| Burnsville follows the four C's of environmental sustainability (Created: Wednesday, September 5, 2007 9:48 PM CDT) |
"I am incredibly impressed with the city of Burnsville and the types of things it is doing to make it a national model for creating a sustainable city," Kelly said after viewing four separate sites at which the city has gone green. "To the mayor and citizens and members of the community, I want to applaud their efforts. I think Burnsville truly is a national showcase." kre-a-`ti-ve-te, noun, (1875) The quality of being imaginative The city has partnered with homeowners in a Crystal Lake neighborhood near Rushmore Drive and Chicago Avenue to construct a series of 17 rain gardens. The gardens, while beautiful, are also industrious; instead of storm water going directly into Crystal Lake, the curb is cut and water is diverted to the gardens' natural filtering system (a.k.a. the roots), which helps clean the water before it enters the lake. "It's just fabulous, the beautiful plantings, but at the same time, they're making sure the runoff is going back into the ground instead of sewer systems," Kelly said. "That's a tremendous technique that should be replicated across the country." ke- ´la-be-´ra-shen, noun, (1871) to work jointly with others or together, especially in an intellectual endeavor Burnsville has worked with School District 191 to reduce energy use in schools and encourage conservation; students are involved in activities like the SEE Squad, which trolls schools rewarding behavior like turning off lights in unused rooms or keeping shades drawn in warm weather. In the process of protecting the environment, the district has saved more than $600,000 in potential energy costs. In late 2006, the district became only the 17th in the nation to earn the EPA's Energy Star School status. ken-´ver-zhen, noun, (1570) something reversed in order, relation or action At the Waste Management landfill on West Cliff Road, methane gas from the decomposing trash is captured and converted to a useable energy source. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, landfills are the largest source of methane emissions in the United States, and methane is the second biggest manmade contributor to global warming, behind carbon dioxide. ´chanj, verb, (13th century) to replace with another, to exchange for an equivalent sum At the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority's Burnsville Station, 96 solar panels, clustered in a high-visibility area along Highway 13 and Nicollet Avenue, turn sunlight into energy that powers the station. Installed in 1999, the panels supply as much as 30 percent of the energy needs of the 1,300-stall station. "From an alternative energy standpoint, Burnsville is doing some incredibly innovative and creative things to lead the way," Kelly said. What is environmental sustainability? Kelly defines sustainability as, "doing things that don't injure possibilities for future generations, not only for the environment but both economically and socially. It's an integrated way of looking at how cities operate over long periods of time." Besides the four sites Kelly saw last week, Burnsville has also begun switching to energy-reducing LED lights in all stoplights, implemented an organics collection system for some residents' trash and has started recycling bituminous pavement. The city is also considering a green fleet policy for city-owned vehicles, and constructing more bike paths. Kelly said Burnsville residents should feel comfortable in the knowledge that their city is not only working today, but is also planning ahead. "They should be proud of what's being accomplished," he said. "They live in a wonderful place." (You are invited to comment on our website at www.mnsun.com and/or write a letter to the editor at suncurrentsouth@acnpapers.com.) |
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