We're in the Green!
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Accomplishments
Mayor Chávez Creates a Sustainable Future for Albuquerque
Achieving Our Green Goals
Learn what we have already
Working Toward Quality of Life
Mayor Chávez is proud of what Albuquerque has accomplished. He believes that each of us can make a promise to sustainability as a way of life for our children.
Read the Mayor's Message >>
You might be surprised to learn what Albuquerque has already done to ensure life in the Rio Grande Valley is sustainable for future generations.
The list is long, but our work together is not over.
Leadership Efforts
Albuquerque's Mayor Martin J. Chávez has been a longtime leader in the drive to create a vibrant economy and a self-renewing, healthy environment.
Here are some highlights of his leadership efforts:
2008
- Mayor Chávez signs Executive Order NO. 24 prohibiting City agencies from purchasing single serving bottles of water.
2007
2006
- Albuquerque won a World Leadership Award for its efforts to secure a sustainable water supply.
- Mayor Chávez hosted Albuquerque's first Technology Summit to promote innovation and economic development.
- Mayor Chávez was pleased to host the Sustainable Energy Town Hall in Albuquerque. View the report.
- Mayor Chávez joined Al Gore and select civic leaders at A Climate of Change: The Seattle Initiative on Global Warming.
- Mayor Chávez moderated a session on green building at the The U.S. Conference of Mayors’ National Summit on Energy and the Environment in Chicago.
- Mayor Chávez moderated a session on green building at the The U.S. Conference of Mayors’ National Summit on Energy and the Environment in Chicago.
2005
- Mayor Chávez was the first mayor in New Mexico to sign the U.S. Conference Mayors Climate Protection Agreement was one of the first to sign on nationwide.The agreement was signed in 2005 by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
- Mayor Chávez sent two city representatives to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Montreal, Canada.
- Mayor Chávez hosted the USCM Urban Water Council in Albuquerque.
- Mayor Chávez spoke at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Montreal, Canada.
2003
- Mayor Chávez convened the first-ever regional air quality stakeholders’ summit and an “Air Knows No Bounds” campaign.
- Mayor Chávez is a member and co-chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayor's Urban Water Council.
- Mayor Chávez was part of a group of mayors from across the country who issued the bi-partisan Mayors Statement on Global Warming.
Efforts to Secure a Safe Water Supply
In a high desert environment like ours, secure and safe water is among the most important issues facing society. Your mayor and city government are working hard on this problem. Here's what they've done so far:
- Mayor Chávez signs Executive Order NO. 24 prohibiting City agencies from purchasing single serving bottles of water.
- Secured a sustainable water supply by implementing the San Juan-Chama water project in 2003.
- Exceeded goals to reduce water usage in Albuquerque by 30% in 10 years.
- Started a xeriscaping rebate program.
- Started a low-flow appliance rebate program.
- Mayor Chávez is Co-Chair of the Mayors Water Council, a task force of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Mayor Chávez has committed Albuquerque to the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement.
In addition, the City has made the following progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions:
Renewable Energy and Biofuels
This list is a long one! Mayor Chávez cares personally about the use of renewable energy. Here are some of the ways in which Albuquerque is leading the way:
- Succeeded in converting 20% of City’s energy to wind power.
- Mayor Chávez issued Executive Order 19 which directs that all purchases of motor vehicles by the City shall be limited to alternative fuel vehicles, effective March 1, 2006.
- Upgraded the entire City fleet including buses, police cars, fire trucks, and maintenance vehicles to use alternative fuels. 45% of all City vehicles are alternative-fuel ready. Here are the details:
- 1200 vehicles are capable of using biodiesel
- 364 vehicles are capable of using E85 ethanol
- Over 100 compressed natural gas (CNG) light vehicles such as sedans, pick-up trucks
- 34 hybrid light vehicles
- 84 CNG buses and 12 diesel electric hybrid buses as part of the ABQ Ride bus fleet
- Airport rental car shuttles use CNG
- Four City fueling stations dispense CNG.
- All main fueling stations for the City dispense B-20 biodiesel.
- Instituted the use of Segway Personal Transporters by City Police, City Security, and Parking Division.
- Instituted the use of CNG Honda Civics.
- Albuquerque is partners in the Million Solar Roofs program and received a Best Progress award from the Department of Energy in 2005.
- Implemented a program to convert landfill gas to energy at Los Angeles landfill in Albuquerque. Excess electric power is sold to local utility company.
- Implemented a program at the Southside Water Reclamation Plant to use anaerobic digesters to convert organic waste removed during the sewage treatment process into fuel (methane gas). This has resulted in an estimated savings of $2,000,000 per year in avoided electricity purchases.
Planting & Maintaining Trees
Since 1983, the Open Space Division has planted over 23,000 cottonwood and willow trees in the Rio Grande bosque.
Urban Forestry
Albuquerque is considered a forerunner in the use of open space lands to preserve a high quality of life.
