2011 Index of Silicon Valley - Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Environment
Progress is being made in improving
the region’s environmental sustainability,
but more gains are necessary.
PLACE
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT
Environmental quality directly affects the health of all residents and
the ecosystem in the Silicon Valley region, which is in turn affected
by the choices that residents make about how to live—how we
chose to access work, other people, goods and services; where
we build our homes; how we use our natural resources; and how
we enforce environmental guidelines.
Water is one of the region’s most precious resources, serving a
multitude of needs, including drinking, recreation, supporting
aquatic life and habitat, and agricultural and industrial uses. Water
is also a limited resource because water supply is subject to
changes in climate and state and federal regulations. Sustainability
in the long run requires that households, workplaces and agricultural
operations efficiently use and reuse water.
Energy consumption impacts the environment with the emissions of
greenhouse gases and atmospheric pollutants through the
combustion of fossil fuels. Sustainable energy policies include
increasing energy efficiency and the use of clean renewable energy
sources. For example, more widespread use of solar generated
power diversifies the region’s electricity portfolio, increases the
share of reliable and renewable electricity, and reduces greenhouse
gasses and other harmful emissions. Electricity productivity
illustrates the degree to which the region’s production of economic
value is linked with its electricity consumption.
The region’s total added solar capacity through the California Solar
Initiative increased 18 percent from 2009 to 2010, and added
capacity increased 35 percent in the rest of the state. This growth
has been driven by the residential sector since 2007. Between
2009 and 2010, residential solar increased 23 percent. Growth
has not been as consistent for commercial solar installations.
After peaking in 2008, added capacity slowed due to changes in
public incentives and the economic downturn. Continued growth
in residential installations is in part the result of changes in the
federal tax credit implemented January 1, 2009 in which the cap
of $2,000 was removed and credit given for 30 percent of the
total installation cost. 8
8 California Public Utilities Commission. “CPUS California Solar initiative: 2009 Impact Evaluation Final Report.” June 2010
7
6
Waste Disposal per Capita
Santa Clara & San Mateo Counties
HOW ARE WE DOING
Waste disposal per capita in Silicon Valley has dropped steadily since
the late 1990s, decreasing 24 percent from 1995 to 2008. Since
2007, Silicon Valley waste disposal per capita decreased by five percent,
while the rest of California saw a reduction of eleven percent.
Silicon Valley residents are making progress towards reducing water
consumption. From 2000 to 2009, gross per capita consumption
dropped eleven percent. In the past year alone, water consumption
per capita in the region fell by seven percent. In 2009, 3.3 percent
of the total water consumed in Silicon Valley was from recycled
sources, up from 1.3 percent in 2000.
Electricity consumption per capita is a measure of efficiency, and from
2008 to 2009, per capita consumption dropped four percent in
the region and three percent in the rest of the state. Although
electricity consumption per capita is 13 percent higher in Silicon
Valley than in the rest of California, over the long-term,
consumption per capita is decreasing at a faster rate in the region
than in the rest of the state.
The economic value produced per megawatt hour consumed is a
measure of the region’s electricity productivity. From 2008 to
2009, electricity productivity fell by 0.7 percent in the region
while growing 1.5 percent in the rest of the state. Eleven percent
higher than the rest of California in 2009, electricity productivity
in Silicon Valley has increased one percent since 2003,
while increasing by four percent in the rest of California.
Pounds per Day
5
4
3
2
1
0
1995
1996
1997
1998
Silicon Valley
1999
Data Source: California Integrated Waste Management Board and the State of California, Department of Finance
Analysis: Collaborative Economics
Waste Disposal per Capita
Percent Change
95-08 07-08
Silicon Valley -24% -5%
Rest of CA -13% -11%
2000
2001
2002
2003
Rest of California
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
44