Ketchum's city government consumed 14.4 percent more energy in 2007 than 2004, emitting the equivalent of 3,813 tons of carbon dioxide, according to a carbon emissions study put together by the Environmental Resource Center.
Center Executive Director Craig Barry reported the findings to the City Council at Monday's meeting as the first step in cutting the city's energy use. The next step will be for the city to set a target percentage decrease. It will then develop an action plan, implement those ways of decreasing energy use and measure the results.
In October 2007, the city first committed to this effort by signing a climate protection resolution and joining Cities for Climate Prevention, a program of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. According to the group's Web site, more than 1,000 other local governments worldwide are also part of the effort. They including Sun Valley, Hailey and Blaine County.
According to the carbon emissions study, Ketchum's municipal government emitted 35 tons of carbon dioxide per city employee in 2007, a number 75 percent higher than the national average of 20 tons per person, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Barry broke down the city's energy use into six categories: buildings, the city's vehicle fleet, employee commuting, streetlights, water and sewer, and waste. For 2007, water and sewer was the biggest piece of the carbon-emissions pie at 67 percent of the city government's total. Buildings and vehicle fleet were both at second with 11 percent. Employee commuting accounted for 6 percent, with waste at 3 percent and streetlights at 2 percent.
Trevon Milliard: tmilliard@mtexpress.com
