Trend: Steady
Greenhouse gas emission reductions attributed to ACCS.
| Fiscal Year | CO2 (tons) | NOx (lbs) | VOC (lbs) |
| 2008 | 58,012 | 130,013 | 79,381 |
| 2009 | 63,957 | 140,500 | 78,750 |
| 2010 | 72,000 | 144,000 | 81,000 |
| 2011 | 79,750 | 125,900 | 73,750 |
| 2012 | 78,882 | 137,000 | 79,500 |
| 2013 | 77,368 | 134,000 | 77,000 |
| 2014 | 81,371 | 140,750 | 80,000 |
Description
Annually, ACCS calculates the total greenhouse gas emission reductions that can be attributed to each of its programs to quantify one of the many program benefits.
Importance
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from vehicular traffic and the burning of fossil fuels contribute to warming of the earth's surface. Arlington County is committed to reducing vehicle trips and thereby mitigating Arlington's role in global climate change.
Arlington is committed to further reducing County level GHG emissions, having already met its goal of reducing the County government's 2012 emissions by 10 percent compared to 2000 levels. The Community Energy Plan, an element of the County's Comprehensive Plan, sets an ambitious goal of reducing Arlington's greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 75% by 2050, from 2007. This measure relates to the MTP Goal 2: Move More People Without More Traffic and Goal 6: Advance Environmental Sustainability.
Current Status
CO2 emission reductions that can be attributed to ACCS programs increased 40 percent between Fiscal Year 2008 and 2014[i]. CO2 emission reductions in the County overall increased by 2 percent between 2011 and 2014.
According to the Arlington 2012 Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory, 35 percent of community emissions come from all transportation, with 15 percent of total emissions coming from pass through traffic. Therefore, ACCS Employer Services is providing an essential function by focusing on reducing work trips in single occupancy vehicles to and from County businesses.
Data Source
- Arlington County Commuter Service internal analysis and calculation.
Footnotes
[i] These statistics are from Arlington County Commuter Services' Performance Report FY 2014. Calculations are based off annual VMT reduced and EPA standards.