All six local governments have signed the US Mayors Protection Agreement. Doing so commits the municipalities to meet or beat the target of reducing global warming pollution levels to seven percent below 1990 levels by 2012.
The next step is for each city and the County to join the international organization known as ICLEI. This group guides cities through the reduction process.
Next each mayor will form a Green Team to move the process forward.
Islamorada and Key West have already begun building their Green Teams and making plans for to introduce the necessary changes to meet the Climate Agreement's goals. Marathon is getting ready to start the process. GLEE is prepared to help any of the municipalities form just such a team and can call on members in all parts of the Keys to help. Municipalities interested in forming a team should contact GLEE for help at info@keysglee.com.

No matter what stage of the process they are in, it's easy for each city to make significant changes. Start with replacing their light bulbs with CFLs. It’s amazing what a difference using CFL bulbs and making sure everything is off at night makes in energy usage and the resulting bills from the electric companies. For example, replacing a 100 W incandescent bulb with a 23 W CFL – which emits the same amount of light -- reduces energy usage by 75 percent. Multiply that by the hundreds of light bulbs in a city office and you have enormous savings. Shutting down unused office equipment lowers the bill even more.

The Keyswide Sustain-Ability Project (KSAP) was nominated for a “Climate Innovation Award” from participants at ICLEI’s national workshop.
Islamorada leads the pack thus far with its internal committee's Sustainability Report and plans to revise its local waste hauling/recycling contract.
Monroe County planning commissioner Donna Windle is drafting a comprehensive plan amendment to recapture the green-building incentives ROGO offered. She hopes to have it ready by mid September.
Monroe County Mayor Mario DiGennaro and Key West Mayor Morgan McPherson, as well as GLEE’s own Michael Welber, Pat Mahalish and Karin Wolfe traveled to Florida Governor Charlie Crists’ Climate Change Summit in July. During the two-day event Gov. Crist pledged to “bring together the brightest minds to begin working on a plan for Florida to explore groundbreaking technologies and strategies that will place our state at the forefront of a growing world-wide movement to reduce greenhouse gases.” Check out the Green House Gas Reduction Executive Order at http://www.myfloridaclimate.com/news/article/34.
The next KSAP meeting will focus on the ICLEI methodology and training to establish each locale's baseline. This process helps staff members find out where each city's largest inefficiencies and carbon emissions lie. With this knowledge it will be easier to set priorities, benchmarks and track progress. (Back to top)

Environmental Sustainability Plan September 2007

Islamorada, Village of Islands

In order to contribute to a greener planet, the Village of Islamorada seeks to enact policies

to reduce global warming pollution levels and provide economic and quality of life benefits such as reduced energy bills,

green space preservation, air quality improvements and energy conservation.

This document includes actions that are currently in place and goals/actions that have been identified to be investigated for future implementation. The document is intended to be utilized as a tool to review sustainability actions that have been achieved and to identify and prioritize goals that may be accomplished in the next year and future years.

The document is designed to be reviewed annually each spring to add/remove/modify the goals, update the status of items that have been implemented and identify those items that could be considered during budget discussions and implemented in the following fiscal year.

ENERGY

Environmental Sustainability Goal/Action		Status
· Include LEED energy certification components in plans for new Village building projects.
· Include LEED energy certification components in plans for Village building renovations.
· Utilize energy efficient mechanical systems in building projects.
· Energy saving standards are included in the BPAS scoring system.		In place prior to September 2007
· Investigate additional LEED energy certification standards for addition to the BPAS scoring system to promote increased energy savings in new development (i.e. solar hot water heating, “going off the FKEC grid”).		To be investigated during FY 07-08
· Turn thermostats up during non-business hours in all Village Buildings. Set a minimum temperature standard for business hours, with limited exceptions (i.e. areas housing computer server systems).		In place September 2007
· Install motion-sensing, auto-off light switches where appropriate at Village owned buildings.
· Create and distribute monthly employee newsletter; include sustainability issues/suggestions in each newsletter.		To be implemented during FY 07-08
· Establish an energy conservation program/policy for all Village offices and buildings to include turning off lights and equipment when not in use.		To be implemented during FY 07-08
· As new equipment and appliances are required, procure energy efficient products that are ENERGY STAR® qualified or that are certified under the Federal Energy Management Program unless the products are shown not to be cost-effective on a life-cycle cost basis.
· Update the Village purchasing policy and procedure to include the requirement of ENERGY STAR® qualified products or products that are certified under the Federal Energy Management Program unless the products are shown not to be cost-effective on a life cycle cost basis.
· Require affordable housing projects receiving Village assistance to install ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances.
· Purchase vehicles with the highest fuel efficiency that are appropriate for the assigned task.
· Auction retired Sheriff’s Department vehicles that are not fuel efficient for Village tasks.
· Implement anti-idling policy throughout all Village departments.		In place September 2007
· Replace Founders Park pool heat pumps with new conventional units.
· Convert Founders Park pool heating to a solar panel powered system.
· Replace Founders Park street lights with solar lighting.
· Retrofit existing Founders Park light poles for conversion to solar lighting.
· Replace existing neighborhood street lighting with solar lighting.
· Require solar hot water heating for affordable housing projects receiving Village assistance.
· Utilize solar power to light “Welcome to Islamorada” signs at the north and south entrances to the Village.		In place prior to September 2007
· Manage Founders Park street lights for lowest possible energy use.		In place September 2007
· Utilize state of the industry standards/practices for Founders Park field lighting.		In place September 2007
· Preserve properties from development through conservation easements and agreements with Monroe County and the State of Florida.		Over 35 acres of property acquired prior to September 2007

