Cities at the forefront of ‘renewable’ movement converging in Vancouver
Posted May 8, 2015 10:07 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – What do the cities of Copenhagen, Aspen, Stockholm and San Francisco have in common?
They are all determined to bid farewell to the use of fossil fuels within their boundaries – and their efforts will be highlighted at an international conference in Vancouver, starting Wednesday.
Vancouver recently became the first city in Canada to declare it wants to become 100 per cent reliant on renewable resources, which means letting go of fossil fuels like oil and natural gas.
It means getting the private sector and private citizens on board, too.
Claire Havens of SFU’s Renewable Cities program admits conversion won’t be easy.
“Transportation is the most difficult because it requires us looking at electrifying the transportation system, from individual cars to public transit.”
But she says abandoning the traditional ways of heating and cooling our living spaces and adopting new ways of fueling our vehicles is worth it.
“It does offer so many solutions to energy security, energy safety, and even employment since the renewable energy sector is jobs intensive.”
Burlington, Vermont will be held up as the ideal example at the conference. Electricity in the city of about 42,000 is now generated by hydropower, biomass, wind and solar technology.
