Climate Protection Activities

ABAG Activities

City, town and county efforts
Communities can make some simple changes to reduce our carbon footprint. Individual towns, cities, and counties around the Bay Area participate in climate protection efforts, and some are also participating in other regional and international activities.

Bay Area Recycling Outreach Coalition
The Bay Area Recycling Outreach Coalition (BayROC) is a collaboration between staff representing over 40 San Francisco Bay Area cities, counties and other public agencies working together on waste reduction and buy-recycled concepts through a variety of media campaigns which promote personal action and behavior change.

BayROC's cities and counties collectively create outreach campaigns to avoid duplication and purchase regional media to promote waste reduction at a fraction of the costs individual jurisdictions would have paid for equal media outreach.
The following link is a list of the cities, counties and other public agencies that participate:
Bay Area Recycling

Institute for Local Government
The Institute for Local Government, the non-profit research arm of the League of California Cities and the California State Association of Counties has just released the latest version of the Best Practices Framework of the California Climate Action Network. Click here for Version 5.0 of the Best Practices Framework
Climate Change

This updated Best Practices Framework offers suggestions for local action in ten Climate Leadership Opportunity Areas, both in agency operations and the community at large. An agency can use specific best practice suggestions for stand-alone programs or as part of a broad-based climate action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The suggestions are designed to reflect the variation among cities and counties and offer a variety of options ranging from simple steps to more complex undertakings.

ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability is working with 47 local governments in the San Francisco Bay Area on various climate protection initiatives through diverse partnerships. For more information download the document
or visit the website

ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, Cities for Climate Protection (CCP)
Campaign assists cities to adopt policies and implement quantifiable measures to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and enhance urban livability and sustainability. More than 800 local governments participate in the CCP, integrating climate change mitigation into their decision-making processes. More information is available at
Climate Protection Process

Bay Area Green Business Program
The Bay Area Green Business Program assists and recognizes small to medium-sized businesses who voluntarily implement measures to prevent pollution, conserve resources, and reduce solid and hazardous waste. The Green Business Program verifies that businesses meet higher standards of environmental performance. Our partnership of government agencies and utilities helps local businesses comply with all environmental regulations and take actions to conserve resources, prevent pollution, and minimize waste. We offer motivated businesses and agencies an easy-to-use framework for improving environmental performance. Over 1,000 businesses and public agencies have been certified since 1997

More information about the Bay Area Green Business Program is available at

ABAG Energy Watch
ABAG Energy Watch is a partnership designed to help local governments implement cost-effective, energy saving projects in public facilities. ABAG Energy Watch is a joint project of Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the Association of Bay Area Governments.

Assistance is free to eligible, enrolled local governments and includes:

Facility energy use analyses, including greenhouse gas emissions quantification

Implementation assistance ranging from equipment retrofits to retrocommissioning

Dedicated incentives to help pay for energy efficiency projects

Assistance obtaining contractor services and project financing

Energy efficiency policy assistance, including community-wide programs and ordinances ABAG Energy Watch is available to local governments and special districts in Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma Counties.

More information about ABAG Energy Watch is available at

In addition to these activities, ABAG POWER is looking at new efforts that could make a difference, such as solar photo voltaics installation assistance, hybrid vehicles purchasing through the State, biodiesel aggregate purchasing, and entering the green natural gas market.

Pacific Gas and Electric
Pacific Gas and Electric has partnered with ABAG on several different activities, including ABAG Energy Watch and our reusable grocery bag.
PG&E's other efforts and activities are detailed at

Other information is available at these sites
PG&E Energy Efficiency and
PG&E ClimateSmart

Sierra Club Cool Cities Campaign
All over America, communities are taking action to help solve global warming. From hybrid vehicle fleets in Charlotte, to green buildings in Austin, and homes powered with renewable energy in Seattle, local governments are moving forward with innovative energy solutions that curb global warming, save taxpayer dollars, and create healthier cities. These local leaders are moving America toward a safer and more secure future. More information is available at Cool Cities

Green Government Initiative
Launched in 2007, the National Association of Counties (NACo) Green Government Initiative provides comprehensive resources for local governments on all things green, including energy, air quality, transportation, water quality, land use, purchasing and recycling. NACo serves as a catalyst between local governments and the private sector to facilitate green government best practices, products and policies that result in financial and environmental savings.
Information is available at
Green Government Initiative
Green Government Air Quality

The following pages include tips, tools, and resources that can assist local governments and residents to make a difference:

Reusable Bags

Local Government Tips for Residents
& Member Cities for Climate Protection