Berkeley's blueprint for green future
Officials in Berkeley, Calif., are laying out a roadmap to reach a voter mandated 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The plan covers everything from solar panels to composted table scraps, The San Francisco Chronicle said Thursday.
Measures include a car-share vehicle on every block, free bus passes, requirements that homes have new high-efficiency appliances, solar-powered water heaters, insulation in walls and other energy savers, the newspaper said.
The green blueprint includes plans for an assessment district to help residents buy solar panels for their homes, with the costs added on to property tax bills over the course of 30 years.
The newspaper said builders will be required to use recycled and green materials, residents will be told exactly how many carbon units they're generating, and landlords will be required to provide free bus passes to tenants.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International