The city is proud to attract and mentor talented students through its internship program. The Public Works Department is one of the leading departments in the city to fully leverage interns' potential.

These emerging professionals gain meaningful, hands-on experience while contributing to key sustainability initiatives that benefit our community. Last summer, Caitlin Allgoever, pursuing an M.S. in Applied American Politics and Policy from Florida State University, played a pivotal role in projects such as the city’s elective pay filing.

This year, Chloe Tucker, a B.A. candidate in Sustainability Studies at the University of South Florida, is working on several initiatives, such as the Electric Vehicle Adoption Leadership certification and an upcoming Adopt-A-Drain program.

From conducting research and creating educational content, to engaging at city events and leading impactful programs, our interns are integral to advancing Clearwater’s sustainability goals.

By investing in these rising stars, Clearwater not only supports their professional growth, but also reinforces the organization's commitment to fostering innovation and leadership.

Pictured: Caitlin Allgoever at Intern Day

On Nov. 4, Clearwater’s Sustainability team visited local resident Dennis McDermott's home to learn about his experience with the Pinellas Solar Co-op. The annual co-op is organized by the non-profit Solar United Neighbors (SUN) to help neighbors collectively purchase solar panels to reduce costs and simplify the overall process of going solar. McDermott, like many other Florida residents, was motivated to make the switch to solar to lessen his reliance on fossil fuels and traditional utility companies.

The installation process went smoothly, taking about 90 days from signing the contract to the system being fully operational. McDermott saw an immediate return on investment when his home remained with power during hurricanes Helene and Milton. As more Floridians consider making the switch to solar, McDermott's story serves as an encouraging example of how residential solar can provide resilient, cost-effective and sustainable energy solutions.

Pictured: Sustainability Specialist Melody Yin, Resident Dennis McDermott, Sustainability Manager Cassie Cordova

Big Cleanup Clearwater

Thank you all for your support in making the 2024 Big Cleanup Clearwater a success! From Nov. 8-16, 2024,  a total of 24 sites were involved in cleanup and beautification efforts. A total of 776 volunteers collected 5,652 pounds of trash and removed 973 pounds of invasive plants.

A special thank you goes out to our partner, Keep Pinellas Beautiful, as well as other collaborators including Visit St. Pete/Clearwater and Amplify Clearwater. In 2025, we will continue to host the monthly series.

Pictured: Sustainability Manager Cassie Cordova, City Manager Jennifer Poirrier, Parks Manager Mark Parry at staff cleanup site on Nov. 14.

Clearwater officially broke ground on a new City Hall facility on Nov. 22, 2024. The new state-of-the-art, 40,000-square-feet, two-story building will be located at 200 S. Myrtle Ave.

The new facility will be the city’s first LEED-certified building, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, aiming for a silver achievement.

Sustainability measures incorporated in the design include: enhanced indoor air quality strategies, reduced heat-island effect, two electric vehicle parking spaces, daylighting, energy-efficient lighting, Florida native landscaping, rain garden, water-efficient irrigation system and more.

Final completion of the project is scheduled for Fall 2026.

Pictured: City Engineer and City Hall Project Manager, Tara Kivett, and Sustainability Manager Cassie Cordova

On Dec. 7, 2024, Clearwater’s Sustainability Team participated in the Moccasin Lake Holiday Craft Event. One of the highlights was a repurposed-material holiday craft table to create festive ornaments. We engaged kids with a fun and educational waste sorting game. We also offered sustainability-themed giveaways and helpful resources on recycling and native gardening.

The event was a success, with both children and adults enjoying hands-on activities and learning more about sustainable practices. Be sure to visit this beautiful and educational nature park.

Pictured: Sustainability Intern Chloe Tucker

Thanks to the U.S. Department of Energy, Clearwater has officially taken a major step forward in sustainability by ordering its first four electric vehicles.

The fleet will include three Ford Mustang Mach-Es (two have just arrived) and one F-150 Lightning, all made possible through the city’s allocation of federal funds from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.

In addition, Clearwater leveraged Ford’s My Government Complimentary Charger Program to acquire four dedicated fleet chargers, which will be installed at the Municipal Services Building garage.

This milestone marks an exciting leap toward a cleaner, greener future for Clearwater, and we can’t wait to see these electric vehicles hit the road as part of our commitment to reducing emissions and leading by example!

Pictured: Melody Yin and Chloe Tucker with city’s first electric vehicle.

Clearwater is making strides toward a more sustainable future with the installation of solar arrays on four municipal buildings. Projects at the General Services building and Morningside Recreation Center are already under way, with installations at the Solid Waste Transfer Station and Clearwater Gas Complex to follow.

These solar systems will be owned by the city and interconnected to the grid, which will allow us to receive 1:1 credit for energy production at retail rate, significantly lowering monthly energy bills.

The numbers speak for themselves: 326 solar panels at Morningside Recreation Center are projected to deliver an initial annual savings of $26,235, while 383 panels at General Services are expected to save $29,724 annually. The Clearwater Gas Complex will see 343 panels providing $34,453 in annual energy savings, and the Solid Waste Transfer Station’s 360 panels are anticipated to save $45,262 each year.

This is an incredible step toward energy independence and resilience, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to harness the power of the sun to reduce emissions, cut costs and lead the way in sustainable innovation.

Pictured: Rendering of solar array on Clearwater Gas Headquarters building.

There were an estimated one million trees planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day in 1872, when J. Sterling Morton, secretary of the Nebraska Territory, proposed a tree planting holiday to be named “Arbor Day.” In 1885, Arbor Day was made a legal state holiday in Nebraska.

Florida Arbor Day began in 1886, making it one of the first official Arbor Day holidays in the nation. Florida celebrates Arbor Day in January because many trees are dormant (not actively growing) and lose less water through transpiration (evaporation of water from leaves) this time of year, making them easier to transplant without putting them through too much stress.

This year, Clearwater is collaborating with our neighbors for a regional campaign of Arbor Day Across Tampa Bay for both Florida Arbor Day on Jan. 17 and national Arbor Day on April 25. As always, the city will be doing our annual Tree Giveaway in April. Stay tuned for more details.

The municipal energy savings program has achieved a total cost avoidance of $2,489,232 with a 13.6% average monthly reduction in total energy use (electricity, natural gas and water), compared to the baseline year. The program has reduced 4,275 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to 10,886,542 miles driven by an average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle.