Under the leadership of Mayor Blastos, the city of Keene became the first community in New Hampshire to join ICLEI’s Cities for Climate Protection® Campaign, and was the first to participate in their new program, Climate Resilient Communities (CRC).
To cut down on emissions and conserve energy, the city uses bio-diesel for municipally owned diesel vehicles and machinery. It has installed a landfill methane recovery system that provides energy to operate the city’s recycling and solid waste transfer facility; operates a geothermal pump system to heat and cool the public works facility; and has replaced traditional incandescent traffic signals with more efficient LED signals. Mayor Blastos is also currently creating an environmentally preferable purchasing program; developing “green” building codes, land use policies, and zoning; and exploring wind power and micro-hydro energy production, as well as biodiesel production. Snapshot of Cool Achievements - 2006: Signs US Mayors for Climate Protection Agreement.
- 2006: Keene partners with ICLEI to pilot their new program -- Climate Resilient Communities.
- 2005: Keene receives the “Plan of the Year” award from the New Hampshire Planners Association for our Cities for Climate Protection Local Action Plan.
- 2004: Keene City Council unanimously adopts the Cities for Climate Protection Local Action Plan.
- 2004: Keene receives the Governor’s Award for Pollution Prevention and our commitment to the environment.
- 2000: Keene City Council passes a Resolution to join the Cities for Climate Protection® Campaign (CCP), through ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.
- 2000: Establishes Keene Cities for Climate Protection Committee.
A Cool Quote "I hope that other communities – large and small – will be inspired by our actions and planning efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as in our latest effort to identify ways in which the community can adapt to the expected impacts associated with climate change." |
