Oakland's goal: oil-free by 2020 (CA)

[jpak]

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/alameda_county/montclair/16193253.htm

Although neighboring Berkeley may always be considered more of a leader in environmental friendliness, Oakland will take a step by the end of the year in its attempt to become one of the country's "greenest" cities.

As a number of East Bay cities move forward with alternative fuels and ecologically advanced building techniques, the East Bay's largest city is getting ready to convene a task force that will try to make Oakland independent of oil by 2020.

The goal of the 11-member oil-independence task force is to look at ways to significantly decrease the city's reliance on fossil fuels -- especially oil and coal -- and find alternative fuel options. The plan will lay out strategies to reduce oil consumption citywide.

Some ideas include conservation retrofits for buildings, deploying alternative-fuel buses, purchasing hybrid cars and increasing the city's usage of solar and wind power.

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