CITY OF SAN JOSÉ e ent the e ”
and the electrifying of vehicle fleets . “ It ’ s about gaining control and , as a result , we ’ ve moved to 100 % renewable and 100 % carbon-free . That ’ s one of our biggest goals taken care of .”
Such giant leaps of faith take courage , and Kerrie knows that in the diverse people of San José , she has a community willing to take responsibility . “ We are super lucky in San José ,” acknowledges Kerrie . “ We have a really entrepreneurial community , and our local government is very open to innovation and new ideas .”
This fruitful spring of optimism also extends to partnerships and joint working , with businesses regularly pitching ideas . The first dry anaerobic digestion facility in the United States is already processing organic material from the city ’ s commercial solid waste system . “ That was because Zero Waste Energy Development [ ZWED ] came to us and said , ‘ Hey , we ' d like to partner with you on this ’, enabling us to form a public-private partnership ,” explains Kerrie . “ Folks know that we want to move the needle , we want to take risks , and we really want to make a positive impact . The message is clear , we ' re open to ideas and innovation , and we want to see where those business levers make sense for the environment and for their particular business model ,” she adds .
Next-gen With all the city ’ s initiatives , it ’ s essential that young people are invested in sustainability , but Kerrie is confident that the future is in safe hands . “ I think the next generation is much more comfortable with walking , taking Uber , and they ’ re not caught up in our obsession with ‘ owning a car ’ and meeting somewhere 30 miles away ,” concludes Kerrie .
“ The key aspect with young people , however , is their desire to do good – to ensure that people , animals , and the environment are cared for . They have a better connection to that belief system and are more thoughtful about all people . I think that they ’ re eventually going to take the baton and surpass us , and that ' s super exciting , but we still have to get moving . We can ' t wait ten years until they ' re ready to take it !”
That ’ s typical Kerrie , getting things done , motivating people to find solutions and , yes , speeding things up . And she ’ s right . This is a job involving all of us , with no endpoint and absolute reliance on industriousness , humanity , and an all-encompassing appreciation of our responsibilities .
The City of San José is making its mark in a deeply profound and impressionable way , becoming a template for sustainable living . For it to accomplish its long-term missions , it needs cities to follow its example – not just in the United States , but throughout the world . Needless to say , it can ’ t be put off until tomorrow . It has to happen today .
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