Possible policy options for cutting Carbon emissions are included below.  They are divided by sector:

Residential

    Some of the simplest and most cost effective ways to reduce carbon emissions in the town of Chapel Hill is through the residential sector.  Small changes in the energy efficiency of lighting, appliances, and computers can drastically reduce electricity consumption in the Chapel Hill households.  Many changes would cost the Chapel Hill residents nothing while providing a great service to their town and environment.  It is important that the local government support these individual efforts on top of large, community-wide projects since Chapel Hill residents often ignore these small changes in efficiency despite their low cost and simplicity.

    We propose that the Town of Chapel Hill publicize ways in which each household can reduce its carbon emissions and educate the public about the risks of global climate change.  We also propose the Town of Chapel Hill provide incentives to its residents to reduce carbon emissions and publicize the many incentives already in place in North Carolina and Chapel Hill.  The following pages provide information on how residences can reduce their carbon emissions.  We hope the Town of Chapel Hill can use this information to educate its residents.  We hope that educational projects will not only initiate changes within the households, but will also excite Chapel Hill residents to become more involved in the community-wide carbon reduction project.

    There are many ways to cut down carbon emissions in the household or small business.  Some do not cost the resident anything.  Other changes include:

• Computers, Lighting, and Equipment
• HVAC (insulation)
• Passive Solar Design
• Lawn Care
• Wind Turbine Generators

    Additionally, we feel that Chapel Hill can take an active role in promoting the various incentives that exist for the public to make efforts toward more sustainable energy sources.  Much effort is wasted in research and development when the public is ignorant as to the feasibility of particular options.  Getting the word out is an important first step in the right direction.

Environmental Education and Information Distribution

    In order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the residential sector, the Town of Chapel Hill will ultimately have to rely on the residents themselves to work as individuals toward a 60% reduction in their household.  One valuable way the Town can encourage its residents to change their energy use is by implementing community Environmental Education programs.  This policy assumes that, if the citizens of Chapel Hill were aware of the risk of global warming, the importance of reducing their carbon dioxide emissions, and the ways in which they can limit their carbon dioxide output, they would be more likely to adopt energy-saving practices.  In addition, by educating its citizens in this way, the Town of Chapel Hill can expand its mission from a Town Council initiative to a citywide project.  If the citizens know the reasoning behind the Town’s new policy alternatives, we expect they will be more likely to support and encourage these efforts.  For these reasons, it is important that the Town provide quality environmental education programs and frequently distribute information on energy efficiency and its significance.

    One way the Town of Chapel Hill can educate its citizens is by distributing pamphlets.  Some energy providers send out energy-saving tips with electric bills.  While the Town of Chapel Hill can encourage companies like Duke Power to send out similar information, the Town itself can adopt the same strategies.  The Town can provide pamphlets on energy efficient households with phone books, taxes, or deeds that are all regularly distributed to Chapel Hill homeowners.  There is a wide range of information the Town can include in these pamphlets such as: No-Cost Carbon Saving Tips, Why reducing carbon dioxide emissions is important, Energy Efficient Lawn Care, Energy Efficient Computers, Lighting and Personal Equipment, Solar Power, and Carbon Saving Incentives that are all included on this website.

The Town can also educate its citizens by providing Environmental Sciences in its elementary and high schools.  Understanding the symbiotic relationship between people and their environment would help young people develop skills and values that promote sustainable habits and environmentally conscious behavior.  Besides initiating environmental programs in schools, the Town could support these programs by creating a Environmental Education Community Network.  This network could provide information and special conferences for teachers at all the different school.  The Town could support School District wide events such as competitions, award ceremonies, and Earth Day celebrations.  California has created a state-wide Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Network that Chapel Hill could adopt for its smaller community.  According to their website:
 

CREEC was established to make links between providers of environmental education and the teachers who use it. The ultimate goal of the CREEC Network is to enhance the environmental literacy of students.  Regional coordinators gather and evaluate the environmental education opportunities in their local region…They make this information available to teachers in a variety of ways. As "conduits of information" these coordinators strive to help teachers by linking them to the most effective workshops, speakers, curriculum, outings, etc.

The website highlights Outstanding Schools with Environmental Emphasis and their different programs such as Adopt a Watershed, The Environmentality Challege, or The Classroom Feeder Watch.  The community program also encourages students by providing The Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award.

Chapel Hill could encourage sustainable practices within it citizens by modeling community environmental education programs like California’s.  It could also educate the public by distributing information directly to households.  These education practices could be extremely valuable to the success of the Town’s mission for 60% reduction of CO2 emissions.
 

Transportation
 

    The greatest emissions of Carbon Dioxide in Chapel Hill come from the transportation sector.  Any significant reductions in CO2 emissions must include a change in current transportation practices.  There are several parts of the transportation sector that the Town can modify to achieve an overall reduction in carbon emission.  These include:

• Non-Motorized Transit
• Rail Transit
• Bus Transit
• Automobile Transit
• Land Use Planning

Residential/Commercial Energy Demand

    Currently the town of Chapel Hill receives most of its energy from Duke Power, of which 50% is derived from coal, 48% from nuclear reactors at the Sharon Harris Plant, and approximately 2% from hydroelectric sources.  There are several ways to increase the efficiency of these coal plants.  There are also several options for alternatives fuels.  The Town of Chapel Hill must explore different energy options in order to increase efficiency and reach their goal of 60% reduction in carbon emissions.

First, we will explore more efficient Coal Plants.
Then we will explore alternative fuel sources such as:

• Liquefied Petroleum Gas
• Hydrogen Fuel Cells
• Solar Energy

California
    Contemporary experience suggests that California may not be the best example of a leader in environmental management (think about the electricity crisis and rolling blackouts/brownouts in 2001).  However, California has continued to support green initiatives despite these problems.  Recently, the state enacted an Action Plan for the Environment pledging to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.  The export of energy efficient technology is estimated to have provided California with almost $500 million in benefits.

Massachussetts
    In 2004, Massachussetts issued a state Climate Protection Plan to accelerate progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  This legislation builds upon earlier laws, which demanded that older, outdated power plants shutdown or meet new emissions standards through two avenues: increasing efficiency or trading emissions.  The state has also taken action on supporting the development of renewable energies.  Their Renewable Energy Trust is funded by a small charge on all ratepayers’ electricity bills.  Some Chapel Hill residents currently have the option of paying higher prices for “green energy” in their electrical bills.

San Diego
    San Diego, like most other cities including Chapel Hill, is having major problems with emissions coming from the transportation sector.  In 1990, 42% of all greenhouse gas emissions in San Diego were attributed to transportation.  Thus, the city has become one of the most vibrant supporters of innovations within transportation.  For example, their alternative fuel program converts methane gas harvested form landfills to liquefied natural gas in order to power their refuse collection trucks (the LNG station is also open to the public).  This policy, combined with optimization of collection routes, has cut carbon emissions in the transportation sector by nearly 3,000 tons of CO2 per year.

Portland
    Long considered a leader in pro-environmental efforts, Portland is currently making additional strides towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  In particular, Portland is recognized for its efforts in “green building.”  Since 2000, the city has offered technical assistance, education, and financial incentives for green building.  The services are offered to communities, businesses, and homeowners alike.  To date, they have provided financial and technical assistance to over 300 local buildings.  These efforts, along with other efforts, have resulted in over $300 million in savings on energy bills for business and residential customers since 1990.

San Francisco
    The municipal government of San Francisco adopted an Electricity Resource Plan in 2002.  A major key to this program is energy efficiency.  The local government has implemented several tactics for addressing this matter.  For example, using state rebate funds their Department of Energy successfully converted many hard-to-reach small businesses to more energy efficient lighting schemes (winning several awards and reducing the businesses electricity demands/costs in the process).  In addition, initiatives aimed at the cities own operations and facilities have led to a campaign to replace conventional traffic lights with newer LED signals.  Insignificant as these changes may seem, their net effect has been projected at $10.7 million savings in energy costs per year.

Note that a majority of these examples are reforms initiated by state and municipal branches of government – not federal.  As the old saying goes, “think globally, act locally.”  The Town of Chapel Hill should recognize the value of this statement and act soon.  Good strategies have been developed and implemented elsewhere.  Much can be learned from their success and failures.  Furthermore, basic economics tells us that there is a definite advantage for first movers – the opportunity should not be wasted.