LAND

· Increase allowed Floor Area Ratio in Village Center zoning districts to preserve open space in other areas and create compact, walkable areas.
· Maintain and expand healthy tree canopies over certain roadways to provide for greater shade to residential areas for energy savings and promote groundwater absorption.		In place prior to September 2007 and ongoing
· Coordinate with FDOT to re-sod US 1 highway rights-of-ways rather than placing compacted lime rock. The sod may need to be protected with hedge materials.
· Acquire or train employee(s) to become certified arborist on roadways staff.
· Replace asphalt with pervious pavers where possible on publicly held land.
· Add rain barrels/cisterns to key properties to capture rainwater, allowing the water to be used for landscaping.
· Ensure that swales are vegetated and kept free from debris and minimize traffic that would compact soils and reduce permeability.
· Preserve additional properties from development.
· Work with schools, various community agencies and citizens’ advisory committees for the planting of trees and greenery at Plantation Hammock Preserve, Plantation Tropical Preserve and other Village parks.		In place prior to September 2007 and ongoing
· Require businesses that use rights-of-way to plant or re-plant vegetation and trees.
· Work with utility companies to restore vegetation, including re-sodding and tree planting.
· Work with neighborhood associations with culs de sac or streets ending in water for potential planting ideas to install landscaping to improve barren areas.
· Provide more shaded walkable/bikeable lanes and communal parking by initiating the US Post Office / Townsite Supermarket proposed project as shown in the 2003 TSM Study for downtown Islamorada.
· Provide more shaded walkable/bikeable lanes by initiating the Worldwide Sportsman Store / Islamorada Fish Company proposed project as shown in the 2003 TSM Study for downtown Islamorada.
· Provide more shaded walkable/bikeable lanes and communal parking by initiating Village-wide parking along US Highway 1 proposed project as shown in the 2003 TSM Study for downtown Islamorada.

AIR QUALITY/CO2 REDUCTION

· Identify locations to strategically plant native canopy trees that would provide ample shade with its canopy to cool temperatures and reduce air pollution and plant six trees per year in public parks and rights-of-way.

In place prior to September 2007 and ongoing

· Require additional landscaping and buffers for projects requiring development orders.

In place prior to September 2007

· Increase the amount of landscaping required for new development.

STORMWATER

· Village’s stormwater master plan completed in 2001 and transmitted to officials at FDOT and FDEP.		In place prior to September 2007
· Meet with FDOT on a regular basis to coordinate and review work performed by the FDOT.		In place prior to September 2007 and ongoing
· Make requests to FDOT for improvement projects.
· Complete remainder of the paving and drainage improvements on Upper Matecumbe Key.		In progress September 2007
· Utilize Stormwater Best Management Practices for drainage improvements.		In place prior to September 2007 and ongoing
· Require swales as part of the work to install driveway connections to local roads in order to promote infiltration
· As part of right of way permitting, require xeriscape plant materials for plantings in right-of-way.

WATER

· Low flow plumbing fixtures are in place in the Founders Park pool complex and Fire Station 20.		In place prior to September 2007
· LEED certification components (i.e. waterless toilets) could be utilized for additional water savings in new municipal building projects.
· Utilize the minimum level of water necessary for Founders Park fields and landscaping to be properly maintained for use and for the pool and other facilities to function properly.		In place September 2007
· Utilize treated re-use water for field and greenery as it becomes available.
· Water savings standards are currently included in the BPAS scoring system.		In place prior to September 2007
· Investigate additional LEED certification standards for BPAS scoring system.

WASTE

· Create and post additional recycling information on website.		To be implemented during FY 07-08
· Provide standard recycling bins at all public parks in Village.		To be implemented beginning of FY 07-08
· Provide three-recycling-bin set up at public parks in Village.
· Include alternatives for recycling in FY 08-09 solid waste contract.
· Establish a recycling program at all Village offices and encourage recycling by all staff and visitors.		In place September 2007
· Encourage Village staff to print and copy double-sided when possible.		In place September 2007
· Encourage Village staff to utilize electronic documents rather than printed documents when appropriate.		In place September 2007
· Distribute Village meeting packets electronically or as double-sided prints when appropriate.		In place September 2007

