Spectacular Surrey.
Photo from www.tourismsurrey.com

Volunteers are needed to help make Surrey the ‘Coolest’ city in Canada by asking Mayor Dianne L. Watts and other City Officials to carry forward our commitment to the Partnerships for Climate Protection agreement, the first step that has been taken to put us on the heartwarming Cool City trail.

The volunteer team work requires collecting and compiling information about the various steps already taken by the City of Surrey, preparing a step-by-step plan to support the City to reach Cool City milestones, and then lobbying with the residents and officials of Surrey for implementation.

We hope to have our first meeting of volunteers in the first week of August. Check out the website, and register online: coolcities.ca

Campaign Focus
Make Surrey the Coolest City to Combat Global Warming
(Please note, Surrey may have reached some of the following milestones. City of surrey Website. )

• City updates local climate action plan, and activates relevant committee/s
• Campaign holds a media event to share information with the residents of Surrey
• City initiates early implementation actions e.g. installing energy efficient light bulbs at city offices
• City performs an environmental ‘audit’ of its daily operations
• City establishes action plan to make city operations more environment protective
• City performs community-wide ‘global warming audit’
• Clity completes climate action plan with specific solutions to meet target reductions & timeline of Climate Agreement
• City adopts energy efficient policies such as installing energy efficient street lights, establishing green building standards
• City adopts green vehicles policy, and purchases hybrid vehicles for city fleet
• City adopts other global warming reduction policies such as no-idling, Energy Star appliance purchasing
• City adopts renewable energy policies, and buys ‘green’ power, installs solar panels or wind turbines
• City adopts transit and land-use improvements
• City supports state action to reduce greenhouse gasses, e.g. net metering
• City publishes annual report tracking city’s progress in meeting its climate protection goals
• Surrey takes lead in becoming the Coolest City in Canada to combat Global Warming
(From the general parameters established by Sierra Club Canada’s Cool City Campaign. View it here: coolcities.ca/milestones

Some Gains for Surrey
The transition from being the ‘City of Parks’ to the ‘The Cool City of Parks’ will bring many gains; here are some of them:

- Residents, employees and visitors breathe better in Surrey with clean energy solutions in City offices, private businesses and homes
- Residents, Businesses and City pay less for amenities and services with solar and wind energy solutions
- City becomes financially sound using more affordable, self-reliant and reliable energy systems
- The ‘Green’ status will bring more resources to Surrey through tourism and federal/provincial support
- The ‘Green’ policies will help create/increase long term investment opportunities and jobs in certain sectors
- Surrey Residents and Officials combat Global Warming by becoming the Coolest City in Canada
- Surrey Residents and City save more of our natural resources for a richer and brighter future