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The Battle Against Greenhouse Gas And What You Can Do To Help · Inside West Palm Beach

• 0:09
  Welcome to the City Center podcast from West Palm Beach,
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  Florida.
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  I'm Jerry Marcelo.
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  The battle against greenhouse gas emissions and the threats they pose is considered a global issue.
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  And for good reason,
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  there is no corner of the globe that is completely untouched by the accumulation of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.
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  While the effects span the globe,
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  the solution may come down to individual towns and cities and what they do to conserve resources and keep pollution in check.
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  The city of West Palm Beach is hard at work trying to educate residents and implement solutions that could keep the planet healthy for decades to come.
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  Joining me today to talk about it is Lara Slain sustainability program coordinator for the city of West Palm Beach.
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  Lara.
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  Welcome.
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  Hello,
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  everyone.
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  Thank you Jerry for having me here today.
• 1:01
  Ok.
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  So Lara,
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  we're gonna start with some basics.
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  West Palm Beach is very aware of the existence of greenhouse gas.
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  Everyone's heard the term,
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  but I don't think a lot of people really understand what it is and how this gas is causing what we believe to be global warming.
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  Tell us how it all works.
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  Ok.
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  So let's start what is greenhouse gasses?
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  This is seven different gasses and not going to go to details.
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  The main is which we're focusing is carbon dioxide co two and methane.
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  And where are they coming from?
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  It's from the human activities such as um transportation,
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  uh building its heating and cooling and the waste.
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  So also from agriculture,
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  but those ones less so those are main sources of excess carbon pollution.
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  So and then why,
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  how are they connected to the increase?
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  I mean,
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  we're all seeing it,
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  the the summers are getting hotter.
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  Hurricanes are more powerful.
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  All this seems to be connected to this global warming.
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  How does gas like methane have an impact on warming the warming the globe?
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  So basically when we do after,
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  let's say industrial revolution,
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  we start burning coal and gas and oil and you know,
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  starting all the activities,
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  all of these gasses that goes to the atmosphere and some of them not disappearing,
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  they stay for over 100 years and they think of it as a blanket which just covers the planet and heating it.
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  So while that happened in the climate,
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  weather patterns,
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  which is climate,
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  they shift and they changing.
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  So we know that trees and ocean um they work as a sponge,
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  they uh take this carbon excess emission from uh the atmosphere,
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  but uh humans produce so much emissions so they are not able to cope with that.
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  So essentially these gasses form like a quilt that keep heat that would normally escape into,
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  I guess,
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  space or at least the upper atmosphere that keeps it close to the earth and that's what's really causing our temperature to slowly climb up.
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  Absolutely.
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  It's a radiation.
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  So the heat goes to the planet,
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  some of it goes back and because of the gasses,
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  not all of it can go through that blanket and it stays and warm in the planet.
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  Ok.
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  So we see the problem.
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  It's global,
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  it's everywhere.
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  Absolutely.
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  What are some solutions that we can be working towards?
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  Solutions are everywhere.
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  So solutions number one,
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  like it's the global decarbonization,
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  basically think about it.
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  It's uh everything you do,
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  it's have to be better way,
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  for example,
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  uh driving,
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  you know,
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  you can use the car which is electric vehicle,
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  ev um which is doesn't produce the carbon dioxide,
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  right?
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  Um Buildings,
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  buildings could be built by new standards which using less energy,
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  less water.
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  Um It,
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  it's the circular economy,
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  everything you produce,
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  you don't throw away,
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  it goes back to the economy.
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  It's,
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  it's a lot of it's a solutions are here.
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  They're,
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  they're here.
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  So,
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  so conservation,
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  recycling,
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  reusing materials over and over and over again.
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  So they,
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  they don't become a waste product.
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  And then also,
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  as you mentioned,
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  transportation,
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  obviously,
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  cars uh create a lot of the emissions that we're concerned about and using,
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  you know,
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  uh public transportation uh just human power to get around is part of the solution.
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  So,
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  but these seem to be very large scale sort of projects.
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  What can residents do?
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  What can a city of West Palm Beach do to really contribute to minimizing global warming?
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  Yes,
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  it is global and city on one level doing.
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  Um we do have uh transportation and mobility manager which working on public transportation in the city of West Palm Beach to become um elec electric uh instead of the trolley on our side,
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  we do have different programs helping uh residents to save on.
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  And because it's not only renewables,
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  it's also about energy efficiency and water efficiency because to produce water,
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  you need energy.
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  So,
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  um starting this um basic behavioral changes to the small solution then building on this little bigger solution.
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  And then in the end,
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  uh it's renewables,
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  that's sort of the,
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  the route.
