Measuring Marin County’s Ecological Footprint

Prepared for the

County of Marin Development Agency

February 2006

Justin Kitzes, M.S. Steve Goldfinger, Ph.D.

MEASURING MARIN’S ECOLOGICAL IMPACT

Marin County is known for its served as a model for To what extent will successful distinctive natural setting and and counties throughout the implementation of these community support for Bay Area and the nation. programs and targets and environmental causes. actually reduce Marin’s From the early efforts of the Continuing in this tradition, demand on ? One Marin Open Space District to the current update to Marin’s way to answer this question is the county’s current Countywide Plan adopts to evaluate how membership in the Cities for as a guiding of ecological and Climate Protection Campaign, principle, and offers programs services will change, using a Marin’s long history of and targets that provide a solid measure known as the conservation and foundation for continuing the Ecological Footprint. environmentally-aware transition towards sustainable planning and development has development in Marin County.

WHAT IS THE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT?

1.4 There are many ways to measure our impact on nature. One of the 1.2 most widely used metrics is the 's biological capacity Ecological Footprint, an 1.0 accounting tool first developed in the early 1990s. A Footprint 0.8 measures ecological demand Humanity's total Ecological Footprint associated with human activities 0.6 in terms of the area of Number of 0.4 biologically productive land and sea required to provide the 0.2 resources being used and to CO2 portion of humanity's Ecological Footprint absorb the wastes generated, 0.0 given current technology. This 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 area is reported in “global acres,” acres adjusted to reflect world-average biological Global “” - humanity’s In the today, the . Footprint exceeding world average Footprint per person is - began in the mid- more than twice the domestic Footprint (demand) can be 1980s and has been growing biocapacity available per compared to biocapacity steadily since. Now at 23%, person. The Footprint has (supply), a measure of the total overshoot is possible in the short- increased steadily over the past biologically productive area term by harvesting more 40 years, largely due to available. Globally, the average resources than nature can replace increased use of and person’s Footprint is 5.4 global each year or by allowing wastes, associated emissions of carbon acres, while only 4.4 global such as carbon dioxide (CO2), to dioxide (the energy Footprint acres are available per person. accumulate in the . If is discussed in more detail on Even less would be available if overshoot continues, ecosystems page 4). At the same time the some of this area was left for the become depleted and are at risk biocapacity available per use of wild species. of collapse. person in the U.S. has decreased, primarily because of growth. Footprint and Biocapacity in the United States 12.0 Today, over 24 global acres are needed to support the 10.0 consumption of the average 8.0 U.S. resident; if everyone on

6.0 the globe were to consume at this level, we would need more 4.0 than five planets. 2.0

Global hecatares per person per hecatares Global 0.0 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001

Biocapacity Footprint MARIN COUNTY’S ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

In 2001 Marin County became reflected in the Ecological both individual and collective the first municipality to Footprint of every Marin Footprint savings, Marin’s calculate its ecological resident. Individual decisions, Countywide Plan exemplifies footprint, which measured at such as how fuel efficient a car the type of actions that will 27 global acres per person, to buy, influence the size of be necessary if we are to slightly higher than that of the one’s Footprint, as do collective reduce global overshoot and average American and more decisions, such as whether achieve a prosperous and than double that of many transportation funds are used to ecologically sustainable industrialized European build highways or bike lanes. future countries. How do countries like France, Germany and Italy By calling for county-wide achieve their high standards of programs that will encourage living with significantly lower demands on ecosystems? Number of Earths that would be required if everyone had the footprint of a County in the Bay Area. To some extent, people in these countries simply consume less than U.S. residents. The average resident of France, for example, uses 1.3 global acres of timber land each year for everything from telephone poles to wood furniture to the daily newspaper. The average resident of the United States uses 3.2 global acres of timber land to provide these same types of products.

While much of a person’s Footprint is determined by Ecological Footprints Around The World individual decisions and 30 activities, a significant portion 25 also depends on the 20 consumption patterns of the 15 country they live in. County, state, and federal government 10 globally available biological capacity activities - providing education, person / acres global 5 health and military services, for 0 example - require the use of Italy USA India Marin Marin adesh resources, and these are Japan France Canada Panama Germany Bangl

