Cool Cities

Learn how to reduce your Carbon footprint and volunteer to train others to do the same. The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) is offering an 11 week course on Climate Change and Sustainability. The dates are from September 22 - December 8, 2010 and the class will be held in Albuquerque, NM.

Course participants are provided 30 hours of training, and in turn they "pay back" the program through volunteer service.

web site for general description of New Mexico Climate Masters

In 1Q 2009, David Van Winkle and Dexter Coolidge of the Northern New Mexico Group of the Sierra Club met with Santa Fe Mayor David Coss, City of Santa Fe City Councilors and Santa Fe County Commissioners to convince them to use renewable energy for the Buckman water project. It became a reality last week.

On April 24, Energy Works received the 2010 Sustainable Santa Fe Award for a Renewable Energy Project. Energy Works is collaboration between Youth Works and the Community Housing Trust, which the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club funded in 2009 in conjunction with the City of Santa Fe and the Santa Fe Community Housing Trust. This project funded eight youths to complete over 225 energy efficiency installations/audits for working class families.

On Earth Day, members, friends, and other organizations’ representatives filled the Rio Grande Chapter/Southern Group office for the first organizational meeting of the Cool Cities Las Cruces campaign. City Councilor Olga Pedroza also participated.

The Sierra Club’s Santa Fe Cool Biz Program is recognizing eight local businesses for green business practices.

Everyone has a mechanical inspection prior to buying a house to insure that the dishwasher works. Everyone should also have an energy audit to insure that the house works properly. It will save you $1000’s.

Nov. 2009 - When Albuquerque's new City Council first convened in December, it was poised to create a city-wide “Renewable Energy Financing District,” allowing property owners to finance renewable energy systems such as photovoltaic and thermal solar through their property taxes. The Ordinance creating the District, O-09-87, was deferred through the month and is now scheduled for final action at the Council’s January 4th meeting.

Nov. 2009 - Santa Fe County and the City of Santa Fe City Council passed a resolution to support federal legislation on climate change and support for a green economy.

Oct. 2009 - The Sierra Club and Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) led the effort to ensure that the “2009 Interim Albuquerque Energy Conservation Code (2009 Interim AECC)” was adopted by the Albuquerque City Council.