Temecula is Going Green!
The City is embarking on a journey to establish a comprehensive Sustainability Program which involves strategies to reduce waste, conserve water and energy, encourage green buildings, increase open space, promote better air quality, and expand alternative transportation opportunities.
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability is related to the overall quality of life in a community. Sustainability does not have one single definition; however the general concept of sustainability involves the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Sustainability focuses on three components: the natural environment or natural resources of a community, the social connectedness among people in the community, including the education, skills and health of the population, and lastly the economic and financial prosperity of the community. When these three components come together sustainable solutions result. The benefits of sustainability are three-fold and positively impact the environment, the economy and society.
"The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired in value."
- Theodore Roosevelt
Temecula's Sustainability Plan
The first step toward developing a sustainability plan is to determine what goals to set, and which actions the City and its residents will take, to become a "greener," more environmentally sensitive City. Temecula's draft Sustainability Plan is a comprehensive program that includes seven areas of focus:
Energy
Water
Air Quality
Open Space
Waste Reduction
Green Buildings
Transportation & Community Design
After setting our goals, the next steps will be to establish specific implementation programs for each of the seven areas of focus listed above. These programs will put our efforts into action and help us meet our goals. We will then track our efforts to evaluate how successful we are at achieving our goals. Click here to learn more about the draft Sustainability Plan.
As a part of the program development, a City Sustainability Subcommittee has been formed to provide guidance on the draft Plan. Click here for more information about the Sustainability Subcommittee and to see the presentation from the first Subcommittee meeting.
Come get involved! We want to hear from you!
Residents and business owners will provide valuable input into the development of the City's Sustainability Plan. Input will be obtained through community workshops, surveys, and e-mail. A community meeting is tentatively anticipated in early spring of 2009.
Would you like to receive periodic updates?
If you are interested in sustainability and the future green efforts of the City we would like to keep in contact with you. Please click here to get on an interest list. We will contact you via e-mail and provide periodic updates about the development of the plan.
In preparation for our first community meeting we asked for community feedback to assist us in developing the Sustainability Plan.
2009 Sustainability Survey Results
"The future is literally in our hands to mold as we like. But we cannot wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow is now."
- Eleanor Roosevelt
The City's Current Sustainable Practices
The City of Temecula is already implementing a number of green practices in its efforts toward a more sustainable future.
Water Conservation
Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (Chapter 17.32)
Water Quality Management
Waste Reduction
ØHousehold Hazardous Waste Collection Events
Household Recycling
Green waste Recycling
Construction and Demolition
Debris Recycling
Air Quality
Member of the Clean Cities Coalition
Transportation and Community Design
Transportation Planning/Transit Center
I-15 Interregional Partnership - Smart Growth Concept Map
ØWRCOG Transit Oriented Development Demonstration Project
ØPark and Ride Lots Ø
Open Space
Bikeways and Multi-Trails Master Plan
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Open Space Preservation Ø
Bikeways and Trails Map
Green Buildings
Civic Center - Designed to LEED Certified standard
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