The consequences of climate change were in full effect last year as Santa Fe County once again felt the impacts of drought, the threat of wildfire, and endured its second hottest day on record. These events continue to underscore the importance of working collaboratively to develop more sustainable and resilient communities. Across the globe, nations are realizing the importance of managing climate change and developing sustainable economies. At the COP28 event, 11 new countries joined the Net-Zero Government Initiative, with the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. Nationally, the United States continues to build upon the framework of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act to include two competitive grant programs, culminating in $20 billion in funding available to spark clean energy investments in low-income communities. At the state level, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan announced plans to establish Electric Vehicle tax credits, enabling residents across the state to transition to clean energy vehicles more affordably. Throughout 2023, Santa Fe County moved, in productive action, towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. Below are just a few local achievements from the past year:

• Santa Fe County, A Global Leader for Climate Action: Santa Fe County was recognized for its demonstration of best practice standards across climate adaptation and mitigation areas, and exhibited ambitious goals and substantial progress towards achieving those goals by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). CDP is a global non-profit organization that grades cities, counties, states, regions, and corporations on their emissions, goals and contributions to climate action. Santa Fe County was awarded an A- grade this year for mitigation and an A for adaptation based upon the CDP’s recent evaluation of the County’s reported improvements and Climate Action Planning. As a result of reaching a leadership level grade for Santa Fe County, the Sustainability Division was awarded a certificate of appreciation by the Board of County Commissioners during their regular meeting on November 28th, 2023.
• Adopt-a-Road Interactive Map: At the start of 2023, Sustainability shared a story map tool to help interested community members find stretches of road available to support with cleanup efforts. Thank you to the many individuals and organizations that support and litter free Santa Fe County!
• RAID Grant: The Recycling and Illegal Dumping (RAID) grants supported efforts to address issues such as Illegal tire dumping. These discarded tires pose a threat to public health and the environment. The County’s Sustainability and Solid Waste teams were thrilled to receive a grant from the New Mexico Environment Department for $40,970 to support the County’s tire recycling program. These funds were used to purchase three new bins for tire recycling and supported a free tire recycling day on April 15, 2023 at County convenience centers for solid waste permit-holders. (#) of tires were successfully collected.
• Water Security: In cooperation with consultant Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, LLC, the Sustainability Division completed a pilot project to develop the County's domestic well monitoring program to ensure the sustainability of local water supplies. The La Cienega and La Cieneguilla Domestic Wells Metering Pilot Program identified the availability of ground water for the traditional communities and will continue to work on securing water resources for these and other Santa Fe County communities.
• Earth Day 2023: Investing in our planet was a major success in 2023 with over 75 community members, county staff, commissioners, and community partners coming together for the annual celebration of our shared biosphere. The event was commemorated with the installation of a new rain garden at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds. The raingarden will showcase the benefits of incorporating green stormwater infrastructure into urban landscape design.
• Cities Summit of the Americas: Sustainability staff, along with County Commission Chair Anna Hansen, of District 2, represented Santa Fe County at the Cities Summit of the Americas held in Denver last year. This event brought together representatives throughout the Western Hemisphere, from Canada to Southern South America. Santa Fe County exchanged learnings with this powerful network of leaders dedicated to a future of best practice solutions, cooperative planning for the sustainable betterment of our community, and the development of deepening relationships and knowledge building.
• Investing in Solar Infrastructure: As part of phase one of the Santa Fe County Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan, 2023 saw the completion of two solar array installations at the Esperanza Shelter & the Edgewood Community Center. These installations will increase energy efficiency and reduce operational costs and utility burdens while increasing the facilities asset value.
• Energy Efficiency & Water Conservation Award: In September, the Sustainability Division accepted an award on behalf of the County for “Best Medium-sized Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation Project". This multi-phased Guaranteed Utilities Savings Project in partnership with Yearout Energy LLC was initiated in FY2019, beginning with an Inventory Grade Audit (IGA) and physical upgrades completed in FY2024. The project included facility improvement measures for 13 Santa Fe County Facilities resulting in the reduction of over 960,000 lbs. of CO2e annually.
• Backyard Composting Program 2023: With the help of Reunity Resources, Santa Fe County Sustainability facilitated the installation of 39 composting units to county residents. With nearly a quarter (24.14%) of all municipal solid waste identified as food waste, supporting systems that help divert carbon emitting wastes from landfills is another step towards reaching the County's GHG Emission reduction goals.
• Adopt-a-Road and Community Clean-up Events: Participants in the County’s Adopt-a-Road program and community clean up events, helped to keep our community beautiful by collecting and disposing of 136 bags of litter, tires, and a couch along County roads in 2023. These valuable events were supported by community organizations such as Las Golondrinas, La Puebla Community, Cloudstone, and the Tesuque Valley Neighbors. The County welcomed six new adopted stretches of road by the Adobe Brick Foundation, Galisteo Creek Stables, Laura Vernon/Please Don't Litter, Kim & Will Safi (their second adoption!), and an anonymous community member. Click here to learn more about adopting a road!
• Recycling: Recycling rates throughout the County are approximately 17%, not including green waste. The national rate is 32%, including composting and recycling. Staff continued to work to raise the County's recycling rate through education and outreach. In 2023, glass, tires, metal, cardboard, and plastic were all collected for recycling at County Convenience Centers. Click here to learn more about what is accepted for recycling at County drop off locations.
• A New Team: Last year saw the departure of several amazing Sustainability staff members. While it is bittersweet to see remarkable individuals take the next steps in their careers, we are also happy to welcome the two new Sustainability team members that joined the team in 2023. With a new set of skills on hand, and the same big ambitions work plans, the Sustainability Division is excited to continue tackling important sustainability projects in the new year.
• Addressing Single-use Plastics: The Single Use Plastics & Polystyrene Working group was formed to review and make recommendations for the reduction of single use plastics throughout the County. Their work culminated in a report reviewing the effects of single-use plastics on the environment, human health, and the local economy. A potential ordinance to reduce usage and associated negative impacts is currently under review for presentation to the BCC in the New Year.
• 2023 Master Naturalist: The Santa Fe County Open Space Division partnered with the Santa Fe Botanical Garden and Audubon Southwest to host the 2023 Master Naturalist Program. This year, 18 students participated in several weeks of classroom and field instruction where they learned about New Mexico’s natural environment. Master Naturalist from previous years contributed over 75 hours of volunteer efforts to Santa Fe County Open Spaces. Volunteers took part in plant and wildlife species monitoring, erosion control activities, invasive plant removal, as well as monitoring for trespass cattle, downed fences, and illegal dumping and camping.

