Omaha’s downtown parking system is poised to undergo some significant changes, as reported today by the Omaha World Herald. In short, the City’s parking consultant, Walker Parking Consultants, found the following:

• that city-owned garages aren’t used enough, are too expensive, and are losing money
• drivers circle endlessly after 5pm and on the weekends to search for free on-street parking
• city management of downtown parking is fragmented (Public Works manages the curbside meters while the golf division of the Parks and Recreation Department manages the garages. Yes, you read that right, the golf division.)

Naturally, Walker’s recommendations respond to their findings. Their primary recommendations:

• lower rates at city-owned garages
• eliminate time limits on how long cars can be parked at meters
• decrease hourly meter rates in low-demand areas and increase rates in high-demand locations
• expand meter enforcement hours
• attach credit card devices to parking meters
• consider a “graduated system” of parking ticket fines

While I’m totally in favor of decreasing the amount of time that people dawdle around in their car looking for a spot (full disclosure: I do it too), I’m hopeful that these soon-to-come and much needed changes to the system are but one piece in a much more complicated puzzle. I haven’t seen the study, but my assumption is that it assumes the number of cars that head downtown on your average Friday night will likely stay the same or increase in the years to come. That’s probably true, unfortunately, but planners need to be thinking about different ways of getting Omahans to their downtown destination. The good news: they are.

The City is about to wrap up its Transportation Master Plan, which, among many other things, considers transportation demand management strategies that get people out of their cars and onto bikes, busses and their feet. This idea that Omahans are addicted to their cars and unwilling to use public transportation or some other mode of transport is hogwash, and given the anticipated climb in gas prices this summer (five bucks per gallon, anyone?), we should expect people to be searching for alternatives to driving alone in their good ol’ reliable Wagon Queen Family Truckster.

Finally, I want to be clear about one thing: there is NOT a lack of parking downtown. The study found that only 54 percent of available parking in the Old Market is used on a busy evening. For those of you complaining about parking downtown, try finding an affordable and available spot in Chicago, Boston, or any other major metropolitan city. We all collectively need to change our expectations a bit. It’s not reasonable to expect to arrive at your destination five minutes before the curtain goes up and expect a free spot right in front of the door.

We are really, really lucky. Day in and day out, we get to do what we love for people that we really respect. It’s a gift that we absolutely recognize and don’t take fror granted. Which is why just over a year ago we created LOVErdis. It’s our mechanism for giving back. And today, on Valentine’s Day, we want nothing more than to sprinkle a little love throughout the community.

There are basically two components to LOVErdis: First, straight up cash. We’ve created a charitable giving account with the Omaha Community Foundation wherein we manage all of our “LOVErdis making”. While we’re not the biggest corporate donors in the country, every little bit helps. And those organizations we’ve supported thus far are always extremely grateful to receive our donation. Since creating LOVErdis, we have supported the following organizations:

• Together, Inc. - Providing the most basic of needs to a population in need.
• Omaha Bikes (via Livewell Omaha) – To support their College World Series bike parking lot.
• Habitat for Humanity - Everyone needs a roof over their head.
• Keep Omaha Beautiful - Because we want Omaha to be beautiful. Don’t we all?
• Emerging Terrain - Stored Potential is one of the coolest projects Omaha has ever seen. Period.
• Project Interfaith - Ensuring spiritual sustainability for us all.
• Safe Routes to School (via Livewell Omaha) – You mean kids can actually still walk or bike to school?

Our 2012 plan for giving is pretty well sketched out. We choose twleve every year. Each Verdis team member gets the opportunity to independently select one organization, and then we all must agree on the remaining seven. Gifts are made monthly.

