[Sosfbay-discuss] Mayor Chuck Reed's bold vision for a green San Jose.

[Rob Means]

I just sent the following letter to editor of the Milpitas Post:

"As of today, 691 Mayors have signed the Climate Agreement."  Thus reads
the link on the he U.S. Conference of Mayors website (
http://usmayors.org/uscm/home.asp ).  These mayors have promised to
advance the goals of the Kyoto Protocol.  The list of signatories
includes eight cities in Santa Clara County alone!  Milpitas is not one
of them.  San Jose is. 

Recent news reports touted San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed's bold vision for a
green San Jose.  Over the next 20 years his 10-point "green vision"
calls for 25,000 new clean-tech jobs, the planting of 100,000 new trees,
creating 60 more miles of new trails, dramatic reductions in energy use,
and a host of other initiatives.  

It reminds me of President Kennedy's bold proposal to land a man on the
moon within 10 years - difficult but doable.  And it's worth doing for
both climate and pocketbook reasons.  According to Mayor Reed, "San Jose
will show the world that environmental responsibility makes financial
sense."  Of course, the fact that the fastest-growing segment in the VC
industry is clean tech, which happens to be in his (and our) back yard
doesn't hurt his political fortunes either.  Carl Guardino, president of
the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, has already praised the vision.

Mayor Reed envisions San Jose serving as a demonstration site for new
technologies.  Once proven, the technologies could be sold to other
cities seeking to go green.  Here's where Milpitas might be able to help
out.  If we demonstrated a successful Personal Rapid Transit system here
in Milpitas, our neighbor to the south could employ the technology in
achieving their lofty goals.

The plan will be presented to the San Jose city council Oct. 30.  I hope
my City Council members will take notice.  Our future depends on it.


Rob Means, Electro Ride Bikes and Scooters
408-262-8975   rob.means at electric-bikes.com
1421 Yellowstone Ave., Milpitas, CA 95035-6913
Discover cycling that's Easy, Safe, Fast - and FUN!
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