TRANSPORTATION

· Develop a Bicycle/Pedestrian Transportation Master Plan (Comprehensive Plan Policy 2-1.5.1).		In progress September 2007
· Coordinate with FDOT to pave or sod specific areas along bike path within FDOT right-of-way to minimize impact to bike lanes from highway traffic.
· Seek funding for a Transit (Bus) Pull-off Facility Preliminary Design.
· Work with the FDOT as well as the Miami-Dade Transit Authority and Monroe County to plan and construct bus stops.		In progress September 2007
· Work with Monroe County and other governmental entities to encourage transportation companies to use clean fuel sources. This would likely need to be combined with an effort from Dade County and the City of Miami to be effective.
· Encourage Village staff to carpool, rideshare, bike or walk to work, as appropriate.		To be implemented beginning of FY 07-08

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GLEE helps hotels green up

With the help of Keys environmental group Florida Keys Green Living and Energy Education (GLEE) two Keys hotels have recently attained "green" status. Both The Banyan Resort and The Gardens Hotel in Key West passed muster with the State of Florida's Certified Green Lodging Project received their certifications during separate ceremonies in August.

Both Key West hotels received their certifications during separate ceremonies.

To qualify, the hotels took steps to reduce energy consumption and use environmentally sensitive products. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Lodging Program establishes guidelines for conservation of natural resources and pollution reduction. As a reward for designation, Florida recommends green hotels to groups seeking eco-friendly lodging and convention facilities. It also lists certified green hotels on the state’s website with a link on the Visit Florida site (www.visitflorida.com).

“Our recent Expo brought 3,000 visitors to Marathon, 20 percent of them traveling from outside the Keys,” said GLEE president Alison Higgins. "Many of our Expo exhibitors also put themselves up in local establishments, but were frustrated by the lack of green accommodations.”

GLEE hopes to not only choose a green hotel for its official Expo lodging at next year's event, but also recommend a variety of green hotels for visitors to choose from.

According to an article in "Keys Sunday," the Gardens has committed to a series of changes, including: Using nontoxic cleaning products and making sure they're not overused. Switching from bottled water to water coolers that use filtered tap water.

-- Reducing the amount of packaging by using dispensers for shampoo, conditioner and soap and buying cookies and candies in bulk, instead of individually bottled and wrapped amenities
-- Switching to energy-efficient compact-fluorescent lighting
-- Putting the irrigation system on timers
-- Composting vegetation and food waste
-- Setting room thermostats higher
-- Installing new door hinges so doors close automatically
-- Using silverware and cloth napkins instead of disposables
-- Reducing paper use by sending more e-mails and fewer faxes and asking vendors to stop sending catalogs.

And of course, the hotels committed to a strong recycling program.

“We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from our guests,” says Gardens hotel general manager Cindy DeRocher. "The Gardens has cut its trash bill by about $250 a month."

GLEE is currently working with Daniel Samess, executive director of the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce, on a specific date for training sessions in Marathon designed to help hotels in the middle Keys achieve green status.

The group's Web site (www.keysglee.com) will continue to link environmentally conscious travelers with green hotels throughout the Keys.

Hotel owners interested in this program should contact Alison Higgins, ahiggins@tnc.org or 923-1783.
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Mark your calendar for recycling

November 15 is America Recycles Day. As part of this nationwide effort, GLEE encourages the municipalities in the Keys as well as Monroe County to address the issue of recycling. The group hopes the entities will help educate people about the need as well as find ways to greatly increase the rates of recycling in the islands.

GLEE assembled a group of local citizens for its Reduce, Reuse, Recycle committee to spearhead this effort. In an interesting twist on the usual three Rs program, GLEE added an additional one to stand for Rot to persuade the county to reinstitute its yard waste program in which the materials were taken to a site to be composted. Eventually, this material was then returned to homeowners in the form of mulch.

The committee is putting together a resolution or “pledge” for all municipalities. Zully Hemeyer, who works in the public works department in Islamorada, is helping the group write the resolution.

GLEE's goal is for each city as well as the county to adopt the finished resolution at their November meeting, thereby launching a more concerted recycling effort.

Contact GLEE at info@keysglee.com for more information about how to participate in this new project.
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Save those flushes

At least 300 toilets in the Florida Keys can be exchanged for new water-efficient models under a new Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority program.

The program is part of a more aggressive effort to reduce water usage in the Keys.

Utility spokesperson and GLEE member Colleen Tagle estimated that the change would result in a savings of 4.5 million gallons of water annually.

The FKAA will match a $32,000 grant from the South Florida Water Management District to fund a program that will offer utility customers a $100 rebate toward replacing their old toilet.

The old toilets that consume five or six gallons of fresh water per flush are the big targets. Low-flow toilets that use 1.2 to 1.6 gallons per flush have been the national standard since 1992.

Homeowners will pay a plumber to install a qualifying toilet, or they can replace it on their own.

The $100 rebate would be paid when customers supply a receipt. The rebates will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The water authority will also distribute water-saving devices such as low-flow showerheads and sink aerators.

Applications will be available on the utility's Web site (www.fkaa.com) starting October 1. Customers must take the completed application, along with photos of their old toilet and a receipt for their new low-flow toilet to the utility office, where they will have to sign a notarized document swearing they recently installed it.