Durham City Council and County Commissioners unanimously adopted a Greenhouse Gas Plan last week, calling for local government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030. Meanwhile, the plan also targets a 30 percent reduction in emissions by Durham households, businesses and industry.
The county is hiring a sustainability coordinator to educate the public and monitor progress on the plan.
About 120 people responded to surveys distributed at a June 21 public forum on the plan; 98 percent of respondents agreed that climate change would likely negatively impact their lives. It appears that the respondents, at least, are incorporating easy energy savings into their routines—more than 90 percent turn down the heat or air conditioning when they're not home. But when it comes down to cost or convenience, fewer people are decreasing their energy usage; eight in 10 don't take public transportation because of convenience. To read the plan, go to www.durhamnc.gov/ghg.
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