Our Impact
Although Marin County is a very sustainable county by many measures, its impact on the environment presently and in the past has been substantial. Following the guidance of the "IPAT equation" environmental impact can be calculated through the multiplication of population, affluence and technology.
- Marin County's population, although not huge, is quite large at 258,365 according to a 2013 census.
- As for affluence, Marin county's GDP per capita places third in nation at $89,936 according to 2010 report.
- When calculating for climate change impact, greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide) emissions per unit of GDP is usually used for the technology variable. Although there is no data specific for Marin, the United State's result is 2,291 GDP per emission (in US dollars per ton).
I = PAT
I = (258,365)(89,936)(2,291)
I = 53,234,396,840,000
This high score attests to the significance of Marin's impact on the environment, principally due to the county's affluence.
Mitigation
Despite its significant environmental impact, Marin County is becoming one of the most sustainable counties in America. Indeed, plans such as "Zero Waste Marin" have helped limit the county's effect on the environment. Yet, not many initiatives have been taken to curb greenhouse gas emissions. In 2006 Marin County put forth a greenhouse gas reduction plan, but its implementation hasn't been noticeable.
Above: Traffic on the Golden Gate bridge. (Gettyimages)
Considering the severity of sea level rise and its direct relation with global warming it seems necessary for Marin to address the problem of greenhouse gas emission more seriously. Simple actions, such as encouraging residents to walk or bike when driving isn't necessary and providing incentives for people to drive less, could have a significant impact on Marin's greenhouse gas production. However, it is only with the cooperation and action of residents of Marin that any meaningful change will be achieved to mitigate sea level rise in the county.