Agenda - 11-19-2009 - 2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~-'-}p c h~n2n-~ 14 ~~~i~~~n~~r~~~~ JI,~~~~~sl~i~ ]~~~n~~ Part of the Environmental Responsibility in County Government Goal December _, 2009 Puraose To ensure that Orange County government "leads by example" on matters of environmental responsibility, and takes an active role in promoting and actively institutionalizing sustainable environmental leadership characteristics in its goals, policies and actions -both by acknowledging and encouraging existing and ongoing efforts, and by exploring new opportunities, policies and activities. Background On December 5, 2005, the Board of County Commissioners adopted an "Environmental Responsibility in County Government" Goal, designed to reinforce and institutionalize an environmental ethic and responsible actions and programs within County government, to make the County a leader by example in environmental stewardship. (The Goal is included as Appendix A.) The Board asked several of the County's advisory boards_to review this goal and its 1Q Objectives, and identify possible action strategies fo achieve the purpose of the Goal. The Environment. and Resource- Conservation Department and the Commission for the Environment (CfE) .were directed to coordinate the process, serve as the conduit of information, and facilitate the collation and organization of the action strategies. Strategies were created by many departments, agencies and advisory boards, and these original action strategies are included as Appendix B to this policy. While work on the action strategies was in process, activity began to accomplish Objective 1 (an Environmental Leadership Policy and Environmental Action Committee). Discussions were held with staff from other local government committees of this sort, and an Environmental Stewardship Action Committee (ESAC) was created by management. The ESAC is a team of County staff members consisting of one employee from each department. The team is charged with meeting to address ways to institutionalize environmental responsibility within county government.' The ESAC is charged fo meet twice per year to accomplish the following three tasks: 1) Identify and conduct activities and programs to foster a greater environmental awareness and ethic among Orange County employees. 2) To produce an annual report (beginning in late 2007) evaluating the County's progress toward achieving action strategies for meeting the Environmental Responsibility in County Government goal (strategies to be adopted in late 2006). 3) Communicate and share ideas for environmental responsibility with other members of the committee, and identify and discuss possible new strategies to accomplish the. Environmental Responsibility in County Government goal.