| SUMMARY
Location: Santa Monica, California
Industry: Government
Background of Project: Santa Monica’s Sustainable City Program (SCP) grew out of a Task Force on the Environment appointed by the City Council in 1991 to review the city’s environmental policies and programs.
Motivation: Citizens and Community leaders
Best Successes:
From 1990 to 2000
- Waste diverted from the landfill increased from 13.8% to 55%
- Greenhouse gas emissions decreased 5.2% citywide
- Annual ridership on the City’s award-winning Big Blue Bus increased 17%
- Untreated, dry-weather urban runoff entering Santa Monica Bay from City outfalls decreased by approximately 95%
- The total amount of open space in the City increased by 10%.
- The number of trees in public spaces increased 8% between 1995 and 2000.
- The City’s Urban Runoff Reclamation Facility (SMURRF) treats up to 500,000 gallons per day of urban runoff that can be reused for landscape irrigation and indoor toilet flushing at various sites around the City.
- The number of publicly assisted affordable housing units in the City increased by 47% between 1990 and 1998.
Greatest Challenges: Control resource use, provide affordable housing, including social equity and economic development concerns in the SCP
Contact Info: Sustainable City Program
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