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  It seems to me what you're saying is that a lot of what we're looking for is to educate people to the some of the solutions,
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  some of the processes,
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  uh some of the habits that we currently have that we probably should modify so that we're using less fossil fuels and you know,
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  walking and biking instead of jumping in our car.
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  Uh The city is indeed as,
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  as a very,
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  very robust um uh system uh for,
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  for public transportation and it's getting stronger and,
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  and more uh widespread every day.
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  Um When you get down to individual homeowners and people who live in the city,
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  what sort of programs,
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  what sort of uh resources can the city offer a resident so they can make their house uh more sustainable as we go forward.
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  It's a great question.
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  And one of these programs,
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  I actually lead the program called Home Improvement program.
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  It's basic step.
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  It's the beginning of the journey of saving energy and water at home.
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  And you build from this program,
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  you know,
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  it's the first,
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  it's a basic steps.
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  So during the program,
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  um it's a workshop.
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  So it's one hour,
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  one hour and a half,
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  dependent on the group we have in the workshop sessions.
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  And we talk about simple solution like uh behavior change.
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  And also we give away items which help them right away,
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  start saving on the energy.
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  So basically,
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  they save the energy and they also help to reduce the bills,
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  they helping,
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  you know,
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  future generation and they have an overall global program to tackle that.
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  What sort of,
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  what sort of things are we talking about?
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  We're talking about to be giving away uh led light bulbs where a strip and um smart power strip to cut the energy from the computers.
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  And uh then the second part is the water conservation and water efficiency.
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  So we talk about um a reduction of water through fluoride,
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  changing your shower head to the efficient one,
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  the toilets you can uh and also outdoor.
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  What can they do for the irrigation and uh to while we're talking about it.
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  City has my colleagues run two great programs.
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  One is uh uh toilet credit program which uh city of West Palm Beach Office of Sustainability will give you up to 125 toilet credit for two of the toilets.
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  So basically you need to be city of West Palm Beach residents.
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  You need to be water customer.
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  You need to an honor.
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  You can go and buy efficient toilet,
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  which is 1.28 gallons per flush and we will credit it to your water bill.
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  That's fantastic.
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  That's really great.
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  So you just to jump aside,
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  uh,
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  1.1 0.8 gallons of water.
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  1.281 0.28.
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  What,
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  what does an old toilet?
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  So prior 1995 it used to be old standards and it's 3.5 gallons per minute or,
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  you know,
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  per flash.
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  So basically,
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  if you think about you take and shower once a day,
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  yeah,
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  every day,
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  hopefully 10 minutes,
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  right.
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  Just think about it and you using 3.5 gallon a minute.
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  So it's 35 gallon for 11 person shower,
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  right?
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  You switch that shower head to the efficient,
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  which is 11.2 meaning you're using only 12 gallons of water per,
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  you know,
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  per one shower.
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  So it's multiplies,
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  it multiplies and you're saving water and you're saving money.
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  Absolutely.
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  So,
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  the small things like that I'm teaching through this program,
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  so,
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  it's a,
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  you know,
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  basic step.
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  That's cool.
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  So all these things go into the home and not only you changing things inside the home,
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  you're helping the resident to think about how they use resources.
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  And that's a really big part of what you do.
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  So,
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  we have an entire department here at the city,
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  uh the Office of Sustainability that is involved in things that are first of all to help conserve our natural resources,
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  but also to educate people.
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  There are lots of different programs.
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  We've talked about several right now.
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  What other programs can,
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  can we get people involved in to save money to save resources and to also help with global warming?
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  Well,
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  we have,
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  as you mentioned,
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  Holy Department and each one of us have dedicated area which we focus in.
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  We do have our biggest events coming up.
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  It's on April 6th and it's uh it's called eo uh green and Wellness Expo to start and celebrate the earth months and earth days.
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  It's April 22nd.
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  So we do have its Expo of varieties of different programs and sources we have.
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  So we encourage everyone to come to Science Cox Science Center on this day and will be given away resources,
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  giving away the information and it's gonna be uh 50% off for the city of residence on this day.
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  So you basically people can come and learn and actually sort of see things like electric cars and,
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  and,
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  and,
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  and and energy saving products that are,
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  that are at the,
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  at the expo.
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  Absolutely.
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  So in other programs,
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  we do have,
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  as you mentioned,
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  a electric cars we do have uh usually it's in September,
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  it's called Drive electric.
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  So that is export to showcase different uh variety of uh it,
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  we did it in partnership with Science Center as well.
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  So it's outside.
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  So there is specific.
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  So our office has a lot of different resources.
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  We do have uh specific on the wild flowers,
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  on the uh vegan.
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  And what can you do?