GREENHOUSE GAS

Human activities powered by Cities for Climate Protection Climate and Carbon fossil fuels such as coal, oil, Campaign (CCP), and and natural gas cause the waste completing a comprehensive • Humanity’s single largest demand on ecosystems product carbon dioxide (CO2) study on local sources of comes from emissions of to be released into the air. By carbon dioxide emissions and carbon dioxide. far, the largest contributors to the potentials for reduction. these emissions both The Countywide Plan sets a • Globally, humanity’s energy Footprint grew worldwide and in Marin target of reducing carbon 700% in the past 40 years. County are vehicle traffic and dioxide emissions by 15-20% energy use in buildings. by the year 2015. • The area required to sequester Marin residents’ CO2 emissions makes up Some of these emissions are One ton of carbon dioxide 62% of the county’s total absorbed by the oceans. The has a Footprint of 0.67 global Footprint. energy Footprint is the area of acres, the amount of land • Energy use in buildings is forest land required to absorb area required to sequester responsible for 44% of the remaining CO2 emissions if one ton of this greenhouse Marin’s greenhouse gas they are not to accumulate in gas each year. Marin emissions. 53% comes from transportation. the atmosphere. Energy land is County’s energy land the single largest component of Footprint, for the energy • In the year 2000, Marin the Ecological Footprint in used in transportation and County emitted over 2.6 most industrialized countries, buildings, is 1.6 million million tons of carbon dioxide. including the United States. global acres. A 20% reduction in this total • Marin County has a total Marin has already taken steps Footprint would produce a energy Footprint of 1.6 million global acres. towards decreasing its energy savings of 320,000 global Footprint, including joining the acres.

PROGRAMS to reduce CARBON DIOXIDE Footprint

Many different types of activities and programs can reduce Marin’s carbon dioxide emissions. The most important ways to reduce emissions are through (1) changes in transportation patterns and (2) energy efficiency and conservation in buildings, both commercial and residential. Actions focused specifically on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions can be found in programs in the Atmosphere and Climate section of the Countywide Plan.

Programs and policies that call for more specific activities that can have an impact on carbon dioxide emissions are described in the TRANSPORTATION and ELECTRICITY pages in this report. Important transportation-related policies include TR-1 through TR-4. Significant energy reductions can be realized through policies EN-1 through EN-3in the Energy and Green Buildings sections.

GETTING AROUND MARIN COUNTY

Fossil fuel-burning vehicles transportation, such as From Here to There contribute significantly to driving alone, carpooling or Marin’s Ecological Footprint. public transit, can contribute • Marin residents drive over 2 billion miles each year. In the United States, significantly to reducing the transportation accounts for overall Footprint of Marin. • Transportation is approximately one third of the The County has set targets responsible for more than total energy Footprint. for decreases in the half of Marin’s greenhouse gas emissions. percentage of single drivers, The modes of transportation and for doubling, by the year • The average gasoline car with the highest Footprints are 2015, the number of in Marin gets 22 miles to the gallon. Increasing this air and car travel, which emit residents who walk and bike by 10 mpg would save the most carbon dioxide per to work. This latter change 200,000 global acres of passenger mile. Carpooling alone would save 9,000 Footprint each year. with another person halves the global acres of Footprint • Nearly half of Marin Footprint of driving per person, each year. residents work outside the while commuting by bus has county. only one-fourth the Footprint The list below includes some of driving alone. Walking or of the many programs • Two thirds of Marin commuters drive to work biking have almost zero contained in the Countywide alone, 11% carpool, and Footprint—in addition to the Plan that can help reduce the 10% take public transit. health benefits! transportation component of • Driving an average car Marin’s Ecological 12,000 miles a year Changing the relative use of Footprint. produces an energy different modes of Footprint of over three global acres. PROGRAMS to reduce TRANSPORTATION Footprint

1) Promoting Small Scale Employment such as live/work spaces and Satellite Work Centers can reduce the total travel necessary for a worker (CD-3.a; CD-3.b). 2) An effort to Allow Mixed Use In Commercial Districts moves residents closer to their places of business, reducing commute distance and Footprint (DES-2.c). 3) Programs to Encourage Bicycling ,Support Bike Stations and Consider Attended Parking can substitute a zero Footprint mode of commuting for a fossil fuel-intensive one (TR-2.a; TR-2.c). 4) Increasing Bus Service and Providing Reduced-Cost Transit Passes can help to shift transport patterns away from private cars and towards buses. A trip driven in a car has more than four times the Footprint of the same trip in a bus (TR-3.a; TR-3.c). 5) When driving is a necessity, the County can Support Green Fuels and Encourage Zero, Partial Emission, and Low-Emission Vehicle Use to reduce the driving Footprint (TR-4.c; TR-4.d).

