Hickenlooper: 'Triple bottom line'

Economic, social and environmental cooperation key to city's future

John Hickenlooper, Special to the News

Published May 28, 2005 at midnight

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Sustainability is a central value of our community. By focusing on the interconnectedness between the social, economic and environmental impacts of our policies and programs, we seek to ensure that future generations will enjoy a quality of life characterized by environmental beauty, economic opportunity and resource abundance.

As an exploration geologist turned small businessman, I learned early on in my career that the best solutions often balance economic, environmental and social considerations. As mayor, I am excited to convert this principle into systemic action.

The city of Denver has supported innovative sustainable development strategies for many years and will be recognized in a June ceremony by the national group, SustainLane, as one of the top 10 cities nationwide for sustainable practices. Some highlights of Denver's historic and ongoing commitment to sustainability include:

• In the early 1990s, the city of Denver created the first Green Fleets program in the nation by purchasing alternative-fuel vehicles. In 2004, we expanded the program with a biodiesel pilot for 60 heavy duty vehicles, and in 2005, with the use of "E-85" high ethanol fuel for city vehicles.

• Denver International Airport realized award-winning success in 2004 by becoming the first major airport in the country to implement an Environmental Management System - regularly recycling 19 substances and monitoring environmental performance for continuous improvement.

• Denver is a pioneer in the use of light-emitting diode traffic signals. With the largest LED traffic signal inventory in the country, we saved nearly $800,000 in energy, material and labor costs in 2003 alone, and reduced pollutants by an amount equivalent to the effects of planting more than 777 acres of trees or the permanent removal of 371 automobiles from local roads. Our city buildings use LED exit signs and are transitioning to more efficient indoor lighting sources, resulting in lower costs, longer life, better light and less energy consumption.

• Last fall, the seven-county Denver metro region passed FasTracks - the most ambitious local transit project in our nation's history. Once completed, with a redeveloped Denver Union Station as its hub, this regional transit system is expected to benefit more than half a million riders a day. Regionally, it is estimated that 51 of 57 FasTracks stations have transit-oriented development potential.

• We are developing new green building standards for all city buildings. Experience has shown that a small initial investment in design and materials will reap years of energy cost savings and improved worker productivity. The new Justice Center will be built to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED standard.

It is important to ensure these are not random actions but part of a larger citywide strategy that benefits all taxpayers. That is why we launched the city's Sustainable Development Initiative this spring - to honor Denver's environmental record and promote sustainability's "triple bottom line" of economic, social and environmental benefits.

Our Sustainable Development Initiative will convene stakeholder groups, catalyze new projects and promote the importance of sustainability. It will concentrate on three main areas of activity - water, energy, and land use/transportation, as these basic drivers of economic and environmental health offer opportunities for government innovation and leadership.

The initiative's preliminary efforts are focused on water - a precious resource for Colorado residents and businesses. With increasing awareness of a looming southeast metro water crisis, as well as debates statewide on trans-basin diversions, instream flows and a host of other issues, it is clear that the decisions made in the next five years about the region's water are likely to shape the next 50.

It is also clear that - while Denver Water and other local utilities are leaders in innovative water management approaches - there is a role for local government to play. We can utilize best practices for conservation, identify cooperative opportunities with other cities and advance public awareness:

• One early effort in this area is the "Community Conservation Gardens" project with a youth water corps. More than half of Denver Water's treated drinking water is used on private landscapes in the summertime. Denver Parks and Recreation, with help from our Workforce Development Division, Denver Botanic Gardens and Denver Water, will launch a program this summer to convert four prominent public landscapes to model "water-wise" gardens. Local at-risk youth will help build these gardens, while being trained in job skills for the growing green industry.

• The second project under way is the South Platte Water Quality Initiative. Denver's Departments of Public Works, Environmental Health and Parks and Recreation are developing a strategy to reduce pollution levels in the South Platte River through aggressive intervention measures, monitoring and public education. We are targeting problem stormwater outfalls in an effort to reduce the levels of E. coli in the Denver reach of the river. Over time we hope to expand our efforts to address other pollutants and work regionally on a watershed basis to improve water quality in the South Platte.

• In the realm of public education and outreach, we will partner with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science this summer to offer a speakers series on the best ideas in Western water, featuring regional experts discussing their programs and possible lessons for our area. We also are engaged in a longer-term effort with the Metro Mayors Caucus to develop best management practices for water conservation in the region.

These are just a few of our early efforts in a program that will continue to grow. We look forward to working with our partners in the city, region and state to ensure that our efforts related to water, energy, transportation and land use are successful.

There is an old proverb that says, "We have not inherited the world from our forefathers. We have borrowed it from our children." If we in the public, private and nonprofit sectors commit to sustainable practices, we will be proud of the Denver that future generations will inherit.

John Hickenlooper is mayor of Denver.

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