City Seeks Environmental Task Force Members

Calling all "green" experts—the city will be recruiting volunteers in August for its Environmental Task Force (ETF).

Ten people with experience in areas such as sustainability, clean energy and waste management will be selected for the second go-round of the program. Those chosen will start in October and serve for the next year, with an option to extend service.

"I hope that this next task force will educate and encourage our broader community to embrace sustainable lifestyles," Councilwoman Portia Cohen said at last week's City Council meeting. Cohen chaired the previous task force with Mayor Mitch Ward. In all, 19 people served on last year's force, including school board member Amy Howorth and then-Costa freshman Adam Gerard, who addressed the work of the task force in his student columns for Patch.

Using as a guide the Green Report, the city's self-evaluation of its environmental initiatives, this year's task force will assess current city practices and suggest ideas for reform. The group will also focus on educating the community in three areas recommended by the previous task force, including renewable energy, sustainable landscaping and zero waste programs.

The City Council approved $5,000 from the budget used for environmental programs to pay for the task force's advertising and consulting costs. 

The first task force was created in 2008, following the development of the Green Report and the city's endorsement of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. It met for a year and a half and made recommendations for policies in the areas of solid waste reduction, green building design, climate protection, water conservation and storm management.

"We accomplished a great deal of planning in our first term and were able to see tremendous results already from implementation of water conservation as well as green building policies," said ETF member Todd Dipaola, who is also chairman of the South Bay Bicycle Coalition. "Going forward, I would love to see the physical changes that improve our beach lifestyle while saving energy, greenhouse gases, and taxpayer dollars."

This year, the ETF will be smaller so it can focus on outreach in one area at a time, said Sona Kalapura, the city's environmental programs manager.

Although the city is looking for new faces for the task force, Kalapura said past members are encouraged to be involved as advisers and to attend the monthly meetings.

Dipaola expressed concern over the group's longevity and urged the city to make it a permanent fixture.

"This is something where Manhattan is leading Southern California and the nation," he said. "I would argue efficiency and sustainability [are] just as important to residents as our library, arts, recreation, and parking commissions. The fact that the task force may not be renewed in the future is a concern of mine."