Beijing and the Pee Dee

What do these two locations have in common?

Both locations are air quality challenged. Yes, if you haven't heard yet, the Florence area is very close to overstepping the National Air Quality Standard for ozone. Only about half-way through ozone season, we should know soon if the levels have tipped us over the edge for this year.

And we have been doing so well! ...what are some of the things Beijing is doing to curtail air quality woes?

According to the Urban Land Institute (ULI), Beijing has been busy trying to alleviate their smoggy conditions. The most comprehensive change will be done three days prior to the olympics opening: car traffic will be reduced by half. Based on license numbers, only even or odd numbered plates will be able to access the downtown.

Other changes that have happened over the long haul have been moving industry from the center of this valley (geographic location, alone, serves to trap noxious gases). However, the industry has been moved to an upwind location. ULI also reports that air quality monitors have been moved to locations that sample overall better air, giving the appearance of better air quality. Judging by the picture, however, Beijing's air quality has a long way to go. The picture also shows that the air quality can be quite clean!

It's all too easy to look at Beijing as a third party and see what's wrong with the picture. Is it that easy for Florence County and the Pee Dee region?

We invite you to be our third party! Look at what goes on around Florence County and see where we can make improvements. Share your ideas with us.

Sustainability in the Pee Dee

Or is it spelled $u$tainability?

According to two local global companies, Roche Carolina and Sonoco, sustainable practices means a boost to the bottom line.

I have recently learned about Roche Carolina's new geo-thermal system that is designed to cool and heat their workspace. A/C by sunlight! The cooling part is quite ingenious: the more intense the sunlight, the more cooling power the system provides, theoretically decreasing cooling needs during the hotest part of the day and year. While the energy demand from these hot days usually wreak havoc on local utilities; this system helps by decreasing this peak energy demand and the potential for brownouts. This system should be up and running soon. I hope to get a tour - then I'll share photos and more information then. Roche is anticipating an annual savings of $60,000 and the system paying for itself in three to six years.

The 's' in Sonoco stands for sustainability. At least that and 'progress forward' is what titles a new report from Sonoco on the document highlighting the company's 'triple bottom line' recently released. You may find the pdf here. The document details everything from worker safety and air quality emissions.

The report is sixteen pages describing the company’s mission to increase its sustainability with regards to social, economic and environmental issues over the past year. The report reflects the general global initiative to catalog anthropomorphic affects (use that term in your next conversation!) on the environment.

Planning This Week | July 21, 2008

There's lots to do this week in the Planning Services section and we are missing one our colleagues for a few days! Come back soon, Reneé!

Comprehensive Planning - The County Planning Commission will be presented with the Economic Element of the Comprehensive Plan tomorrow night at 6:30 in room 803 of the City/County Complex. This element is a revisit to the existing element that has been in place since the 90's. Data, goals and objectives have all been updated. The drafted element is currently located on the County's planning website: http://www.florenceco.org/Planning/Economic_Element.pdf

In other comprehensive plan news, the land use element will be ready soon for its first meetings with coordinating municipalities (those cities in the Florence County that contract with the County for zoning duties). Land Use seems to always be contenious subject matter, so we are also anticipating numerous public meetings with its roll out.

The request for qualifications for a consultant to help in producing the transportation element and long range transportation plan have gone out. The qualifications are due by August 15th. Contact me if you want a copy.

FLATS (Transportation Planning) - Centered around the confluence of I-20 and I-95, FLATS plans for transportation needs in the Florence metropolitan area. Recently, an enhancement project to create a connector park on South Irby was passed by the FLATS Policy Committee (the FLATS decision-making board). The project, as proposed by the City of Florence, will landscape the northeast corner of Irby and Cedar Streets, make a formal connector to the main library, and serve as a gateway to downtown Florence. FLATS staff is currently requesting support letters from the transportation commissioner and region's SCDOT engineer. After that, the project will be submitted to SCDOT for funding.

Air Quality - I wish I could share better news about our air quality. What I can share is that we have a lot of potential to meet our air quality standards. I have found out that our biggest polluters are you and me!