The second element of LOVErdis is about sweat equity. We want to escape from Verdis HQ and spend some time in the community doing good. We all do this individually, but our plan is to do it as a team. Internal discussions about what to do are just getting started so we would love input from anyone. Where should we go? What should we do? Adopt a garden? Paint-a-thon? Jump Rope for Heart? All ideas are welcome! Help us determine where to spread our seeds of LOVErdis.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Gallup CEO Jim Clifton keynoted the Omaha Chamber of Commerce annual meeting this week. It was the first time I’ve had the opportunity to hear him speak, and two things became very clear early in his address: 1) he’s an extremely witty guy that would be an absolute treat to sit and have a beer with, and 2) he is unbelievably sharp. Neither are a surprise, of course. He is the CEO of Gallup, after all, and has brought the organization to new heights since taking the helm in 1988.

His comments on Wednesday were based on his most recent book, The Coming Jobs War, an exploration of how every countries’ ability to create jobs and grow their economy directly affects the success of their nation in many other metrics. While I’ve not read the book (yet), Clifton provided a great overview of the issue and touched on what business and government leaders should be doing to win the jobs war. I’m an economics geek, so I found it fascinating. Let’s explore a bit further, shall we.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE JOBS WAR FUNDAMENTALS

Priority #1: A Good Job
First, it’s important to understand just how important jobs are not only for Americans but for all the world’s inhabitants. Several decades ago, Gallup polling found that most Americans’ top priorities were peace and family, which makes perfect sense given that we were fresh out of WWII. But a major shift has occurred in our top priority: it’s now having a good job. This changes everything, Clifton explained, because nearly every big decision people make is impacted by their desire to have a good job. How many kids to have, where to live, when to get married, etc. And it also impacts how business leaders manage their employees because people are now defined by their job.

The shift in priorities is not unique to the U.S. Gallup found that of the world’s 5 billion adults, 3 billion said their primary desire in life is a good job, yet there are only 1.2 billion jobs in the world. Again, at the global level, this is huge. It alters geopolitical strategies. It increases tension in nearly every country, especially those that are a bit unstable. Clifton explained that the last several decades have seen about two revolutions per year. We’re blowing that average out of the water these days (Arab Spring, anyone?).

The United States as the (current) world economic leader
The next important element to keep in mind is the United States’ position in the world economy hierarchy. We are head and shoulders above everyone. It’s not even close. Our GDP is around 15 trillion. China’s is 5 trillion. Our military spending alone is about the same as Russia’s entire GDP. This affords us the ability to basically run the show. Economic dominance, Clifton said, equates to world dominance. And he’s right. Every country wants to do business with us. If they upset us, we drop a few economic sanctions (or just the threat of economic sanctions) on them, and we get what want. Lickity split. In other words, it’s really, really important that we maintain our position as the world’s economic leader.

But that’s not so easy, and many economists are predicting that in thirty years, China will overtake us. That spells trouble. The remainder of Clifton’s comments focused on what business and government leaders should be doing to ensure that the U.S. maintains its position as the world’s economic leader (as measured by GDP). The long and short of it is: 1) we need to support entrepreneurs, not innovators; 2) good policies help businesses create customers, not jobs; and 3) we must help one another in our paths to success. I agree with him on all accounts.

So by now, if you’re still with me, you might be wondering how all this relates to sustainability. An excellent question.

WHY OUR CURRENT ECONOMIC MODEL IS NOT SUSTAINABLE

I’m not trying to fool anyone into thinking that I’m as intelligent or knowledgeable as Jim Clifton. I’m not. But I do have three beefs with our current economic model.

The idea of constant growth is flawed
It seems that everyone is always out for more growth. Businesses. Cities. Economies. Children. It’s a flawed concept. Sometimes growth just for growth’s sake is highly counter-productive. Should businesses always expect 5% growth every year? Is it always ideal for a city’s population to grow? The United Nations projects that the U.S. population growth rate will continue declining and will be just a hair above 0% by the end of the 21st century. If population growth slows to such a snail’s pace, can every city really expect to continue growing? Assuming that everything must constantly be growing ignores one of the most fundamental rules of the world: in order for growth to occur, we must have the resources necessary to support it. Resources are limited, folks, and at some point our growth might outpace how quickly natural resources are replenishing (if it hasn’t already).

