Historic effort puts County at forefront of national county endeavor to reduce greenhouse gases

Chicago - Cook County Board President Todd H. Stroger joined representatives of the Sierra Club and the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago along with Kevin Givens, director of the Cook County Department of Environmental Control, to announce the County's participation in the national “Cool Counties Stabilization Initiative.” The Cook County Board voted July 31 to support President Stroger's resolution sealing the County's participation in this new national effort to combat global warming.

Participating counties pledge to reduce global warming emissions 80 percent by 2050, an achievable average annual reduction of 2 percent. The Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration also urges the federal government to adopt legislation requiring an 80 percent emissions reduction by 2050 and calls for fuel economy standards to be raised to 35 miles per gallon within a decade. By marshaling the collective efforts of 3,066 counties, elected officials hope to deliver a cleaner, cooler future for the next generation.

While the President's Office is already working to devise strategies that support the 'Cool Counties' initiative through the departments it oversees, passage of the 'Cool Counties' resolution commits the entire Board to pursuing 'Cool Counties' goals for greenhouse gas reduction. Gains are expected to include reductions in the amount of air pollution generated by County-owned vehicles and facilities, reductions in utility expenses for gas and electricity, and the opportunity to join together with other counties nationally to address air pollution issues collectively.

“Cook County is committed to leading by example in the effort to reduce greenhouse gases,” said Cook County Board President Todd H. Stroger. “As the County that houses the City of Chicago and its dynamic suburbs, we know that our efforts potentially impact millions of people in the region - and our partnership in Cool Counties speaks volumes about our commitment in this area. I'm delighted that County Board members have agreed to support environmentally responsible practices by passing this resolution.”

The Cool Counties initiative was designed by King and Fairfax counties in close collaboration with the Sierra Club. Cook County representatives were early supporters of the effort, which stemmed from the need to implement policies that will help fight global warming, save consumers and taxpayer money, and encourage the use of clean, renewable energy.

Cook County's resolution and the national initiative is also designed to press government at the federal level to reverse its policy of inaction in combating global warming and the nation's dangerous addiction to oil.

“The American public is clamoring for action to tackle global warming and fix our badly broken energy policy,” said Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director, at the national launch of the effort earlier this month. “While our leaders in Washington remain asleep at the wheel, cities, states, and now counties are demonstrating extraordinary leadership as they come together to address these pressing national concerns. County leaders understand the seriousness of the problems we face and are taking the kind of bold, visionary action that will protect both our climate and their own citizens.”

In addition to the principles embodied in the Cool Counties Declaration - by establishing a local greenhouse gas inventory and the target of an 80 percent reduction in global warming emissions by 2050, supporters and participants have produced a roadmap that lays out a template for reducing emissions through actions in seven key areas: energy efficiency, renewable energy, greening county vehicle fleets, land use, transportation, water conservation, and educational outreach. Smart energy solutions could include retrofitting existing buildings to increase energy efficiency, ensuring that new county buildings meet green building standards, replacing county vehicles with hybrids or other efficient vehicles, purchasing and encouraging consumers to purchase green energy, and planning for smart growth and transportation.

“The Cook County Department of Environmental Control is working to flesh out plans on a host of fronts that will help us meet our target 'Cool County' goals,” says department director Kevin Givens. “We're prepared to work on areas that range from greening our vehicle fleets to encouraging greater energy efficiency in County buildings as part of our effort to provide leadership on this vitally important issue.”

The launch counties for 'Cool Counties' represent a diverse array of some of America's largest counties, including counties from every region in the country. More than 17 million people across 10 states live in the areas of the founding counties - Cook (IL) , King (WA), Fairfax and Arlington (VA), Montgomery and Queen Anne's (MD), Nassau (NY), Miami-Dade (FL), Alameda (CA), Shelby (TN), Hennepin (MN) and Dane (WI). The launch is merely the start of the Cool Counties Initiative and the lead counties-King and Fairfax-and Sierra Club will begin a major effort to add new counties to the initiative, as well as provide new and existing members information to assist them in developing their implementation plans.

"The reality is that many health threats, from asthma and respiratory infections to premature deaths, can be linked to the ill effects of air pollution," says Joel Africk, President and CEO of the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, which supports Cook County's participation in the national initiative. "That Cook County has one of the highest incidences of asthma in the nation and our region still doesn't meet air quality health standards is a tragic combination. President Stroger's leadership in the Cool Counties initiative gives us a new opportunity to tackle air pollution - and ultimately bring cleaner air and its health benefits to literally millions of County residents."