That's right; our vehicles make the largest impacts to our air quality. Sitting at lights (we're looking at that), sitting at the bank teller or fast food drive [sit]-thru, or picking up Bobby and Sue from swim school. Of course, there are the obvious influences: interstate interchange on our back step, the idling semi-trailers at the Petro station, electrical generation plants and manufacturing plants...how can we reduce these influences? Please share your thoughts... do we make five-points a traffic circle? Might we all step onto public transit for a day out of the week? Do we all take Friday's off?

I am looking for answers, solutions and notable ways to improve our air quality. What is your idea?

Is Our Skyline Sustainable?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is looking for a few good partners.

The EPA is ramping up its Sustainable Skylines program and will be soliciting national applications from all levels of the community at the end of this month. They are seeking multiple-project (at least five) programs that maximize corporate involvement and whose focus is increasing air quality. You may think that there may be a hefty grant award tied to the grant fundings, however, the EPA is mainly doling out funds as seed money to get the area's projects off the ground, running.

Take Florence County as an ideal candidate: air quality approaching the national standards, so we certainly need help; a medium sized community, we are the Pee Dee hub for industry, commercial business and transportation, but not a Columbia, Charleston nor Myrtle Beach in size; a significant corporate presence, and growing with Heinz, Monster.com and QVC to name the newbies; and there already exists a significant partnership among the metropolitan planning organization (FLATS), Florence County and the City of Florence.

What more can EPA ask for?

Kansas City and the pilot project in Dallas, Texas, are one and two years into their three-year programs:
Kansas: http://www.epa.gov/region07/citizens/ssi.htm
Dallas: http://www.sustainableskylines.org/Dallas/home.html

Many similar projects could easily be integrated into a Sustainable Florence program such as idle-free areas around schools and hospitals, installation of solar systems, rebates for hybrid vehicle purchases, increased tree protection, water conservation efforts, and diesel engine upgrades.

Grant applications will most likely be due by the end of September.

Successful Forestry Grant

Florence County Planning Department submitted a successful grant application to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Funds will be utilized to train staff and for public outreach. Staff members will receive training and tested to become certified arborist through the International Society of Arboriculture.

The public outreach component of the grant is for the County's tree preservation initiative. Due to the recent EPA change in ozone air quality standards, Florence area may be considered an area of non-attainment for these new standards. One way the County is working to increase air quality is by considering the preservation and enhancement of tree resources.

Tree preservation will have additional benefits to Florence quality of life. Aesthetics and property values are increased by trees. Some studies attribute up to 10% increase in home value with the presence of mature landscapes. Especially in the current home market, this increase would be a welcome statistic.

Additonally, preserving trees during the initial development of a property increases stormwater containment. Less stormwater measures are needed on a construction project when adequate consideration is given to preserving existing trees.

The County Planning Department, together with Clemson University and SC Forestry have been working to pen the draft of the County's tree preservation ordinance. Look for the draft and public meeting dates soon on the County Planning website.

Sustainability | The local challenge...

This week - eat local

Of course this has to do with energy conservation and building strong communities: growing your own food or buying the food grown in your locale benefits you and the environment. The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/index.shtml) is proposing a challenge this week to eat only local foods. The Pee Dee area has at least three farms and a farmer's market that raises everything from lamb, chicken and beef to fruits and vegetables:

Oaklyn Plantation
Oaklyn Plantation Free Range Chicken (http://www.freerangechicken.com)
Ovis Hill Farms (http://www.ovishillfarm.com)

The Farmer's Market is located on the north side of Hwy 52 (Lucas St.), west of I-95.

Additionally, many chain food stores sell local produce like peaches from McLeod Farms (http://www.macspride.com/default.asp).

And there is always solar power... plant your own garden. Currently, my four raised beds in the backyard (just installed one more this year), each measuring 4ft. by 8ft. contain green peppers, okra, edamame, pole beans, peas, cherry tomatoes, ground cherries (related to tomatoes, but tangy), sunflowers, and new this season: asparagus and elephant garlic.

It's the season to eat local... and this week, the challenge is every meal.

Happy hunting.