The Town of Ross understands that climate change has the potential to significantly affect Ross’ residents and businesses, as well as other communities around the world. The Town also recognizes that local governments play a strong role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the potential impacts of climate change.

In November 2010, the Ross Town Council approved the Town’s first Climate Action Plan, a strategy document that lays out options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the community and government operations. The plan quantifies a number of ways the Town could achieve its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% below 2005 levels by the year 2020.

In 2009, the Town completed a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and found that the majority of community emissions (48%) comes from energy use in residential buildings. The Climate Action Plan contains several measures that could reduce community emissions by up to 8% through energy efficiency retrofits, green building practices, and installation of more solar energy systems. Transportation accounts for another 42% of community emissions, and the plan addresses these emissions through programs to increase biking, walking, transit use and ridesharing. The development of on-site workforce housing would also contribute to greenhouse gas reductions by decreasing emissions from commuting.

The Climate Action Plan details a number of measures the Town can take to reduce government operations emissions, from completing recommended lighting retrofits in Town buildings and purchasing Energy Star-rated computer equipment, to replacing streetlights with LED lamps and police patrol cars with more fuel-efficient vehicles. Emissions from the vehicle fleet are the Town’s greatest source of greenhouse gasses (38%), and recommended programs, including replacing a Town vehicle with an electric car, could reduce government operations emissions by up to 13%.

Waste contributes almost 4% of community and government emissions through the release of methane gas during the decomposition of organic material in landfills. The plan contains programs to reduce waste emissions by home and curbside composting of food and green waste and by encouraging waste and wastewater service providers to create electricity from methane gas.

The Town encourages you, your family and your business to help reduce the impacts of climate change. Here are some important steps you can take now to reduce your carbon footprint:

Don’t drive – walk or bike for short trips. Have your child walk or bike to Ross School, and bike or walk to local destinations, like the Post Office, rather than drive.

Shop locally. Shop at our downtown businesses and the farmers market. Reducing your annual driving mileage by just 10% can make a significant difference.

Drive an electric car. You’ll reduce your car emissions by up to 90%.

Install a solar energy system. Solar energy installers tell us one-third of Ross homes are good candidates for solar. You could reduce your electricity emissions by up to 85%.

Order a home energy audit and complete recommended energy efficiency upgrades. Even a minimum energy efficiency retrofit can reduce your home’s energy use by 20%. Visit www.energyupgradecalifornia.org to learn more.

Use compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs or LED bulbs. These will reduce your lighting energy use by 75% or more. LED bulbs are more expensive, but they last much longer and don’t contain mercury.

Purchase Energy Star-rated appliances and computer equipment. Energy Star-rated appliances can be 20-30% more energy efficient than regular models. Visit www.energystar.gov for more information.

Compost your food waste. Composting your food waste could reduce your waste emissions by 25% – and it’s great for your garden, too.

Ross Climate Action Plan

Ross 2005 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory