Sustainable San Mateo County is proud to present the 2010 Indicators for a Sustainable San Mateo County report. This is the fourteenth annual edition of the Indicators, which tracks data on 32 different "indicators," or trends, each of which affects the long-term health and prosperity of our county. It also highlights actions cities in the county are taking to move toward a more sustainable future. Are we better off now than we were yesterday? Read on to find more!
To get a hard-copy of the report call the SSMC office at
(650) 638-2323.
What Is Sustainability?
Sustainability is a short-hand term for viewing the relationship between our actions today and their effect on the future. Living sustainably means that we meet today's needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable planning recognizes the interconnections between the environment, economy, and society. A disruption in any one area affects the health of the other two.
Why is This Important?
Local agriculture can provide important economic, environmental, and social benefi ts to a community. For every dollar of agricultural production in the county, 3.5 dollars of economic activity are created. Locally-grown food maintains its freshness and nutritional value and may reduce transportationrelated air pollution and costs. The cultivation and use of native species in landscaping may reduce the need for outdoor irrigation, the largest non-industrial use of water in the county. Adoption of organic farming and landscaping practices is especially important because it reduces the harmful environmental and health effects of pesticides and protects long-term soil quality.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where agriculture is economically viable for both owners and laborers, and agricultural practices conserve natural resources and biodiversity, maintain healthy soils and ecosystems, and provide food security for local communities.
Why is This Important?
Clean air is essential to human and environmental health. Clean air reduces the risk of lung disease and a variety of other health problems, including asthma, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory problems in children, while air pollution increases these risks. Air pollution can also damage local ecosystems, both terrestrial and aquatic.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where the air is clean and poses no threat to human health or environmental quality.
Why is This Important?
Carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas, is the primary cause of climate change. CO2 enters the atmosphere through nature's carbon cycle and human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. Human activities are the main driver of increased CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere; global atmospheric concentrations of CO2 are now 30 percent higher than they were before the industrial revolution. Anthropogenic climate change is causing extreme weather events (including drought and fl oods), changes in sea level, increasing temperature, glacial and polar ice melt, and species extinction or migration.
What is a Sustainable State?
In a sustainable state, humans have reduced CO2 emissions to a level that is in balance with nature's ability to absorb those emissions.Why is This Important?
Healthy children in stable families provide the foundation for a sustainable community. Unable to protect themselves, children depend upon adults to provide them with a safe environment in which to grow and learn. When a child is abused, particularly by an adult with whom that child has a signifi cant relationship, that child's development is often profoundly impacted. Trauma from child abuse can result in lifelong social impairment and affect academic and occupational performance.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where instances of child abuse are rare and all children grow up in nurturing and safe environments.
Why is This Important?
The quality of child care and early childhood education influences emotional and cognitive development, including language learning, problem solving, self-control, social skills, and school readiness. San Mateo County's high cost of living makes the availability of affordable and quality child care extremely
important as many families have two working parents. Many of the county's middle- and low-income families do not qualify for state or federal child care subsidies as they earn too much based on guidelines that do not account for regional differences in cost of living.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where there are a variety of child care options available to parents that supply enough diversity, flexibility, and affordability to meet most parental needs.
Why is This Important?
Children's health impacts all aspects of their lives. Children who are physically fit and well nourished are happier and do better in school. Obese and overweight children are at greater risk of developing health complications, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, later in life. Good mental health in children is the foundation for the same during adult life.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where the incidence of childhood health problems continues to decrease over time.
Why is This Important?
A contaminated site is property with ground or water pollution that jeopardizes public and environmental health. Contaminated sites can adversely impact a community's economic vitality because current use and future development of the sites is limited, while site cleanup is often costly and time consuming. The
concentration of contaminated sites in low income communities is of particular concern as those communities are typically less able to address the additional economic and environmental burden.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where the number of contaminated sites decreases over time and new cases of contamination are identified and remediated promptly.
Why is This Important?
Crime impacts a community's social and economic wellbeing. High rates of crime discourage neighborhood vitality and economic development. Crime may also impact a local government's ability to deliver essential public services by diverting resources to increased police enforcement. While violent crimes such as homicide grab the most headlines, lesser crimes such as theft and vandalism weaken the morale and civic engagement of residents. Juvenile crime rates are particularly important indicators as they are strongly correlated with continued criminal activity in adult years.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where crime rates are low and communities have safe schools and neighborhoods.
Why is This Important?
Natural or human-caused disasters can have devastating effects on a community, the economy, and the environment. Having a community or household plan that provides food, clean water, emergency medical services, temporary shelter, and transportation during emergencies can lessen the impacts of disasters. Government agencies must have plans that enable areas to quickly restore vital services so that the effects from a disaster are not compounded by a lack of power, water, sewer, and/or other services.
What is a Sustainable State?
