Welcome to the first newsletter for Sustainability at the City! This quarterly newsletter will be all about information and updates around sustainability efforts here at Englewood.
National Recycling Day is November 15th
Started back in 1997, National Recycling Day recognizes the importance and impact of recycling. Recycling and reuse activities in the United States account for 681,000 jobs and $37.8 billion in wages.
Colorado’s recycling rate is currently between 15% - 16%, far behind the national average of 32%. You can help increase the diversion rate here in Englewood – and Colorado – by doing the following actions:
- Sign up for recycling! It is in the Englewood code that every licensed trash hauler must also provide the option for recycling. Chapter 26 - TRASH HAULING 5-26-4.C
- Keep your plastic bags OUT of the mixed-use recycling bins as they jam the processing equipment at recycling facilities, causing worker safety issues. This means don't put your recyclables in a plastic bag when going into the bin. If you have plastic bags you want to recycle, drop them off at locations who take plastic film, such as: Walmart, Target, King Soopers, and Safeway. Find a location near you.
- Ensure hazardous waste and electronics are appropriately disposed of. Check out the Alternative Disposal & Recycling Methods & Locations page for more information.
While recycling is important, remember to first: REFUSE, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Opt for reusable bags at the grocery store, check out nearby refill stores, or use a reusable water bottle. To see what the City of Englewood is doing around waste and recycling, go here.
City Awarded Turf Replacement Grant Second Year in a Row
The City of Englewood was awarded the State's Turf Replacement grant for the second year in a row! These funds will go to continuing the city’s partnership with non-profit Resource Central’s Lawn Replacement program. These funds will help provide 30 Englewood residents a $500 rebate towards assisting with removing water-thirsty turf grass for low-water plants – that’s a 19 home increase over 2022! Hear from Englewood resident and 2023 turf replacement program participant, Tracy Csavina, about her experience:
The Lawn Replacement Program through Resource Central made it an easy decision to move forward with our lawn replacement project and native plant demonstration garden. The application process was simple to follow and the staff at Resource Central were extremely helpful with any questions we had along the way. We chose to remove the lawn ourselves and receive $500 worth of plants through their Garden in a Box program. I love that this program exists and encourages and incentivizes home owners to convert to a water-wise landscape. I hope my yard can be an example for others around my neighborhood for a beautiful environmentally friendly alternative to lawns.
Interested in participating in the lawn replacement program in 2024? Fill out the interest form here.
City Chosen for Regional Waste Characterization Study
The Cities of Englewood, Littleton, Sheridan, and Centennial joined together to apply for a regional waste characterization study through the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) Front Range Waste Diversion (FRWD) Technical Assistance Service Provider (TASP) program. This past September, the regional partnership was notified that the regional application was chosen. This project comes at a zero cost to participating cities, which is estimated at a $700,000 value.
This joint project will provide the first comprehensive analysis of waste services provided to the 194,000 residents in the south metro region. The project will assess the current materials management system conditions, collect baseline data, and develop strategies for improved waste management. The expected result of the study will be a data driven waste and recycling assessment with a roadmap of strategic initiatives for improving both the individual cities and the region’s waste diversion rates.
Tree Protection Ordinance Memo by Sustainability Commission Goes in Front of City Council December 11
During their September meeting, the Sustainbility Commission finalized a memo to City Council regarding what a potential tree protection ordinance could look like in the City of Englewood. This memo goes in front of City Council during a study session on Monday, December 11th. The public is welcome to listen in on the discussion in person at 6PM at the Civic Center or virtually, which you can find here. To read the memo to City Council, click the link below.
Sustainability Commission Tree Protection Ordinance Suggestion Memo to City Council
The City of Englewood Becomes a WaterSense Partner
Listed as a recommendation in the City of Englewood's 2022 Water Efficiency Plan, the city is proud to become an EPA WaterSense partner in 2023. This partnership provides numerous benefits to the city in context of the Utilities Department’s commitment to sustainability. Obstacles in promoting demand-side resource management often include the lack of staff or resources to develop materials designed for communicating the need to use water more efficiently. WaterSense facilitates strategies to address this by providing access to materials such as public service announcements, fact sheets, brochures, press releases, and water-efficiency messages for utility customers. WaterSense also communicates information that details how other partners are promoting water efficiency for their organizations.
A City Engaged in Sustainbility – Green Team
This past August, the City of Englewood launched its first ever internal Green Team. This Green Team is a group of Englewood employees who come together to help progress sustainability at the city while also serving as sustainability champions within their department.
The Green Team has so far helped with the following Sustainability Plan projects:
- Investigate initiating a city employee “green commute” program / providing green commute incentives
- Evaluate existing paper processes to determine when and how they can become paperless
- Enhancing internal resources for employees around accessing sustainability-related information
Initiatives like the Green Team also help the city reach its sustainability metric of having at least 10% of city employees engaged in sustainability / resiliency events and/or activities, which the city is currently at 17% for the year -- a 5% increase over 2022!
Resources Library
Below are sustainability-related programs eligible to Englewood residents as well as resources. If there's a resource or program you'd like to be considered to be added to the newsletter, email menglund@englewoodco.gov.
Energy |
Waste & Recycling |
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Transportation |
Natural Environment |
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Built Environment & Infrastructure |
Community Resilience |
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Air Quality |
Water Protection |
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