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Did You Know...The City Collects Christmas Trees for Recycling?
The City of Alexandria reminds residents to recycle their holiday Christmas trees. Residents who receive City trash service should set trees out for recycling pick-up at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 10 and Saturday, January 17. Please remember, do not put trees in plastic bags and remove all stands and ornaments. Any trees set out at the curb after January 17 will be collected during regular refuse collection service and will not be recycled. For more information, please contact the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services at 703.519.3486.
What is an Eco-City?
Eco-Cities are places where people can live healthier and economically productive lives while reducing their impact on the environment. They work to harmonize existing policies, regional realities, and economic and business markets with their natural resources and environmental assets. Eco-Cities strive to engage all citizens in collaborative and transparent decision making, while being mindful of social equity concerns.
What is Eco-City Alexandria?
Beginning in spring 2007, the City of Alexandria partnered with Virginia Tech’s Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (UAP) to design and facilitate a new, strategic collaborative planning process, called Eco-City Alexandria, to create an Eco-City Charter and Environmental Action Plan to guide Alexandria toward sustainability.
Alexandria’s Environmental Policy Commission (EPC) is the project’s principal advisor along with representatives from the Alexandria City Council and City Staff. The Division Chief for Environmental Quality serves as the City’s project manager.
In 2007, the Eco-City Alexandria team conducted an inventory of existing City programs and plans and examined best practices from across the country and around the world to create a Compendium of Model Programs and Practices.
Throughout 2008, the Eco-City Alexandria team will consult with Alexandria residents and business owners to determine what it will take to make Alexandria an Eco-City.
Eco-City Alexandria Podcast
Eco-City Action Plan Open House
The Eco-City Action Plan Open House was held as a public forum to encourage residents to give comment and feedback regarding the draft Environmental Action Plan. This document is currently being developed to establish short term and long term policy objectives, identify programs and resources, set tentative timelines, and develop measures of success to fulfill the vision of the Eco-City Environmental Charter.
Provide Public Comment for Alexandria's Stormwater Pollution Program Plan at the Eco-City Action Plan Open House
The public is invited to comment on the City’s draft Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Program Plan through December 5. Due to new state regulations this permit requires the City to update the MS4 Program Plan.
Comments must be in writing by e-mail to MS4ProgramPlan@alexandriava.gov or submitted to City Hall, 301 King Street Room 3000. View copies of the draft plan at www.alexandriava.gov/environment or at City Hall Room 3000.
Eco-City Summit
The City held an Eco-City Summit at T.C. Williams High School on May 10. The Summit, which is part of the City’s Eco-City Alexandria Initiative, gave residents the opportunity to provide feedback, input, and discussion on the City's draft Eco-City Charter. Residents also assisted in the creation of a draft Environmental Action Plan. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/tes and ecocity.ncr.vt.edu.
News Release
Eco-City Café
The first-ever Eco-City Café hosted a series of roundtable discussions among various environmental issues facing Alexandria. More than 120 participants provided input and feedback that will be used to develop an Eco-City Charter and Environmental Action Plan.
News Release | Slideshow
"Green-Ventory"
The "Green-Ventory" Report is an inventory of existing City programs, plans, and examined best practices from across the country and around the world to create a Compendium of Model Programs and Practices.
Environmental Charter
The Alexandria City Council approved the first Eco-City Alexandria Environmental Charter in the region at a public hearing on Saturday, June 14. The Eco-City Environmental Charter outlines the City’s guiding principles, vision, and overall environmental future. Public comments and feedback were solicited and incorporated into the draft Eco-City Environmental Charter, developed and approved by the Environmental Policy Commission on May 19.
Environmental Action Plan
The draft Environmental Action Plan is a "road map" of action items for City leaders, staff, and residents to fulfill the Eco-City Environmental Charter. The draft Eco-City Action plan will establish short term and long term policy objectives, identify programs and resources, set tentative timelines, and develop measures of success to fulfill the vision of the Eco-City Environmental Charter.
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability is progress that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The central goal of sustainability is to provide the best outcomes for the human and natural worlds.
A sustainable community is an environmentally, economically, and socially healthy place where people can live, work and play for decades to come:
- Ecological sustainability ensures that all parts of the natural and built environments work together as a single ecological system.
- Economic sustainability ensures a healthy economy that supports and sustains people and the environment in which they live over the long-term.
- Social sustainability ensures that a community meets residents’ basic health and social needs and has the resiliency to prevent and/or address problems in the future.
Additional Information:
For information about the City's recycling efforts please visit www.alexrecycles.org
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