About 5B CAN
5B CAN is Blaine County's Regional Sustainability & Climate Program. It is a partnership with the cities of Ketchum and Hailey to build on past accomplishments and create a new era of collaboration.
5B CAN will focus on improving the sustainability and resilience of our community. That also means facing the climate crisis with concrete goals and actions. We are working hard to create a community where your health and the health of our environment are viewed as inextricably linked priorities, where our innovative and resilient economy promotes green jobs stemming from sustainability and climate solutions, and where equity and inclusion are at the foundation of our strategy.
We will lead by example to do our part. We will collaborate with community members, businesses, and visitors to encourage and promote our collective efforts. We strive to incorporate equity, honesty, and innovation in every action we take, knowing that these values will guide us toward a truly sustainable future.
Goals, Plans & Current Projects
Please visit each of our subject-specific web pages for more information and to learn about our goals, plans, and current projects.
Our Accomplishments
Blaine County and the cities of Ketchum and Hailey are excited to build on past sustainability and climate efforts to make even greater impacts through this new collaboration. We invite you to learn about our past accomplishments here.
Greenhouse Gas Inventory
Blaine County partnered with the five incorporated cities to measure community-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and publish a 2018 Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report. It provides a benchmark from which to measure progress toward our goals to reduce carbon emissions.
Data shows the transportation sector as the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, generating 40% of community-wide emissions. Building energy contributes 34% from the residential sector, 16% from the commercial sector, and 5% from the industrial sector for a total of 55% of emissions. Together, transportation and buildings generate 95% of total emissions.
Learn more about Blaine County’s 2018 Community-wide Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
Clean Energy
5B CAN stemmed from a small group of dedicated community members that advocated for ambitious clean energy goals; the Climate Action Coalition of the Wood River Valley. They partnered with the Conservation Voters of Idaho and the Idaho Chapter of the Sierra Club to draft and present a clean energy resolution to our cities and the county. Their efforts proved successful. Our elected leaders in Blaine County and the cities of Bellevue, Hailey, and Ketchum unanimously adopted the proposed resolution to establish goals to achieve:
- 100% clean energy for municipal electricity use by 2030
- 100% clean energy for community-wide electricity supply by 2035
ICLEI150 Cities Race to Zero
Blaine County and the cities of Ketchum and Hailey joined ICLEI150 Cities Race to Zero. The Cities Race to Zero campaign offers a science-based, data-driven approach and technical support to help communities achieve their ambitious climate goals. A clearly defined pathway for reducing greenhouse gas emissions will prevent the worst impacts of climate change, while simultaneously building public confidence in local actions taken. Our pledge is to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and strive to achieve a target that reflects our fair share of effort - a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Community Engagement
5B CAN is creating our community’s clean energy roadmap and Sustainability and Climate Action Plan through a community engagement process. A regional Sustainability and Climate Advisory Committee was established to guide this process. Members comprise a broad and diverse leadership that is reflective of the county and cities, residents, businesses, technical experts, nonprofit organizations, and institutions.