 Urban Agriculture Growing in Raleigh
The Environmental Advisory Board hosted a panel discussion Nov. 14 to
recognize the work of 13 local gardens and farms receiving urban
agriculture “mini-grants” at the City of Raleigh’s 2015
Environmental Awards Ceremony as well as to advance Raleigh’s support of a more productive and healthy local food
economy.
Panelists included local leadership in the
urban agriculture movement, including City Council Member Bonner Gaylord, Community Food Lab, Advocates for Health in Action, Inter-faith
Food Shuttle and the Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation.
Attendees offered advice on “What can
Raleigh do to spur growth in local urban agriculture?” and actively sought guidance on how to prioritize the urban agriculture conversation at the policy level.
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Environmental Awards Opens Call for Entries
Know a person, group, organization or business whose actions have
strengthened Raleigh’s sustainability? Nominate them for a 2016 City of Raleigh Environmental Award by January
22.
High school students can compete for cash prizes via a video PSA on stormwater
conservation issues, and urban agriculture implementation grants subsidize
local food efforts.
New for 2016 is a Trashion Design Competition, encouraging individuals ages
14 and older to repurpose materials destined for the landfill into a fashion
statement.
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Raleigh Tap Water Voted Best
The City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department received a first place award
in the “Best Tasting Water” contest at the 95th North Carolina
American Water Works Association (AWWA) and Water Environment Association annual conference. Raleigh
tied for first place with the City of Kinston.
According to the AWWA, the bottled water industry grossed $11.8 billion on 9.7 billion gallons in 2012 at a cost of about $7.50 per gallon. That's almost 2000x the cost of a gallon of tap water! It makes a whole lot more sense to drink NC's finest straight from the tap.
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Raleigh Police Hosting Community Meetings
Four upcoming "Face to Face" meetings will
provide opportunities for community members to sit down with Raleigh police
officers to learn about police practices
and programs, ask questions and make suggestions about policing in the city. Held from 6:30-9:30 p.m. between Dec. 2 and Jan. 5, RSVPs are requested to ensure
adequate resources are on hand for attendees; call 919-996-2010 or email rpd.rsvp@raleighnc.gov.
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City Leasing Land for Solar Development
The City of Raleigh is seeking proposals from
qualified solar energy developers interested in installing, owning, operating
and maintaining one or more solar energy systems on approximately 53 acres near the Neuse River Resource Recovery
Facility. Mandatory info session is Dec. 4 and proposals are due Jan. 8.
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Used Cooking Oil Collection is Back in Season
Recycle your used cooking oil and grease through Jan. 15. Raleigh residents and houses of worship may request a curbside collection of a minimum gallon of used oil by calling 919-996-6890. Over the last six years this joint effort between Public Utilities and Solid Waste Services has collected more than 3,375 gallons of grease! Read complete guidelines for preparing oil for
collection.
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Turning Off Lights for the Birds
Bright city lights can be deadly for migrating birds, causing confusion, coaxing
them to crash into windows or fly in circles until they drop from
exhaustion. In partnership with the Wake Audubon Society, the City of Raleigh is ensuring all of its non-essential lights are off by at least 2 a.m. to minimize bird fatalities. The City also encourages other building owners to participate in the lights-out initiative.
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Annual Small Business Expo Promotes Connections
Don't miss this premier opportunity on Dec. 15 to promote your small business to more than 100 contacts from the City of Raleigh, Wake County Public School System, Wake County, state agencies and local general contractors searching for subcontractors and vendors. Give your business a voice with personal one-on-one conversations; register by Dec. 14.
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