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City of Union City

Beacon Participant Profile

“Union City has been a local leader by putting in place climate-oriented policies in recent years, including those requiring political foresight and planning.” -Union City Climate Action Plan

About Union City

  • Incorporated: 1959
  • Population:  69,516 (2010) 
  • Location: Is located in the southern part of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area
  • Elevation: 69 feet
  • Area:  19.469 square miles

Climate Action Activities

  • HEAL Cities Campaign Participant
  • Completed greenhouse gas inventory
  • Tree City USA member
  • Adopted Climate Action Plan
  • Implementing Energy Smart Business Program, a partnership between the City of Union City, PG&E, and the Union City Chamber of Commerce to promote energy efficiency in local Union City businesses.
  • Created Green Building Design Guidelines for Business and Residential
  • Adopted of Green Building Ordinance for new construction
  • Greening the city fleet
  • Achieved 75% waste diversion rate by residents and businesses
  • Created Union City Climate Protection Task Force
  • Established clean water program
  • Implementing Energize for the Prize, an opportunity for schools and school organizations to raise money by promoting energy efficiency upgrades to homeowners
  • Offer rebates for “whole house” improvement projects that reduce energy use, conserve resources and create a healthier and more comfortable home
  • Established compressed natural gas (CNG) station that is open to the public
  • Started a Food Scrap Recycling program
  • Implemented a Recycled Content Product Purchasing Policy
  • Established construction and demolition debris recycling program

Climate Action Resources

Awards

Agency Energy Savings

  • Gold Level, 11% (2013)

Agency Natural Gas Savings

Agency Greenhouse Gas Reductions

Community Greenhouse Gas Reductions

Sustainability Best Practices

  • Gold Level (2013)
Case Story

Union City Recycles Food Scraps and Gives Away Free Compost

Union City adopted a food scrap collection program for residents and businesses in order to reduce landfill waste and increase composting. The program reaches out to community residents and businesses to provide supplies and on-going training, subsidies and other support on food recycling and composting.

The city also sponsors an annual event to give away free compost created through the food scrap recycling program. Last year the program diverted more than 9,000 tons of waste from landfills and gave away 3,000 to 4,000 bags of compost to residents.

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