POWERING MARIN Electricity Use Energy use within buildings example, provide the same amount is responsible for nearly one of light as incandescent bulbs with • Marin can decrease its quarter of Marin County’s only one quarter the electricity energy Footprint through total Footprint. Much of this consumption. conservation and efficiency as well as by comes from the use of using renewable sources electricity. In addition to the quantity of of electricity. electricity used, the way electricity • Reducing total energy Marin has set a target of is generated can dramatically consumption 20% by 2015 reducing total electricity change the total Footprint of would save 400,000 global consumption 20% by 2015. electricity consumption. Coal acres in that year alone. Part of this reduction can be plants produce electricity with the • 15% of Marin County’s accomplished by traditional highest Footprint, followed by electricity comes from conservation measures, such natural gas. Renewable sources of renewable sources - the as adjusting the thermostat up electricity such as solar, wind, rest is generated by fossil fuel and nuclear plants. during the summer and down small-scale hydroelectric, or in the winter. geothermal have nearly zero • Electricity from coal plants energy Footprint. has a Footprint of 3.4 Increasing efficiency can also global acres per megawatt hour. reduce energy consumption The Countywide Plan has targets dramatically, often without that aim to increase the percentage • Natural gas electricity has decreasing comfort or quality of Marin’s electricity generated by a Footprint one quarter of that from coal. of life. Compact fluorescent renewable sources to 25% by the light bulbs (CFLs), for year 2010, and to 40% by 2015. • Meeting just Marin’s targets for in 2015 would save 590,000 global acres of Footprint.

PROGRAMS to reduce ELECTRICITY Footprint

1) Programs to Adopt Energy Efficiency Standards for New and Remodeled Buildings and Require Green Building Practices will decrease electricity use in buildings (EN-1.b; EN-3.a; EN-3.b). 2) Because pumping and treating for Marin County is very energy intensive, programs that Support and Integrate Efforts and Minimize the Demand for Water in New Development can also result in large savings in electricity (PFS-2.a; PFS-2.b). 3) The growth of renewable energy resources will be promoted by Marin’s programs to Provide Incentives for Alternative Energy Production and Use Renewable Energy in County Facilities (EN- 2.e; EN-2.f). 4) The Countywide Plan requires Marin County to Establish a Permanent Planning Process, a commitment that will help to ensure that energy savings from other programs are realized and carried forward into the future (EN-1.a).

DEALING WITH WASTE

Marin County’s waste places that still require ecological Trash and demands on ecosystems in many resources to produce. Reducing different ways. Most visibly, consumption by eliminating • In 2002, Marin County generated 410,000 tons of disposing of solid waste has a unnecessary packaging, buying waste. Footprint associated with the durable products, reusing them physical area occupied by where possible, and recycling • Marin County has one of landfills. This area could them at the end of their useful the highest rates of waste diversion in all of otherwise be available for life will generate Footprint California (71%). grazing, farming, or other forms savings all along the production of ecological productivity. chain, in addition to reducing the • One ton of virgin paper Footprint of waste processing has a Footprint as high as 4.4 global acres. The trucks and roads needed to and disposal. transport solid waste, along with • A ton of recycled paper the material and energy Recycling in particular has an can have a Footprint as resources required to process the important role to play in low as 0.9 global acres. waste stream, have a total reducing Footprint. Recycled • Mining aluminum requires Footprint many times larger than products such as paper and cans a particularly large amount the Footprint area occupied by can have a dramatically lower of energy. Recycling one the landfills. Decreasing the Footprint than these same ton of aluminum can save amount of waste created by products made from virgin 9.1 global acres of Footprint. individuals and businesses in materials. With one of the Marin can reduce the magnitude highest diversion rates in • A very conservative of all these Footprint California, Marin has already estimate suggests that the components. recognized the importance of 57,000 tons of thrown away in Marin each year recycling, and the County has has a Footprint of 68,000 Beyond the resources required to developed programs and set global acres. dispose of physical waste, waste targets to further extend this itself represents products that are success. not serving human needs, but PROGRAMS to reduce WASTE Footprint

1) The program to Divert Construction Waste will require building projects to recycle or reuse a minimum of 50% of leftover or unused materials (EN-3.c). 2) An effort to Reduce Wood Waste and Encourage Reuse of Urban Lumber will specifically target the forest Footprint of Marin’s buildings (DES-1.d). 3) With a program to Promote Alternative Materials and Conservation, Marin will specifically reduce the demand for mineral resources by working to optimize recycling of construction and demolition waste (MIN-1.l). 4) Marin will approach recycling most broadly through an overall commitment to Reduce Waste at Landfill by recycling, recovery, and composting (PFS-4.c).

