The City's commitment begins from within.
We are proud to support the ongoing efforts of local citizens, fellow municipalities and senior levels of government to build a greener, healthier planet. At the same time, we recognize our role as stewards of social and environmental change. Our sustainable corporate practices reflect the City's proactive, integrated approach towards sustainability and the commitment of the community to fight climate change.
Here are the many ways the City and its staff are incorporating sustainable practices into its everyday operations to support community action and sustainability goals.
Sustainable Purchasing Policy
Implemented in October 2008, the City's Sustainable Purchasing Policy provides guidelines for procurement decisions. When the City requires a business service with a social and/or environmental component (e.g. paper supplier), companies and organizations that demonstrate sustainable, energy efficient practices will be considered.
Environmentally Friendly Printing Practices
When it comes to producing corporate communication materials, the City reduces its carbon footprint by using environmentally friendly printers, green printing processes, and 100% recycled paper content. The City also has a successful corporate recycling program and encourages double-sided copying as standard practice.
Corporate Green Team
The City's Green Team is a staff-initiated group of volunteers who encourage waste reduction and energy conservation and lead several environmental initiatives, including:
- Lunch 'n' Learn series promoting sustainable actions (e.g. home energy efficiency improvements)
- Waste-free Lunch Day
- Earth Day Olympics
Municipal Tap Water Campaign
In support of Metro Vancouver's Tap Water Campaign, the City has phased out the use of disposable bottled water at several core facilities, including City Hall, the North Vancouver City Library, Fire Hall and RCMP building. The City's water system already provides good quality,strictly regulated tap water; by discouraging the everyday use of bottled water, the City reduces its carbon footprint and the costs, energy and emissions associated with manufacturing, transporting, purchasing, storing and recycling bottled water.
At the City Works Yards, many employees have long supported drinking tap water by using their own refillable water containers. To recognize their green efforts and to encourage their continuing support of municipal drinking water, the City recently provided all operations staff with 1-litre water bottles.
Sustainable Corporate Building Practices
There are several programs and initiatives in place to help the City promote greener building standards and sustainable practices, including:
- A Civic Lighting Retrofit Program that reduces the City's annual electrical consumption and the level of greenhouse gas emissions utilized each year.
- Civic Building Design Guidelines that ensure all new buildings are constructed to LEED standard.
Green Fleet
As a charter member of the regional E3 Fleet Rating System, the City is committed to managing a fleet of service vehicles that meet environmental best practices. The City's current green fleet inventory includes:
- Hybrid vehicles and an electric hybrid vehicle, primarily for City Council and staff use
- A Might-E truck, an electric utility vehicle for cemetery use
- Two electric bikes with 350-watt motor and 36-volt lithium polymer battery, for City staff use on short-haul trips up to 10 kilometres
The City has also completed a vehicle right-sizing assessment, which reduced the use of larger vehicles in the City's fleet, and retrofitted several other fleet vehicles with more efficient diesel engines.
Alternative Fuel Technologies
The City pursues innovative energy solutions to address climate change. We are proud to be an early pioneer of district energy systems with the Lonsdale Energy Corporation and an early adopter of alternative fuel technologies. The City is also considering an ocean thermal system for the South Esplanade development area.
Sustainability Education
Since 2009, the City has partnered with the BC Sustainable Energy Association to deliver the Climate Change Showdown Program, a series of interactive, educational workshops and a take-home contest that encourages students in Grades 4-7 to make simple changes to reduce their energy consumption.
Earth Hour
The City of North Vancouver is committed to participating in Earth Hour by turning off lights at City Hall, the Civic Works Yard facilities and the City Library. City residents and businesses are encouraged to participate and be part of this united global message about the need for action on climate change.
Other events the City has hosted include:
- Zero Waste Challenge
- Earth Day
- Green City Living Film & Speaker Series
- First-ever Community Energy Conference, featuring the award winning Lonsdale Energy Corporation (September 2008)
- City Future Lecture Series, featuring presentations from the Honorable Mike Harcourt, John Furlong and Dr. David Suzuki (February to April 2007)
- 'Peak Oil and the Future of Energy' Public Forum, featuring noted geologist David Hughes of the Geological Survey of Canada (November 2006)