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  How can you reduce um irrigation,
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  retrofit,
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  uh nature trees,
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  rain barrel.
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  Uh That's,
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  we have a lot of opportunities for people.
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  That's fantastic.
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  And that people can learn more about it by going to the city website.
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  And I,
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  if I'm not mistaken,
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  it's W pb.org front slash sustainability or green or green.
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  Well,
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  that's a lot easier than sustainability go.
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  And,
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  and what other ways can people get in touch with you?
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  I also,
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  yes,
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  that's the,
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  they can go on our website.
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  We do have social media,
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  we have Instagram,
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  Facebook,
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  they can call us as well.
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  So we are available for any of those questions is it's another thing I wanna come back it and it's important thing that we were talking about the program I usually run.
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  So my program,
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  it's three parts and usually the third part is the most important because it talks about uh the solutions and this is where we start,
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  what city of West Palm Beach can offer.
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  And I already mentioned we can offer toilet program,
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  irrigation pilot program,
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  uh different trees,
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  rain barrels and home improvement.
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  But also uh it is federal mm tax credits federal programs,
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  county programs,
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  which I wanna,
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  you know,
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  just a little bit touch on.
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  Yeah,
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  please just talk about it.
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  So we know that um it is basically a,
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  it's called Inflation Reduction Act in short Ira,
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  which been passed a year ago.
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  And in this uh Ira,
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  we have a lot of um resources which,
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  you know,
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  companies and residents can utilize such as they could take advantage of the tax credits for any energy efficiency.
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  For example,
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  if they plan to,
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  to,
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  to do uh new uh windows or doors,
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  which more efficient or um ac or things like that,
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  new fridges and anything,
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  what could help them save,
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  you know,
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  money,
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  more efficient uh things they could take up to 30% of the um cost.
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  So they need to file form.
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  Then,
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  for example,
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  this year they bought it and then next year when they filing the tax return,
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  uh they,
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  they need to file a special form and you'll help them know what that form is.
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  And I do pass along the resources I talk about also.
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  Mm For people who struggle in this day bills,
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  the county has a program who can help with the uh you know,
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  bills uh that is a federal program for low income people who can also,
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  they can utilize.
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  I'm talking about all of these different credits and,
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  uh,
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  also e,
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  uh,
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  electric vehicles ev as we call them.
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  Mm,
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  you can take up to 7500,
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  uh,
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  from the dealership.
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  Now,
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  I know it's still,
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  um,
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  not so affordable but it,
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  it's getting there.
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  So I'm,
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  I'm just giving the people information where to go,
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  what else they can do and how,
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  you know,
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  in general be more aware.
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  So they helping themselves and also everyone's around them.
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  It's a win,
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  win.
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  Not only do you put money back in your pocket,
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  you're also contributing to the health of our community and the world.
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  So that's really,
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  really great.
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  What other things do we do?
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  Do we need to talk about?
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  I just want to encourage everyone to,
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  you know,
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  to come and join our programs and to be more aware and to be more interesting,
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  stay aware and um like my boss say,
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  what with your dollars.
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  So when you trying to buy something just um turn around uh and see what is it made of or what is it came from?
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  Right.
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  Right.
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  And the one thing I would like to do,
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  I always like to close with this is that we have the opportunity here.
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  We have an audience who's listening in,
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  they're obviously interested in what we're talking about here.
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  Um If you had the opportunity to deliver one important message to the residents of West Palm Beach about all the things that you do.
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  What would that message be?
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  Uh We all have only one planet so we all live in planet Earth.
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  So we need to do anything and everything possible uh to stabilize the climate on our planet and the ways to do it is here,
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  the solutions are here.
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  We all in it together and we are trying to uh provide,
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  you know,
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  different programs and solutions.
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  Because if we all uh we,
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  we all will do it.
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  We'll,
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  you know,
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  we'll,
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  we'll win,
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  we'll,
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  we'll tackle that.
• 17:16
  Absolutely.
• 17:17
  Lara,
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  thank you for joining us and thanks to the entire team and the sustainability department for everything you do for the city.
• 17:25
  Thank you.
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  And thank you for listening to this podcast direct from City Hall in West Palm Beach,
• 17:30
  Florida.
• 17:31
  We hope you've enjoyed our conversation today.
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  And if you did,
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  please subscribe and tell your friends we're here.
• 17:38
  We also wanna hear from you.
• 17:40
  Tell us what topics you'd like to know more about.
• 17:43
  Just drop us a note at podcast at W pb.org.
• 17:48
  The City Center podcast is a production of the City of West Palm Beach Communications Department.
• 17:53
  I'm Jerry Marcelo.
• 17:55
  We'll see you next time.