The City of Palo Alto has been named a 2015 Business Environmental Award winner and recipient of the Acterra Award for Sustainability in recognition of the City’s overall approach, commitment and leadership in sustainability.
Per the City’s press release:
Specifically, Palo Alto was one of the first cities in the nation to adopt a Climate Action Plan, and realize large GHG reductions – a 53 percent reduction in City operations and 29 percent reduction in the combined community emissions. The City has achieved a carbon neutral electric supply and recently adopted a local solar plan to provide enhanced incentives for schools, businesses and other institutions to install solar panels. The City also received kudos for extensive efforts to protect its urban forest, programs to reach Zero Waste by 2021, and for implementing leading-edge watershed protection initiatives. Other contributing factors to the award included energy efficiency programs, conservation programs, green building requirements, incentives for electric vehicles and fuel efficient vehicles. With the achievement of a carbon neutral electric supply, Palo Alto is now shifting its focus to reducing natural gas and transportation fuel consumption.