Yellowknife (Aug 25/06) - Twenty-nine committee meetings, 35 working groups, three workshops and four public consultations later, and the city has come out with 12 recommendations on how residents can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Average greenhouse gas production per year: For each citizen of planet earth - 1 tonne For each citizen of Canada - 11 tonnes For each citizen of the NWT - 17 tonnes For each citizen of Yellowknife - 19 tonnes City of Yellowknife Greenhouse Gas Emission target of 20 per cent reduction by 2014, based on 2004 "baseline." Total amount of greenhouse gas emissions from entire city, 2004 - 360 megatons Total amount of greenhouse gas emissions from residential heating, 2004 - 140 megatons Percentage of Yellowknife's total greenhouse gas emissions produced by city facilities, activities - 7,200 tonnes (2004 baseline)

"A lot of things we've been talking about are not new," said Coun. Alan Woytuik during a committee meeting earlier this week.

Some of the ideas include encouraging people to walk and ride bikes to work or take public transportation.

Yellowknife first examined ways to slash emissions in 1997, when it joined a group of Canadian municipalities pledging to reduce greenhouse gasses by 20 per cent. Five years later, the city provided $50,000 towards "energy planning" and in 2005/06 the Community Energy Plan Committee was created. On Monday, the committee presented its report.

Public Works manager for the city, Greg Kehoe said much has been done to reduce energy use at city facilities.

"It's not like we've been waiting for the report to come out before doing anything," he said.

"We've been doing energy audits on our buildings. It's an ongoing process to improve things." Kehoe pointed specifically to the installation of infrared shower heads and toilet flushers at the city pool.

On Aug. 14, the city hired an energy co-ordinator for a six-month contract to help implement the recommendations. Mayor Gord Van Tighem said he was interested in extending the position until 2010.

This fall, administrators will likely bring forward recommendations to fund the energy plan.