The U.S. GDP relies too heavily on consumers and consumerism
Our nation’s economy is one that relies heavily on consumers to keep it afloat, and we do that by buying lots and lots of stuff. If we stop buying, the economy slows down dramatically. But that pace of consumption means that we’re always buying unnecessary stuff. In April 2011, the Commerce Department reported that American consumers spent an annualized $1.2 trillion on non-essential stuff. The unfortunate part is that, as I noted in a December post, buying all that stuff doesn’t make people happy. Experiences make them happy. And even worse, the environmental impacts of all that stuff are severe. The real question is whether or not we can keep our economy moving forward while buying less junk? I don’t have the answer but we need to figure it out.

GDP doesn’t equate to happiness or well-being
Gross Domestic Product represents the total dollar value of all the goods and services produced over a certain time period. While it’s the best measurement we have for the size of an economy, it doesn’t measure how well off a country is or their citizens’ well-being. Yes, it’s important to have at least enough income to life comfortably but having (and spending) more cash doesn’t translate to being happier. Turns out The Notorious B.I.G. was right when he crooned Mo Money Mo Problems. In fact, in the research paper, Would You Be Happier If You Were Richer?, the  authors reported that “although average life satisfaction in countries tends to rise with GDP per capita at low levels of income, there is little or no further increase in life satisfaction once GDP per capita exceeds $12,000″. Ours is $47,000. While we were at the 2011 Aspen Environment Form, we heard British economist Charles Seaford talk about the need to bag GDP and consider a different metric that measures the extent to which people flourish. Love it. And even better, it looks like he’s already working on it.

WRAPPING UP

Jim Clifton is spot on correct. If our economy isn’t the biggest, baddest thing in the world, we are at risk. We need to pay attention to what he’s saying and ensure that we don’t fall behind. We must also consider other factors rather than just GDP when determining if our nation is successful. I’m sure the world isn’t going to discontinue paying attention to GDP anytime soon, but maybe we ought to actually be working towards making people happy rather than filling their wallets so that they can buy more unfulfilling stuff.

We’re going to be surrounded by animals quite often this year, and we couldn’t be more excited. Thanks in part to the generosity of the Peter Kiewit Foundation, we are proud to announce that we are working with the state of Nebraska’s top tourist destination, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo. Over the course of 2012, we will be partnering with the Zoo to create their energy and sustainability master plan, integrating a few of our engagement tools to foster a few sustainable behavior changes, and facilitating the implementation of the new strategies.

It goes without saying that this project will present some unique opportunities. The Zoo sits on a 250+ acre campus, sees well over one million visitors every year, and is the tourist gem of the city of Omaha. And, oh, there are animals there. Many animals of all shapes and sizes. What a treat it’s been already to get to know the Zoo’s leadership team and staff. They are firmly committed to conservation, which makes perfect sense; their conservation-oriented mission is such a great foundation for the work that’s ahead.

We’re extremely pleased to have such a great opportunity to impact so many people…and animals. Now we just need to ensure we avoid the lions and tigers and bears…oh my.

During these oh-so-cold months in the midwest, I love to begin thinking about the first thing we’re going to plant once the ground thaws. As such, I find myself gravitating towards articles that lean towards food and gardening.

A recent commentary from our friends at GOOD asked the question, “Will urban gardens wilt post-recession?” Oh what an excellent question. Urban gardening is a hot trend these days, especially in cities where vacant lots dot the landscape. They’re revitalizing the landscape of many neighborhoods, providing a place for neighbors to come together, and of course producing locally-grown food that is far healthier and more sustainable than most of what can be found in the local grocery store.

But I can’t help but disagree with the rosy picture that the article’s author paints. Yes, urban gardens have a multitude of benefits, and I firmly believe that they unquestionably belong in our urban fabric. I’m not convinced, however, that the multi-acre urban gardens are providing us what we need, especially in Omaha, to achieve the kind of density that will allow us to live more sustainably.

