Here are some interesting statistics that show how the City staff and residents are helping make Mountlake Terrace a more susatainable community:

Progress on implementing the Mountlake Terrace Sustainability Strategy was reported to the City Council at a July 19 meeting.

Sustainability is a term that means taking care of the environment, economy, and community livability all at the same time. The Sustainability Strategy, adopted in 2008, recommends activities to encourage both public and private sustainable practices.

The report noted that 2,382 linear feet of sidewalks were constructed in 2009 compared to almost 3,000 linear feet in 2008 to improve the city’s walkability. City employee use of alternative commute transportation programs decreased slightly in 2009.

Fuel consumption by city vehicles was cut by about 2,300 gallons in 2008 and an additional 1,549 gallons in 2009. Mountlake Terrace has been converting its fleet gradually to hybrids and other fuel-efficient models. Paper usage continues to drop, mainly due to double-sided copying and more reliance on electronic information.

In 2009, the amount of water used citywide dropped 2% compared to 2008. In addition to the conservation efforts of the residents and businesses, the city continues to replace old water mains and make other system improvements to reduce overall water loss in the system. Mountlake Terrace residents recycled about 38.5% (about 4,500 tons) of the 12,183 tons of garbage picked up by Waste Management in 2009.

A Green Team, with representatives from each city department, is assigned to help carry out the Sustainability Strategy and ensure the goals are being met.

[image courtesy xotoco]