Here are some of the highlights in our efforts:
- Mayor Chávez has been a leader in Open Space Acquisition. He has been directly involved or passed legislation leading to the acquisition and preservation of over 4,000 acres of public open space.
- In 2005, Mayor Chávez spearheaded efforts to save 250 acres of land along the Rio Grande Bosque from private development.
- Mayor Chávez launched a massive restoration effort in the Albuquerque Rio Grande Bosque including a comprehensive exotic-species eradication to produce a safer and more healthy bosque (forest) ecosystem.
- In 2004, Mayor Chávez launched an major Urban Forest Improvement Initiative. He commissioned the development of the City Urban Forest Master Plan, Tree Protection and Technical Manual, and a complete park and median tree inventory. This inventory is complete. This initiative also resulted in:
- An Urban Forestry program to regulate and manage the City's 160,000 trees
- Hiring of a full-time City Forester
- Funding to plant 2000 trees per year in Albuquerque
- For 10 years now, the City has coordinated an on-going program of 'adoption' and volunteer projects to plant native tree and shrubs in the Bosque. This has resulted in tens-of-thousands of new, successful native trees and shrubs.
- Received an award from the National Arbor Day Foundation for tree care efforts by Albuquerque's Open Space Division.
Alternative Transportation
Mayor Chávez realizes that transportation options are the backbone of a healthy economy, clean air, and reduced traffic.
The City has made the following progress to create alternative transportation options in Albuquerque:
- Launched Rapid Ride bus system which operates 12 60-ft articulated buses.
- Launched downtown shuttle bus (D-Ride) which connects commuters to RailRunner train and other bus routes.
- Launched Albuquerque-Rio Rancho connection to the NM RailRunner.
- Launched trolley system from downtown to Old Town.
- Created Bike & Ride program to encourage cycling in conjunction with public transportation.
- Created and promoted one of the most extensive Bike Trail Systems in the country. Get a bike map.
Recycling in Albuquerque
Albuquerque has a comprehensive recycling program including curbside pick-up, centers for drop-off recycling, and bins throughout the city.
Leading by Example
Mayor Chávez has urged the U.S. Conference of Mayors to adopt the 2030 Challenge.Learn more >>
Waste Reduction & Recycling
The City of Albuquerque instituted a residential curbside recycling program in 2005 and has created 3 drop-off convenience centers for recycling.
Energy Conservation
Saving energy means converting old technology and being smart about the decisions we make as a City goverment. Here are some things we've done to save money and energy:
- Converted 575 traffic signals in Albuquerque to LED technology. (Currently, all red lights and 75% of green lights are completely converted.) When complete, this will result in an energy savings of 12,000,000 kWh and a financial savings of $900,000 per year.
- Energy audits continue on municipal facilities.
- Converted outdated lighting at City Hall, parking structures, police substations, fire stations, and community centers to modern, more efficient lighting technology. This has resulted in an energy savings of 5,000,000 kWh and a financial savings of $375,000 per year.
- Mayor Chávez signed legislation to set aside 3% of city bond revenues for energy conservation and renewables. This legislation passed the City Council in September, 2006. The program starts in fiscal year 2007 and continues through 2011.
Green Building
Mayor Chávez feels strongly that City government should lead the way in setting green standards and providing financial incentives for businesses to build green.
- Mayor Chávez has set green building standards for all building projects funded by the City, including requirements to meet or exceed LEED Silver rating.
- In September 2005, Mayor Chávez directed that city agencies work with private industry to recruit "green building supply industries" to Albuquerque.
- In June 2006, Mayor Chávez , together with mayors from Chicago, Seattle, and Miami, submitted Resolution No. 50 which urged the U.S. Conference of Mayors to adopt the 2030 Challenge designed to fossil fuels used by the building sector. Their goal is that the building industry become carbon-neutral by 2030.
- In September 2006, Mayor Chávez was a keynote speaker at Sustainability: Theory Into Practice, a conference sponsored by the Albuquerque Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the New Mexico Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. The conference highlighted hands on approaches to incorporating sustainable practices into our development and building practices.
Partnerships and Collaboration
Our work together is ongoing. Here are some of the ways, the City collaborates with other organizations to make sure that life in Albuquerque is sustainable for everyone.
- The City has established management systems that support improvement processes by developing community partnerships with the Albuquerque community at large and oversight agencies.
- Mayor Martin J. Chávez created the Mayor’s E-Team to enhance implementation of sustainability initiatives within the Albuquerque City government and the Albuquerque community.
- Albuquerque is an active member of U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities program.
- Office of Economic Development is now conducting a “Sustainable Legacy Plan” to implement and codify the programs proposed to assure success of the Sustainable Resource Analysis.
- City coordinates with the Indicators Progress Commission to report on citywide sustainability measures.
- The City also coordinates with the Energy Council on energy conservation initiatives.
- Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board oversees air quality issues.
- Ground-Water Protection Advisory Board oversees implementation of the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Ground-Water Protection Plan.