discourage water use, through surcharges and restrictions, during peak periods; and encourage the use of water from other sources for non-potable use. LAND USE AND HOUSING DOES YOUR MUNICIPALITY: have an urban development plan to restrict urban sprawl and use intensification to diminish pollution; through a review, certify that its land use plan has negligible environmental impacts and that bio-diversity is protected; through its by-laws, ensure that housing opportunities within the existing stock are being maximized; review its building codes/standards with a view to reducing waste and the use of nonrenewable and toxic materials. review its building codes/standards with a view to reducing waste and the use of non-renewable and toxic materials; and ensure that municipal policies and programs protect lands of particular ecological or environmental significance. AIR DOES YOUR MUNICIPALITY: encourage household hazardous waste collection systems operated by either the private or public sectors; have a policy target of 20% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2005; participate in climate change campaigns such as FCM's 20% Club or Canadian Cities for Climate Protection; encourage municipal fleet managers to increase fuel efficiency of their fleet and increase the use of alternate fuels; ensure that infrastructure required to support alternate modes of transportation such as walking and cycling is adequate; undertake energy audits of its own facilities; participate in Public Energy Canada; have policies that favour public transit over automobiles; encourage and promote the use of public transit via appropriate tax measures; support the shift to more energy efficiency means of transportation; and renounce the use of products which require CFCs in manufacturing or operation. ENERGY DOES YOUR MUNICIPALITY: have an energy conservation program for its operations; have information and education campaigns to encourage the public to conserve energy; and belong to the FCM 20% Club that encourages efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within their own operations and their community as a whole. Rochelle Owen --------------------------------------------------------------- This mail was sent through the Nova Scotia Provincial Server, with technical resources provided by Chebucto Community Net. http://nsaccess.ns.ca/mail/ http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/ -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- The preceding message was posted on Sustainable Maritimes (sust-mar) -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- DOES SUST-MAR KNOW? Not unless you tell us ... To submit a message about the environment/sustainability in the Maritimes, just send it to <sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca> Messages are prioritised and queued, so please be patient if your message doesn't appear right away.
next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects