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January 2025

Building a more sustainable, resilient and equitable Waco.

Happy New Year! I bet you didn't know January is National Radon Action Month. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that's colorless. odorless, and tasteless. But according to the EPA, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Even though maps of radon zones show Texas as relatively low potential, I still decided to measure the levels in my house recently and they were much higher than acceptable (EPA recommends fixing your home if your radon level is above 4 picoCuries per liter). Looks like I have a New Years project to tackle.

National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week isn't until October (part of Children's Health Month) but the City of Waco's Housing Department is working year round to help homeowners deal with lead based paint in their homes, as well as lead water pipes. If your home was built before 1978 (the year lead based paint was banned), you may qualify for assistance. Low- and moderate-income homeowners can receive up to a $50,000 forgivable loan through the Home Rehabilitation program.

Cheers and stay safe and warm,

Eric Coffman
Sustainability Programs Manager
ericc@wacotx.gov

Tackling the Climate Crisis

Make a Resolution to Turn Food Waste into Compost

Our landfill is one of the area's single largest emitters of greenhouse gas pollution. This happens because organic matter (like food waste) creates methane, which is more potent than carbon dioxide for its impact on global climate change. The best solution we have for dealing with this problem is keeping food waste out of the landfill. Make this the year you start working with one of the SCRAP Collective partners to turn your food waste into compost.

Preventing Waste & Pollution

Need Help Cleaning Up After the Holidays?

Tis the season for joy, not for overflowing landfills! City of Waco Solid Waste can help you dispose of your leftover holiday materials responsibly. Read the post-holiday recycling guide.

District Cleanups

Dispose of unwanted bulky items and yard waste at no additional cost. Place your unwanted items at the curb on your designated date, and we'll pick it up!
Find your district, find your date and put your items out by 7 a.m. on your date. It's that simple. No registration is required.

To find what district you live in, use the MyArea map.

Remaining Cleanup Dates are:

• District Five: Saturday, Jan. 11
• District One: Saturday, Feb. 8
• District Two: Saturday, Mar. 8

Download the Curbside Services App

Starting the new year off right means getting organized, and that includes your trash and recycling schedule! Download the free Waco Curbside Services app to ensure you never miss a trash day again.

• Set personalized notifications for trash, recycling, and yard waste pickup
• Request bulky waste pickups
• Learn what goes in each cart

The free app is available on the AppStore or on Google Play. All the same services are also available on the City of Waco website.

In the Community

Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center Groundbreaking

Join us as we celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony for the exciting transformation of the Bledsoe-Miller Community Center into a state-of-the-art STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Center for Excellence at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 300 N. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

The ceremony will feature a brief program outlining the City of Waco's vision for the STEAM Center and light refreshments.

Corridor Beautification Incentive Program

The Corridor Beautification Incentive Program (CBIP) assist property owners and tenants of retail, commercial, and multi-family properties located along high-priority gateway corridors within the City with grant funding for beautification projects. This 1:1 matching grant provides up to $15,000 in funding to support qualifying property improvements adjacent to rights-of-way. Applications will be open from January 1- February 28, 2025.

Upcoming Events

Waco Downtown Farmers Market

SATURDAY MORNINGS, 9am-1pm, 500 Washington Ave.
The Market is open every Saturday from 9am to 1pm featuring the best local agricultural producers and artisan vendors within 150-miles of Waco. 

MPO Connected and Automated Vehicle Workgroup Meeting

JANUARY 15, 1:30-2:30pm, Around the World Bakery, 119 N 12th Street
Join the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) for this workgroup meeting to discuss the potential impacts of connected, electric and automated vehicles on transportation planning in the Waco area.

Groundbreaking Ceremony for New STEAM Center

JANUARY 16, 10am, Bledsoe-Miller, 300 N. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd
Join the City of Waco on January 16th at 10:00 am as we celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony for the exciting transformation of the Bledsoe-Miller Community Center into a state-of-the-art STEAM Center for Excellence! The ceremony will be held at 300 N. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd and will feature a brief program outlining the City of Waco's vision for the STEAM Center and light refreshments.

Sustainable Resource Practices Advisory Board Meeting

JANUARY 16, 3pm, Fire Station 6 Community Room
The general public is welcome to attend this monthly meeting of the citizen board that makes policy recommendations to the Waco City Council. Consider becoming a member of the board. More information found here.

Heart of Texas Electric Vehicle Association Monthly Meeting

JANUARY 18, 6pm, Kim's Diner at 2600 W Waco Dr.
Topics of conversation regularly include basic EV ownership, zero emissions motorsports, battery recycling, grid resiliency, and conversions. Don't own an EV yet? Come learn things! EV owner? Come teach people! For more information contact: hot.electautoassn@gmail.com

Waco Friends of the Climate Styrofoam Recycling Drive

FEBRUARY 8, 9am-1pm, Corner of Valley Mills & Waco Dr.
Waco Friends of the Climate will sponsor Drive-Thru Styrofoam Recycling, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, 9am-1pm, in the parking lot at the corner of Valley Mills & Waco Drives, in front of Ocean Buffet. All forms of Styrofoam are accepted except peanuts. The material should be clean, and small particles placed in a bag. Please arrive early, as the free service is first-come, first-served.

Also, coming up in honor of Earth Day, will sponsor a Carbon Sink (Tree Seedling) Giveaway, 9am-1pm, Sat., April 26, at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market, 500 Washington Ave., Waco. Visitors may choose a green ash (deciduous) or a live oak (evergreen) seedling. Both are Texas natives, which are recommended for McLennan County, and prosper in dry conditions. Species information and care instructions are provided. The trees are free and distributed on a first-come first-served basis. For more information: email anorthc@aol.com

What We're Reading & Listening To

Articles

Black farmers in Texas build a home-grown community with nonprofit support
By Texas Standard

New York City now mandates composting. Next comes the hard part.
By Canary Media

Why aren’t we recycling more plastic?
By UNDP

Podcasts

Creation Care & Community
By Earthkeepers

Send us your suggestions for articles, books, podcasts, or videos, so that we can share them with our community.

Postscript

“A generation from now, this solar heater can either be a curiosity, a museum piece, an example of a road not taken, or it can be a small part of one of the greatest and most exciting adventures ever undertaken by the American people.” –The late President Jimmy Carter, upon installing solar panels on the roof of the West Wing of the White House in 1979. (photo courtesy of Bill Fitz-Patrick/Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum/NARA)

Have Something to Share?

Submit your announcements and ideas to Eric Coffman by FEBRUARY 1 to be included in next month's newsletter. 

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