Mayor Bill White: Leading the way toward a healthier city, a healthier planet
by Vicki Wolf, April 2008

Houston, Texas grew up on the petroleum business. The petrochemical plants along the Houston Ship Channel produce about two-thirds of U.S. petrochemical products and about one-third of the world’s products. This business has provided the fuel, plastics, fertilizers and other products that enable the booming economy and abundant lifestyle that many people around the world enjoy today. It also has contributed significantly to toxic air pollution and the greenhouse gas that threatens the health of people and the earth as we know it. Until recently, Texas politicians ignored the impact petrochemical refineries and plants have on the environment. But Mayor Bill White is challenging the status quo with the message that the City of Houston can have a thriving economy by doing business and living on the planet in a more sustainable, healthful way.

White is not just talking about it. From recycling to energy efficiency, from getting hazardous toxins out of the air to joining in international sustainability efforts, White is moving Houston forward into the renewable, sustainable frontier.

“People first need to realize if we want to continue to grow, have fewer emissions and preserve green space as we grow, we need to do something different from five to 10 years ago,” White says. He also believes that a healthy environment is good for business. “In today’s economy, the more we cut emissions and increase quality of life, the more business and workers we attract.”

White began taking bold steps toward cleaning up unhealthy toxins in the air in 2005, after the Houston Chronicle ran the “In Harms Way” series revealing the very serious health effects of toxic air pollutants in the Manchester neighborhood near the Houston Ship Channel. The mayor conducted public meetings and formed a task force to study the health effects of air pollution, and he established the city’s first Environmental and Public Health Committee.

Early in 2006, the Mayor’s Office announced that the city had managed to get Texas Petrochemical to sign an agreement to reduce benzene emissions. In 2007, the mayor took on polluters outside the city by threatening to bring nuisance charges against plants that send toxic pollution into the city. He even appeared before the state legislature at a hearing of the Natural Resources Committee to speak against a bill that would prohibit cities from regulating air pollution as a nuisance outside their corporate limits.

Under White’s direction, the city has purchased and deployed new high-tech equipment for monitoring Houston’s air and enforcing clean-air regulations.

White also is setting aggressive standards for Houston regarding energy efficiency and green building. In 2004, he signed a Green Building Resolution that sets a target of Silver level LEED certification for new construction, replacement facilities, and major renovations of city owned buildings and facilities with more than 10,000 square feet. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™) is a third party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

In 2006, Houston implemented a new program to help older inner-city neighborhoods make their homes more energy efficient. The Residential Energy Efficiency Program (REEP) has currently weatherized over 1,300 homes. A thousand more homes are schedule for the energy efficiency program. Last year, the mayor launched a campaign designed to educate Houstonians about simple steps they can take to become energy efficient (www.houstonpowertopeople.com).

In the area of clean, renewable energy, White also has taken a strong leadership role and now has the city contracting over 250 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy, the second largest purchase of any city in the United States. Just this month Houston was recognized by the Department of Energy (DOE) as one of 12 cities for its commitment and comprehensive approach to the deployment of solar technologies. The award includes a $200,000 grant for the City of Houston’s solar program along with access to DOE’s technical resources to develop a strategy and plan for solar infrastructure in the region. BP Solar, a key partner in the proposal, will provide an additional $200,000 in solar panels to the city as part of the matching requirement for the grant.

With White’s leadership, Houston also has made great progress in cleaning up transportation. In 2005, he established a goal of having 50 percent of the non-emergency fleet as hybrids by 2010. The city currently has 417 hybrid vehicles. Public transportation is becoming more convenient and cleaner with hybrid buses and more light rail lines this year.

White also advocates for more green space in the city and for more trees. Last year, he signed an ordinance requiring developers to set aside or contribute to purchasing land for parks. Houston ranks among the top 10 cities in the country for total acreage of park land, and second behind San Diego for park acreage per capita.

The City of Houston has proposed a five-year tree-planting budget with $2 million per year for planting 100,000 new trees and maintenance. In his 2008 State of the City address, White explained why tree planting is important for the city. “I would ask the Quality of Life Coalition, the Greater Houston Partnership, and Trees for Houston, Harris and Ft. Bend Counties and our philanthropic community to assist us in this investment, which will improve our City’s appearance, absorb more greenhouse gasses, and cool down the surface temperatures of our city.”

Recycling also has been part of White’s sustainability program. In 2006, he launched the “Go Green Houston” initiative to reinvigorate curbside recycling. Last year, the city partnered with American Leadership Forum, Houston Texans and Houston Astros to bring recycling to sporting events. The city also partnered with Abitibi Consolidated and H-E-B Grocers to increase recycling drop-off locations to more than 40 sites.

In addition to city-wide programs, White has involved the City of Houston in National and International Climate Change programs. He also joined the Clinton Climate Initiative, and ICLEI, Local Governments for Sustainability, an international association supporting sustainable development at the local level.

White’s background prepared him for the leadership role in city that has such an impact on global sustainability. He served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy under President Clinton, where he helped diversify national energy supplies and saved taxpayers billions of dollars with management reforms.

Mayor White and his wife, Andrea, are putting environmental stewardship and conservation into practice. They recently purchased a solar water heater and Mayor White drives a Prius. The Whites have helped lead numerous charitable and civic organizations. They are parents of three students and attend St. Luke's United Methodist Church.

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