If urban gardens are to be a major part of the land-use equation, they’re displacing several households that could be living on that land. The big question is what happens around those gardens? If we simply continue to build McMansions surrounded by vast swaths of private turf lawns, we’re just going to perpetuate the problem of decreased density. Walkability goes out the window, as does connectedness with neighbors. When we’re spread out, we drive more, talk with our neighbors less, and generally live a less-satisfying life.

Our work with Metropolitan Community College was, at least in part, focused on ascertaining the viability and long-term trajectory of urban gardens in Omaha. They’re absolutely going gang-busters right now, and one organization after the next is jumping on the bandwagon, thinking about how they can improve community health, create jobs, build more cohesive neighborhoods, and decrease poverty. There’s no reason to think that the trend will not or should not continue. BUT planners need to be sure not to sacrifice increased density. Knowing Omaha’s City Planning Department, I’m sure we’re in good hands.

This big, ugly recession that refuses to go away is absolutely demolishing public school budgets, which is certainly no surprise. State funding for education is diminishing, many federal grant dollars have come and gone, and other sources of revenue aren’t exactly growing. The result: cuts across the board for many schools and school districts. As we heard in this story from NPR recently (yes, I listen to a lot of NPR), Texas schools are cutting teachers, teachers’ aides, sports, security, transportation, etc, etc. The list goes on and is not unique to our friends in Texas.

When the situation is this dire, justifying sustainability initiatives is difficult, and many schools are turning away from conservation and efficiency initiatives due to a lack of resources (both time and money). But the right strategy is to do the exact opposite. The longer schools disregard and ignore their use of energy and other resources, the more often they will find themselves fighting the budget battle…and losing.

Taking Advantage of the Opportunity
Fortunately not every school district is ignoring the sustainability opportunity. Our work with the Omaha Public Schools is a perfect example of how a commitment to energy efficiency can save jobs, programs and other essential components of the education system. OPS is saving over $500,000 per year in energy costs. Yes, you read that right. It’s not small potatoes. That’s a lot of books…or teachers…or meals.

What sets OPS apart? The answer boils down to leadership. I vividly recall an important and insightful comment an OPS board member made two years ago: “We build 100-year buildings”. What a perfect perspective for a school district. While many companies are fighting to keep the doors open from one quarter to the next, we know with near perfect certainty that our schools will be here in ten, twenty, fifty and likely one-hundred years. When your horizon is that long, small investments, and in some cases large investments are well worth it even during tight budget times. They often pay for themselves in less than a few years, and in some cases, immediately recoup minimal upfront costs.

Omaha’s schools are not alone in their efforts. In August of this year, the New York Times reported on many of the energy efficiency and conservation measures schools are taking to decrease their energy use. Activities run the gamut and include simple things like post-it note reminders and checklists, and not-so-simple energy audits and boiler replacements.

Not every strategy listed in the Times article is a good one, unfortunately. Namely, the “energy cop” from Mount Sinai is a temporary solution that doesn’t result in long-lasting, sustainable behavior change. Fortunately, the cop noted as much when he admitted, “as soon as you take me away, people will start their bad habits again”. Right on, officer. Right on. Not a sustainable solution. Acknowledging and recognizing good behavior is a far better long-term solution than leaving nasty notes when people don’t comply.

Static + Dynamic Strategies
Our focus with OPS has been twofold: 1) identifying and implementing one-time gains in efficiency (static strategies such as lighting retrofits), and 2) engaging people in a meaningful and rewarding way so that sustainability becomes part of the organizational culture (dynamic strategies such as point-of-use prompts or a Green Challenge Series).  The latter is, quite honestly, more difficult work. It’s infinitely more challenging to change a person’s behavior than it is to change a light bulb.

