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Cieslewicz announces emissions reduction plan

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz announced a new city initiative Friday that aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 100,000 tons by 2011.

The program, called the 100K Clean Energy Challenge, is a partnership between the city and other local organizations, including the University of Wisconsin, Madison Gas and Electric and the Sierra Club.

The city of Madison itself is responsible for eliminating 15,000 tons of carbon dioxide, which requires city buildings to reduce emissions by 25 percent.

"The mayor does believe global climate change is a major issue that we have to face, and there are things we can do locally to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions — in this case, especially CO2," said George Twigg, spokesperson for Cieslewicz.

In order to accomplish this goal, the city will focus on three strategies: improving the energy efficiency of city buildings, consuming more energy from renewable resources and improving fuel efficiency in city vehicles.

The plan also calls for residents and businesses to help reduce carbon pollution through purchasing renewable energy, increasing usage of solar electricity systems, and trying to use electricity more efficiently. The proposal also asks residents to utilize the city's transit system or participate in car pools.

Faramarz Vakili-Zadeh, UW energy conservation program director, said he approves of the new program.

"Since so many faculty and university staff and students live in Madison, the university is highly supportive of the mayor's Clean Energy Challenge that promotes these energy conservation actions both at home and at work," Vakili-Zadeh said in a release Friday.

UW has also posted lists of ways to help save energy on its WE CONSERVE environmental website, conserve.wisc.edu.

UW junior John Sinclair said he is happy the city is setting a goal to fight pollution and thinks the program is a step in the right direction.

"I think it's really cool, and it's neat that even a city like Madison can set those kinds of goals, even though we aren't one of the bigger cities in the world," Sinclair said. "We can set an example."