As another busy year comes to a close, the Sustainability team would like to give a shout out to our community partners and volunteers for their contributions to these projects. We also would like to thank our colleagues within the Santa Fe County Public Works Department, Growth Management, Community Development, Community Services, and the County Manager’s Office for all of their important work and support on sustainability initiatives. We look forward to working together in 2024 to expand on these achievements and more!

Although we are leaving 2023 behind, there are many projects the Sustainability team is looking forward to in the new year. Here are just a few to watch for in 2024!

The continuation of the Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Plan: Santa Fe County will be working towards incorporating energy efficient improvements to 25 facilities across the County. These will eventually include upgrades to building envelopes, lighting, heating systems, among others electrification features that will have a positive impact on reducing associated operational costs and carbon impact. Three solar array installations are also planned to be completed in 2024 at the La Familia Health Center, Nambe Transfer Station and Quill Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The development of a Green Storm Water Infrastructure Plan: This master plan will incorporate the goals of increasing water filtration and absorption across Santa Fe County property. In an effort to reduce GHG emissions associated with travel, an electric vehicle transition plan for the County vehicle fleet is in the works. Staff also applied for three grant opportunities to develop EV infrastructure and provide energy efficiency upgrades for low-income households.

The launch of a Nature-based climate solutions campaign: The campaign will include interactive projects in three areas of concern: Water, Soil Health, and Biodiversity.  A new Sustainability program aimed at acknowledging and supporting residents working to preserve biodiversity in their own backyards, will also be featured. The ever-popular Backyard composting project for 2024 is continuing to grow, with more information on the application process available in the new year.

May this New Year bring about the change our planet needs; the Sustainability team looks forward to sharing more details to come, including the next Earth Day '24 Event in April! 

Our distinct landscape supports a diverse and emblematic array of flora and fauna. Despite the chill, getting out into the wild spaces of Santa Fe County this time of year provides an excellent opportunity to spend quality time with nature. These important interactions create connections that drives an appreciation for the many natural resources we are lucky enough to explore so close to home. From pronghorn antelope to mountain bluebirds, ponderosa pines to club-cholla, the bustle of life never leaves this land and can be enjoyed at any time of year.

Get involved!

For those just finding their love for the natural world or even the most seasoned wildlife expert, consider using the iNaturalist application to help you identify the things that make your outdoor adventures special. A project has been created to help consolidate iNaturalist observations recorded in Santa Fe County. Not everyone wants to carry a field guide on their daily walks, but now with just the camera on your phone, anyone can be a naturalist and assist a global effort to record biodiversity. Check it out to see what types of remarkable biodiversity is waiting in your own backyard!

Protect Pinyon Jays!

Some animals are intrinsic to the health of our shared ecosystem. One that is in need of immediate action is the Pinyon Jay. This brilliant blue bird can be seen moving across pinyon juniper woodlands in massive flocks foraging for the seeds of their namesake tree. The species is currently under consideration for the endangered species list, as a result of an 84% decline in population since the 1960s. In the face of a changing climate, the Defenders of Wildlife encourage residents to regularly water their pinyon trees, keep soil around trees cool, capture more water for trees, and avoid pesticides.