1) TREES: Ask county council for $5 million over the next five years to plant thousands of trees across the region. He wants to encourage companies and organizations to plant trees as well — he can envision competitions — and increase the county's tree canopy from 14 to 30 percent by 2040.
2) GREEN BANK: With support from local foundations, create a bank that lends money and invests in clean energy projects, including residential solar panels.
3) COUNTY GREENWAY: Work to build more pedestrian and bike paths and connect the existing network. Enhance recreational opportunities while at the same time increasing property values and reducing carbon emissions.
4) PUBLIC TRANSIT ASSISTANCE: "Find ways to increase the use of public transit." The county's contribution will be giving preferential development dollars — all else being equal — to projects located within walking distance of transit routes and providing incentives to companies who wish to relocate to transit-connected job hubs.
5) EV CHARGING STATIONS: Accelerate creation of electric vehicle infrastructure. Currently there are only about 50 charging stations in the county. Goal is to create "robust" infrastructure within three years.
6) TRAFFIC LIGHTS: Work with NOACA to better time traffic signals, thereby reducing idling (and concomitant emissions), and speeding up commutes. NOACA's next street project: Chester, from University Circle to downtown.
7) ROOFTOP SOLAR: Heartened by the success of 35,000 solar panels in Brooklyn, which cover the vast majority of energy consumption at the county's administrative headquarters downtown, add rooftop solar panels to three county buildings and make available to other county communities the same affordable energy pricing that county receives.
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