Earth Day is April 22, and it seems a good time to take stock of where we’ve been and where we’re going.
A new report tracking 31 indicators of overall health — environmental, social, and economic — of San Mateo County over the last 10 years shows both good news and bad news.
County leaders assembled for the annual Progress Seminar in Monterey April 8 and 9 welcomed the report, “Indicators for a Sustainable San Mateo County,” marking the 10th anniversary of the organization, Sustainable San Mateo County.
“Sustainability is not just a buzz word,” said Supervisor Rich Gordon. “Sustainability must be a factor in our planning and decision-making.”
Good news
For good news, the 2006 10-year report card shows:• Improved community health: The premature death rate has dropped 35 percent in 10 years.
• Lower unemployment: In the last two years, the unemployment rate has dropped from 5.1 percent in 2003 to 4.3 percent in 2005.
• Enhanced drinking water quality: Since the disinfectant chloramine was introduced to the water supply in 2004, the levels of potential carcinogens TTHMs are down 25 percent.
• Fewer contaminated properties: The number of leaking underground storage tanks has declined by more than half in 10 years.
• More green building; more transit-oriented development: More cities are promoting “green” building that conserves energy and resources, and concentrating development around transit. Transit ridership increased from 9 percent to 12 percent over the last year.
• Less waste: Waste disposed into landfills is down 19 percent since 2000.
Bad news
The bad news over the last 10 years offers major challenges:• Unaffordable housing: The income needed to afford a median-priced home has more than doubled over the last decade; only 12 percent of county residents can afford one.
• Rise in crime: After earlier success in reducing it, the major crime rate is increasing; it’s up 18 percent in the past five years, largely due to drug- and gang-related violence.
• Global warming: Carbon emissions have increased 8 percent in the county in the last 10 years, mostly from cars.
• Concentrated poverty: More than one-third of county residents earn less than the self-sufficiency level.
• Increased water use: While population is up 7 percent, water use is up 18 percent — mostly in affluent areas like Atherton, Woodside and Portola Valley.
• Obesity rate rising: 25 percent of public school students in grades 5, 7 and 9 were overweight or obese in 2004. This rate was up 5 percent from three years earlier, and is double the rate in 1980.
Sustainable San Mateo County’s new report card, its 10th in 10 years, was produced mostly by volunteer researchers and supported by numerous public and private agencies.
Transit expert Art Lloyd of Portola Valley, for example, prepared the transit section. Mr. Lloyd, a retired railroad executive, serves as a transportation expert on the governing boards for SamTrans and Caltrain.
A new section in the report give cities an opportunity to describe their efforts toward sustainability. Atherton, Menlo Park and Portola Valley reported on programs to promote green building, recycling and other efforts. Woodside did not participate.
In global terms, San Mateo County remains far from sustainable. According to the study, the average county resident consumes more than 4.5 times the earth’s per-capita capacity to provide natural resources.
To obtain a copy of the indicators report, call 638-2323, or go to sustainablesanmateo.org.
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