PROTECTING THE LAND

Sustainability isn’t only about acre of pasture, by comparison, Biocapacity reducing consumption and the has a biocapacity one half that of demand it places on ecological the world average acre. • Only about 22% of Earth’s resources. It is also about the total surface area is highly productive. The rest is balance between demand and Marin’s biocapacity resides in its mostly low-productivity supply. Managing the supply of open space preserves and in its ocean, ice caps, and ecological resources, through extensive agricultural lands. By deserts. preservation and restoration, is an the year 2015, Marin County • There are 4.5 global acres important part of balancing our hopes to preserve an additional of biocapacity available ecological budget. 24,000 acres of land as open per person on Earth. The space, and place an additional average per person While the Ecological Footprint 33,000 acres of agricultural is 5.4 global acres. reflects demand on nature’s in easements. Biocapacity can resources, biocapacity is a also be found in smaller spaces, • 48% of the land area of measure of supply, nature’s such as the urban gardens or Marin County is already in ability to regenerate these parks noted in the Countywide open space preserves. resources. Open space and Plan. • One acre of cropland, the ecosystems such as cropland, most productive type of pasture, forest and fisheries differ In addition to protecting land in land, has a biocapacity of in their ability to produce useful through easements, open space, 2.2 global acres (acres resources. This is taken into and zoning, Marin can also with world average productivity). account in measuring their preserve its biocapacity by biocapacity. slowing activities that negatively • Land degradation can impact productivity. decrease its future An acre of cropland, for example, This might include measures to biocapacity. Sustainable farming practices help has a biocapacity more than twice mitigate mining impacts and ensure that cropland that of the average biologically ensure adequate buffer areas. biocapacity does not productive acre worldwide. An decline over time.

PROGRAMS to PROTECT BIOCAPACITY

1) As one of the most visible parts of Marin’s ecological capacity, the commitment to Acquire and Protect Lands Pursuant to the Open Space District’s Mission Statement will continue to ensure that Marin’s land conservation strategy remains an example to other counties in the Bay Area (OS-2.c). 2) Protecting agricultural areas through programs to Preserve Agricultural Lands and Uses and Maintain Agriculture in the Inland Rural Corridor will help maintain Marin’s agricultural biocapacity in the future (AG-1.l; CD-1.d). 3) Biocapacity isn’t only found in large tracts of farm land and open spaces. Marin can also Encourage Community Gardens and Encourage Small-Scale Green Spaces to increase local biocapacity (AG- 3.a; DES-3.c). 4) Programs to Preclude Mining at Ring Mountain and Mitigate Impacts associated with mining operations can help preserve the integrity of biological capacity in mining areas (MIN-1.b; MIN-1.g). HOW MUCH CAN WE SAVE?

Marin’s Countywide Plan would reduce Marin County’s enjoyed by Marin County includes many different types of Footprint by nearly 1 million residents. programs and targets. Not all of global acres each year from them can be evaluated in terms 2015 forward. A wider perspective can help of potential Footprint savings, reveal the full significance of either because they address How does this compare with a 15% Footprint savings. issues, such as human health, the total Footprint of Marin Globally, human demand on which are not within the County residents? At 27 global nature exceeds biological research domain addressed by acres per person, the total capacity by just over 20%. If the Footprint, or because the Footprint of Marin residents is all high-income countries data required for an accurate 6.7 million global acres. The could achieve the same Footprint analysis is not yet potential savings approach degree of Footprint available. 15% of this total Footprint. reductions that would result from meeting just these three For many of the programs and While this reduction will not targets in Marin’s targets, however, Ecological shrink the average Marin Countywide Plan, humanity Footprint analysis clearly Footprint to that of Italy, it will would be well on its way to reveals the potential power of bring it below that of the eliminating global overshoot, collective and individual choice average resident of the United and solving its current to reduce pressure on States. This is no small feat, ecological dilemma. ecosystems. Meeting just the considering the relatively high three specified targets below incomes and

1) Conserving Energy Marin has set a non-binding target of decreasing total electricity consumption within the county by 20% by 2015. Achieving this target would save Marin County 400,000 global acres of Footprint each year. This is an area of Footprint equivalent to more than the entire physical size of the county of Marin.

2) Shifting to Renewables Even if electricity use begins to decline, switching from fossil fuel to renewably generated sources of electricity would result in additional Footprint savings. Marin hopes to increase its share of renewably generated electricity to 40% by the year 2015. This shift to renewables would save an additional 470,000 global acres each year from the year 2015 onward.

3) Decreasing Transportation Impacts Transportation, the other major contributor to the energy Footprint, is also targeted by the Countywide Plan. Programs in the plan will increase the number of bicycle lanes and promote clustered development and live/work opportunities, all of which can allow an individual to walk or bike to work, or even avoid commuting entirely, with nearly zero Footprint. Marin’s target of doubling the number of commuters who walk or bike to work would save 9, 000 global acres of Footprint each year.