Thanks to everyone who offered feedback on the draft
Environmental Action Plan (EAP) at the public meeting in December and through
the online forum. City staff and consultants are making final changes in hopes
of presenting the plan to City Council in February. The EAP will update the
2008
Climate Action Plan and outline the City’s high-priority environmental actions
for the next 5 years.
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 Mark your calendars for the 9th-annual South Sound Sustainability Expo on Saturday, March 5th from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center. This free, family-friendly event connects residents and businesses with services, products, companies, and agencies that address environmental sustainability needs in our community. Everyone is welcome to come learn about green construction, energy efficiency, transportation options, local gardening, and more. Participants can again enjoy the Book-Movie-Music Swap, and families can join in two kids’ corners full of fun and engaging activities.
 Are you an “old pro” who practiced sustainability before it was cool? What can you do beyond biking to work, planting a tree, or shopping local? This year’s Expo will feature hands-on workshops with tips and tricks to take your sustainability to the next level. Learn more at SouthSoundSustainabilityExpo.org. For more information on volunteering or being a vendor at the Expo, contact us at sustainability@cityoftacoma.org.
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Following interest from the
Sustainable Tacoma Commission and the City Council’s Infrastructure, Planning
and Sustainability Committee (IPS), City staff recently conducted a public feedback survey about potential disposable
shopping bag restrictions. Between November 23rd and January 15th,
the Office of
Environmental Policy & Sustainability received input from nearly
2,200 members of the public and 84 members of the business community. The
results of the feedback survey will be presented to IPS on Wednesday, February
24th, at 4:30 p.m. (Tacoma Municipal Building North, Room 16). At that time City staff will also provide
recommendations on what action, if any, Council may take.
 Tacoma is making strides in active commuting, according to the League of
American Bicyclists and the Alliance for Biking and Walking. Analyzing data from
the U.S. Census Bureau's 2014 American Community Survey, these organizations estimated
that 4.1%
of Tacomans regularly walk to work. That represents an increase of
164% over the 2005 level, making it the
13th-fastest growth rate in the nation for cities of any size, and
the fastest in the Northwest! Tacoma’s
bike commute rate was estimated at 0.6%. That was 22nd on a list
of 52 cities our size (200,000-300,000) and just behind Spokane (18th,
0.8%).
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 Contrary to some perceptions, not everyone in Tacoma gets around by car. For example, a recent analysis of households living near the proposed Tacoma Link expansion (from the Theater District through the Stadium and Hilltop neighborhoods) showed that nearly one third of them (30.4% ) did not own a vehicle. (That’s 2,327 out of 7,659 households located within Census Block Groups that intersect with the 0.25-mile buffer around the Link alignment on MLK Way.) This suggests that many residents in these parts of downtown are already getting around primarily by walking, biking, and taking transit. The proposed Link expansion could serve more Tacomans for whom driving is not an option while also enabling others to ditch their cars for good.
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In early February, the Lincoln and Hilltop programs will restart
neighborhood canvassing to discuss eco-friendly, money-saving resources
face-to-face with community members. Program teams will approach more than
4,300 households for knock-and-talk conversations through June 2016. In each
neighborhood, the program has planned a community breakfast, a walking tour,
and other events. Residents can learn more about the HHHN program and see the
updated events schedule at www.cityoftacoma.org/healthyhomes. Anyone interested in volunteering or connecting to the program in other ways should contact pbabbitt@cityoftacoma.org for Lincoln and pbrenfleck@cityoftacoma.org
for Hilltop.
 The Hilltop In Motion program is wrapping up its Fall and Winter seasons
of events, surveying and fulfillment. 170 Hilltop residents took a Trip Diary
survey providing information about how they get around when running errands,
going to school, and traveling to work. In response to these surveys, In Motion
contractors Brittani and Emily visited nearly 100 homes to deliver resources about walking,
biking, and taking transit. Other
public outreach included a walking event on MLK Day, a Transportation
Forum, and a one-on-one “intercept survey” at the neighborhood grocery store.
Keep an eye out for more programming and events from Hilltop In Motion later
this spring.
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 In
January, The Tacoma News-Tribune ran a series of
articles on the issue of Tacoma’s urban forest, including an editorial
calling for residents and City staff to work together to achieve the goal of
30% tree canopy by 2030. Trees perform many important functions, such as absorbing
rainwater, digesting carbon dioxide, providing habitat, and creating beautiful,
walkable neighborhoods. For more information on planting and maintaining trees
in Tacoma, including the City’s tree coupon
program, visit www.cityoftacoma.org/urbanforestry.
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 Spring workshops will begin soon at the EnviroHouse (located at the Transfer and Recovery Center, 3510 S. Mullen St.). Workshops are free, but advance registration is required. (Note: If a workshop is full, please register for the waiting list.) For more information on workshops, resources, and planning your visit, view this brochure or the EnviroHouse website. Here is the current spring schedule, which is subject to change:
Feb. 6, 10:30 AM - Natural
Daylight: Solatube DIY Demo
Feb. 13, 10:30 AM - Organic
Fruit Tree Selection and Care
Feb. 13, 1:30 PM - Early
Gardens: Berries, Root Stock, Raised Beds
Feb. 20, 10:30 AM - Ductless
Heat Pump: Advantages and Incentives
Feb. 20, 1:30 PM - Solar Power:
How It Can Work for You
Feb. 27, 10:30 AM - Backyard
Chickens: Getting Started
Mar. 12, 10:30 AM - Yard Waste
and Worm Bin Composting
Mar. 19, 10:30 AM - Backyard
Chickens: Getting Started
Mar. 20, 1:30 PM - Rain Barrels:
How to Make and Maintain
Mar. 26, 10:30 AM - Food Garden Prep: Starting
with Seeds
 Recent video highlights from Urban Green:
- Tacoma's Central Wastewater Treatment Plant has received some much-needed flood protection.
- The green roof at the Center for Urban Waters absorbs rainfall, filters pollutants, and helps to insulate the building.
- The City of Tacoma hires a herd of goats! Meet these adorable workers as they clear a Stormwater Pond.
- The City is investing in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Hybrid trucks to reduce pollution and costs.
- Green Tips: Lower your thermostat for cost and energy savings.
After growing up in Maine and attending college in Boston, Jetta moved to this area over 30 years
ago. Much of that
time was spent developing education, outreach and collection programs devoted
to increasing recycling and waste prevention. Since joining the City of Tacoma six years ago she continues to
focus on keeping still useable goods and materials out of the Pierce County landfill. As Jetta sees it, “Recycling is very important,
but it’s best when we prevent waste in the first place. Nearly everything we discard is an
item or material that has value and potential to be recycled or reused.” She is currently tackling the issue
of food waste, looking at new technologies for recycling food
scraps and ways
to waste less food.
Jetta
appreciates the many friendly, down-to-earth people she interacts with at work
and in the Tacoma community. And she has a “guilty pleasure” that many of us
can relate to: “I can’t resist a good donut
and Tacoma has some of the world’s finest!”
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