Title
Natures First Policies (NB)
Explanation
"The Gainesville City Commission has unanimously passed a resolution urging the U.S. Congress to pass H.R. 109, commonly known as the Green New Deal. This bill outlines a bold vision for America to meet the challenge of creating a civilization that is ecologically sustainable before humanity generates enough damage to the Earth’s ecosystems and endangers all life on the planet - including Gainesville and North Florida in general. The clock is, unfortunately, ticking closer and much of the current damage is irreversible. For this reason it is imperative we all do our part. Despite the GND for Cities initiative announced at the second anniversary reintroduction of the GND, the prospects for Gainesville receiving immediate national policy direction within the timeframe of the global climate margin for error remain unresolved.
Therefore, as we await national policy direction on the most significant issue of our time, I, Commissioner David Arreola, am proposing we pass local Nature First policies made up of a series of ordinances that will guide the city’s policies to consider the effects of climate change in all of our policy decisions. As it were, Gainesville is already pursuing many of these Nature First policies. Here is a list of goals we can pursue:
1. Standardize High Performance Energy Standards for Pre-existing Government Buildings
2. All New Government Buildings Achieve Net Zero Carbon Emissions
3. Guaranteed Electrification of Gainesville City Fleet*
4. Gainesville Clean Energy Guarantee*
5. Guaranteed Sustainable Industrial Practice Incentive Plan
6. Guaranteed Residential Weatherization
7. Guaranteed Living Wage for all Government Contracts*
8. Guaranteed Sustainable Job Training Plan
9. Guaranteed Education of Conservation and Sustainability in Schools and the Community
10. Guaranteed Single-Use Alternatives*
11. Increasing Gainesville’s greenery by committing to plant trees in an effort to offset carbon...
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