We are in a period of uncertainty, anxiety, and confusion. How do we come together to support each other, stay productive, and stay safe? How do we continue to advance our values of environmental and social justice? With the uncertainty posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is becoming more apparent that sustainability is not just a set of topics, like recycling or water conservation, but a set of practices for sustainable living.
The Office of Sustainability has put together these specific actions you can take; these actions and resources are tied to the City Council’s strategic goals and adopted resolutions.
- Remote work: If you can, work from home! You’re already contributing to carbon reduction if you can stay home and save energy/gas. City of Asheville employees alone have collectively avoided 300,000 miles and 120 MTCO2e, with only 20% of the workforce working remotely. That is equivalent to powering 14 homes for one year, or 5,000 trash bags recycled instead of landfilled or 2,000 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.
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- Gardening: City-owned land is available for food and pollinator plant production. Space is currently available at Carrier Park, Weaver Park, and Murray Hill Park. For more information about community gardening, please contact Isa Whitaker at Isa@bountifulcities.org. Want to garden at home? Check out this article about container gardening from the NC State Cooperative Extension.
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- Learn to compost and recycle right: Composting is a great way to build your soil. Together with good recycling habits, we can make a difference from home by keeping food waste and organic matter from clogging our precious landfill space. The City of Asheville has a partnership with Asheville Greenworks, who has been busy producing entertaining videos to learn to recycle right and compost at home.
- Reduce home energy use: Now is the time to check those thermostats, replace those air filters, and upgrade those light bulbs! See the recommendations from the Rocky Mountain Institute on keeping your home healthy during COVID and sign up for the Blue Horizons Project to get tips on local offerings.
We also invite you to learn more about sustainability actions at the City of Asheville on our website.
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- Gardening: City-owned land is available for food and pollinator plant production. Space is currently available at Carrier Park, Weaver Park, and Murray Hill Park. For more information about community gardening, please contact Isa Whitaker at Isa@bountifulcities.org. Want to garden at home? Check out this article about container gardening from the NC State Cooperative Extension.