New emissions inventory: a bit more detail
Posted by: AmyG in Emission sources, Greenhouse gas emissions, Measuring emissions, Public records |
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| Boulder Dept. of Environmental Affairs |
| Summaries: 2006 greenhouse gas inventory (above) and 2006 inventory comparison (below). Click either thumbnail to view the full document. |
(UPDATE July 11: The city clarified that it is willing to share this data.)
I just heard back from Sarah Van Pelt, Boulder’s environmental affairs directory, regarding the latest municipal emissions inventory I mentioned earlier. She offered two data summary sheets (click thumbnails at right to enlarge) and said:
“The inventory database is a proprietary product so I can’t send the entire system to you but I can provide data to address specific questions. I’ve attached two sheets from the inventory that I hope will provide the information you seek. If not, let me know what you are interested in and I will send additional information.”
I do appreciate Van Pelt’s (and her staff’s) responsiveness and willingness to engage in public conversation on this topic. The department of environmental affairs is obviously a key player in the carbon tax and local climate action issues, and this community journalism project has enjoyed a very positive, communicative relationship with that department. It’s always better to be on good professional terms with your sources.
That said, I do think we need to push further on this. Here’s how I replied to Van Pelt:
I replied by e-mail:
Thanks very much Sarah. To be honest, I’m not sure that data gathered with taxpayer money on behalf of the city to fulfill requirements of a law passed by voters could be considered proprietary. I’m not trying to cause problems or doubt/undermine you, but good journalistic practice requires me to look into that further and perhaps pursue a request for that data under Colorado’s open records law.
In the meantime, I will post this data so our readers can give it a look. I’m off now to meet with some of our new local volunteers, and will give those numbers a close look shortly in a blog post.
…So that’s where this particular quest for information stands at the moment.
I encourage you to look over the attached summary sheets as a starting point for this line of public inquiry. What do you see in those numbers? What questions do they raise for you? Please comment below.
(ADDITIONAL NOTE: Over the weekend, Van Pelt also responded to my earlier inquiry regarding more clarification of the city’s cost-saving estimates regarding the impact of the climate action plan. I will blog that within the next day. Stay tuned.)
Entries (RSS)
July 10th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
[...] I did just get some summary data, but am pushing for [...]
July 10th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
I wouldn’t get too off track about whether the database is proprietary or not, she is will to provide you with the data that’s there which is what’s important. And what’s important is whether or not we’re getting value for our tax dollar, so let’s stay focused on answering that question. Maybe you can include a list of city activities and their costs and carbon offset, if any. Like the cost to put together the tool, to hire the staff, light the offices, all that carbon producing stuff. Put that on the list with a zero next to it for carbon offset. Hopefully those things will enable an offset in the future, but who knows.
July 11th, 2007 at 2:28 am
Thanks, InTheKnow
You wrote, “she is will to provide you with the data that’s there which is what’s important.”
Well, actually, she provided with summary reports but not any of the data behind it. My experience reviewing emission inventories and similar types of data-based reports is that how data is summarized is often up to interpretation. Fresh sets of eyes looking at the data can find different points of interest. It’s rare that such datasets tell only one story.
“Maybe you can include a list of city activities and their costs and carbon offset, if any.”
Yes, we are gathering that data as well. Projections of costs and savings were included in the city’s climate action plan, and we hope to match taht to actual expenditures and measured cost and emission impacts.
“Like the cost to put together the tool, to hire the staff, light the offices, all that carbon producing stuff. Put that on the list with a zero next to it for carbon offset.”
…Good observation, but also open to interpretation. For instance people are required to do energy efficiency outreach and education — and is it fair
to assign zero emission benefits to that, even in the short term? That’s a good point for discussion.
Thanks,
- Amy Gahran
July 11th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
[...] I discussed how it might be useful for the Boulder Carbon Tax Tracker project to acquire the dataset from the [...]
July 11th, 2007 at 7:21 pm
[...] Open that Database!, Talbott supports and amplifies my earlier request for the complete emission inventory database from the city. (Thanks!) Regarding the city’s claim that this database is proprietary, he [...]