Point-of-Use Prompts help Remind Folks to Conserve

Where Schools Should Start
One of the most important things every single school district can easily and inexpensively do is to benchmark each school’s energy use with ENERGY STAR. In most cases it’s so easy that a class can easily pull the information together and establish the benchmark within a few days. In the end, each school has a number that indicates how energy efficient your building is compared to schools from around the country.

Ratings range from 1 to 100 (the higher the better). If you’re scoring low, there might be some low-hanging fruit that can save big dollars in a hurry. If you’re scoring high, congrats…top-performing ENERGY STAR labeled schools cost 40 cents/SF less to operate than an average school. Either way, once the benchmark is in place, it’s easy to maintain and is an absolutely invaluable mechanism to track progress.

Sustainability and Education
It was John F. Kennedy who said, “Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.” It’s a quote I ponder often. Educational leaders are under pressure to produce results, and it’s important for them to remember that sustainability is both an end and a means to an end in the educational system.

It’s the holiday season, which never fails to spike my environmentalist guilt complex, and now that I have a young daughter I’m particularly aware of all the good and bad that the season brings. There is the ever-present tension between decreasing needless consumption and a stagnating economy, which is a big, broad issue that I’m not particularly interested in tackling…yet.

There is no getting around the fact that the gift-giving traditions of the holiday season result in an increase in waste. And I’m not talking about the useless gifts that never get used and end up in the landfill (Is this underwater cell phone system really for me? really!? thanks…honey). I’m talking about the peripheral stuff. This story on Marketplace this morning highlighted the fact that we see a 25% increase in waste over the holidays, which equates to a million tons per week. More specifically, it means:

• 125,000 tons of plastic packaging
• 744 million holiday cards
• 8,000 tons of wrapping paper*

So what’s a person to do in this time of thoughtful gift-giving? The answer is not to stop giving, but rather, give experiences rather than things. It’s not only better on the environment, it’s better for you. As GOOD reported in their Winter 2011 issue, experiential purchasers report being more satisfied with their lives, less anxious, less depressed, and in better mental and physical health.

When it comes down to it, isn’t the annual membership to your local forest and the dozens of hours you spend there putting you in a better place than the new television you’ve been eyeing? Experiences form who we are. They become engrained into our being and, at least until dementia sets in, they’re with us forever. Give your family, friends and co-workers an experiential gift this season; the planet and those lucky recipients will thank you.

Happy holidays, everyone.

*Omahans: Please note that the Marketplace article indicated that wrapping paper is not recyclable. However, Omaha’s city-wide program does accept wrapping paper.

I’m a huge fan of UNMC’s Science Cafe, and it’s not just because we’re working with UNMC or dig hanging out at the Slowdown. Science Cafes present a great venue for some legitimate and thought-provoking discussion that is 100% based on science. While past topics have piqued our interest, tonight’s topic was what we really love to dream about: “What Climate Science is Telling Us”.

And lo and behold, our good friend, Dr. Andrew Jameton was the featured lecturer. Among many other endeavors, Dr. Jameton is one of the founding members and current board president at City Sprouts, the oldest community garden in Omaha and an organization we’ve supported in the past.

Although Andy led with a disclaimer that he isn’t a scientist (he’s a philosopher), he did  a great job explaining the science of climate change with a variety of charts and graphs. Educating the public on climate science is not easy, but Dr. Jameton’s unassuming and non-combative approach proved the perfect touch for the warm crowd that had gathered. He only vaguely touched on the moral and ethical elements of the anthropological causes though. I left feeling like there was a deeper conversation that was warranted, but it’s a conversation that’s best in a group of a few rather than a few dozen.

All in all, the lecture was both informative and thought-provoking, and I’m really tempted to sign up for the course Dr. Jameton co-teaches: Climate Change, Sustainability and Public Health. And I could help but daydream just a bit about the cheers of the holiday season…the similarities between the good Dr. Jameton and jolly ol’ St. Nick are nothing short of striking.