In a sustainable state a community is prepared to meet the emergency needs of all of its members in the event of a disaster.
Why is This Important?
All human activities depend on the biological support of nature. An Ecological Footprint is a method for measuring a population's use of natural resources. It measures the area of land and water a population requires to produce the resources it consumes and to absorb the waste it produces. When a population has a
footprint exceeding the area available to replenish its resources, it draws down the natural inventory of those resources. If a society continues to consume more natural resources than can be produced by nature over a long period of time, the ultimate sustainability of that society may be in question.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where society's demand upon nature is in balance with nature's productive and regenerative capacity, and each person has access to the natural resources
necessary to sustain his or her needs.
Why is This Important?
Household income can impact access to health care, good nutrition, and quality housing. High income households often have access to better schools and live in safer neighborhoods, and children of high income households are more likely to complete college. Low income households may have diffi culty meeting basic needs, particularly in areas with very high cost of living. Children are especially vulnerable to poverty, as poor nutrition can stunt physical growth and cognitive development.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where all community members share in the benefi ts of economic development and income growth and the number of households living in poverty continues to decline over time.
Why is This Important?
A sustainable economy is one that offers a diversified mix of jobs to community members of all skills and backgrounds. Job growth in emerging industries is a critical means for expanding a community's overall economy, and employment spread among many industries reduces the potential impacts of economic
downturns. A healthy, growing economy may lead to improved local government fi nances and increased availability of important public services.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where the number of jobs and number of people seeking employment is in balance and employment is spread among a diverse mix of industries.
Why is This Important?
The unemployment rate is a basic indicator of the economic health of a community. Unemployment rates fluctuate with economic cycles and vary across regions and communities. Unemployed individuals are unable to earn enough to meet financial obligations, may lack employer-sponsored health insurance, could be at risk of losing their home or forced into substandard housing, and have increased risk of social and health problems.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where the unemployment rate is low, jobs fit the skills and experience of worker, and the unemployed have access to training and other resources to help them find employment.
Why is This Important?
A good education provides a foundation for children to become productive members of society, obtain high-quality jobs, and contribute towards their community's general welfare. By providing equal education for all children, schools can play a large role in increasing the overall social equity of a community.
Further, a highly skilled and educated work force will attract new businesses to the area along with new jobs and their associated economic benefits.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where all children receive an education that equips them with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to fully reach their potential and become productive participants in society.
Why is This Important?
San Mateo County depends on the burning of nonrenewable fossil fuels -- coal, petroleum, and natural gas -- for much of its energy. The burning of fossil fuels negatively impacts air quality and releases signifi cant quantities of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. California has committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Increased energy effi ciency and an increase in energy sources that do not generate greenhouse gases are keys to achieving this goal. An overreliance on fossil fuels can also make an economy vulnerable to price spikes in the oil or natural gas markets.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one that is carbon neutral, where energy is produced from clean, renewable sources, and is used efficiently amongst all user groups.
Why is This Important?
The built environment-the sum total of all structures in which we live and work-is one of the largest single consumers of resources in the county. Green building practices seek to minimize the impact of our built environment on our air, water, and land by creating healthier and more resource-efficient buildings. Green buildings reduce solid waste, conserve energy and water, and provide economic benefits by reducing operating costs and enhancing asset values. Well-designed green buildings may also increase worker productivity.
What is a Sustainable State?
In a sustainable state buildings are resource efficient, produce minimal waste, are built with nontoxic substances, have healthy indoor environments, and are located to allow for use of public transportation.
Why is This Important?
San Mateo County is home to a diverse mix of natural habitats, including beach and intertidal zones, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, oak woodlands-even redwood forests. Each of these ecosystems supports its own variety of plants and animals, some of which are endangered or threatened. The availability of and access to these habitats provides a number of benefits to county residents, including tourism, recreation, and increased property values.
What is a Sustainable State?
In a sustainable state ecosystems are healthy and land use decisions include habitat protection.
Why is This Important?
Neighborhood characteristics, social factors, and opportunities to engage in healthy activities are among the most important factors shaping community health. Just as toxic substances in and around homes can directly impact residents' health, so does the width of sidewalks, proximity to parks and grocery stores and the availability of affordable housing. Social factors such as class, culture, race, and education are also key drivers determining the amount of stress or security individuals experience, the neighborhoods where they live, and the opportunities available to engage in healthy behaviors, all factors that result in health inequities by race/ethnicity and income.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where all people have the opportunity to live a healthy and long life and the prevalence of preventable disease decreases over time. A sustainable state is achieved when where you live and who you are does not determine how healthy you are or how long you will live.
Why is This Important?
Affordable quality health care is necessary for a healthy and productive life. High costs for health insurance, medical treatment, and medications are a deterrent to obtaining proper care and leaves less money for other basic needs. Health insurance allows for better access to health care and spreads the cost of care across the community. Deferring care because of cost often leads to more severe illness, which burdens individuals and the health care system further.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where all members of the community have access to affordable quality health care and health insurance.
Why is This Important?
A lack of affordable housing limits the ability of people to live in San Mateo County and may reduce the availability of qualified workers for local businesses. In response to high housing prices, local workers may be forced to live in another county and face long commutes, or pay more than they can comfortably afford for housing. The provision of affordable housing for low- and very-low-income individuals is of particular importance if community members of all socio-economic backgrounds are to share in the benefi ts of job growth and economic development.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where housing is available and affordable to all members of society and new housing is built to meet projected population and job growth.
Why is This Important?
Homeless individuals lack a fi xed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Homelessness detracts from an individual's ability to hold down steady employment and can negatively impact their health and safety. Homelessness among children can impact a child's ability to succeed in school and maintain
relationships with peers.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where all residents of a community have access to a safe and permanent residence and temporarily homeless individuals have access to high-quality shelters and support services.
Why is This Important?
Land use decisions by local governments have far reaching impacts on the long-term sustainability of the county. While San Mateo County is largely suburban in its existing land use, choices such as where to locate new housing, businesses, schools, and parks can infl uence everything from how much residents drive to how healthy their diet is. With many towns and cities in the county fully "built-out," the focus of future development in the county will largely be on "in-fill" projects which bring new residents and businesses to already developed areas.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where land use policies accommodate growth, protect open space and agriculture, and encourage increased development in areas that provide all residents easy access to public and commercial services, jobs, and transit.
Why is This Important?
Parks and open space enrich a community's quality of life. Access to, and use of parks and open space can improve public health and increase values of nearby property. Parks and open space bring the natural environment closer to each citizen and are also public gathering places that bring people together and build a sense of community. Open space attracts tourism, and safeguards clean air, habitat, and drinking water.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where parks and open space are abundant, of good quality, and readily accessible to all residents.
Why is This Important?
Widespread use of toxic pesticides can damage human health and the environment. Toxic pesticides can cause cancer or do reproductive or neurological harm. Pesticides applied to homes, gardens, buildings, agriculture, rights of way, and other areas can run off into waterways, polluting water and threatening the health of wildlife. Organic food production and nontoxic or less toxic pest management are emerging as alternatives to conventional pesticide use.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where the most toxic pesticides are eliminated from use and nontoxic management practices are widespread.
Why is This Important?
Population is a basic indicator of the health of a community. New residents moving into the county are important drivers of economic growth and can increase social diversity. At the same time, increased population can deplete natural resources, while changing demographics may increase pressure on public services
Why is This Important?
A sustainable state is one where a community is able to accommodate population growth and changing demographics without negatively impacting quality of life or depleting nonrenewable natural resources.
Why is This Important?
Public libraries provide all members of a community-regardless of socioeconomic status-with access to information and a safe place to read, research, work, and learn. For some members of a community, public libraries are the only places they can access computers or the internet. Libraries' reference tools and staff can be equally helpful to both students in their studies and to job seekers looking for new or different work or training.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where all members of a community have access to public libraries and where public support for those libraries continues to strengthen over time.
Why is This Important?
Solid waste generated by households and businesses that is not otherwise diverted, is disposed of in landfills. This waste is composed of a variety of natural and manmade materials, including wood and green waste, plastic, paper and cardboard, and food waste. Some of the material contains nonrenewable resources such as petroleum products and metals, while the rest of the materials that are renewable may be consumed and disposed of at a rate that outpaces nature's ability to replenish them. Reducing the amount of waste generated in absolute terms is a critical component of balancing resource consumption with resource supply.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where consumption of renewable resources is in balance with nature's ability to replenish them and total waste generation declines over time.
Why is This Important?
Motor vehicles are the largest source of pollution in San Mateo County, impacting both air and water quality. On-road transportation accounts for more than half of the county's total carbon dioxide emissions, a greenhouse gas linked to climate change. High fuel costs can have a major impact on household budgets through direct spending on transportation, and indirect price increases on other goods and services.
What is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one that is carbon neutral and where alternative fuels or modes of transportation are available so that high fuel prices do not severely impact a household's ability to purchase essential items.
Why is This Important?
Fossil fuel-burning vehicles have adverse impacts on local and regional environmental quality. Traffic congestion on area roadways reduces worker productivity and quality of life, and causes longer commutes, which reduce people's free time. Reducing travel by single-occupancy vehicle in favor of alternatives such as public transit, carpooling, walking, and biking, can improve regional air quality, community livability, neighborhood vitality, and public health.
What is a Sustainable State?
In a sustainable state, single-occupancy vehicle trips decline over time in favor of alternatives such as public transit, carpooling, walking, and biking.
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