Our Climate Action Plan focuses on six interconnected areas;
ENERGY 
FOOD 
LANDSCAPE 
TRANSPORTATION 
WASTE 
WATERThe plan is guided by three shared values;
 PUBLIC HEALTH |
 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT |
 SOCIAL EQUITY |
The Climate Stewardship Initiative is an inclusive, community-wide effort led by Mayor Luke Bronin (through the Office of Sustainability) and the Climate Stewardship Council. Continue reading “Who Are We?”
April is Earth Month, which includes both Earth Day (April 22nd) and Arbor Day (April 27th). We’ve got some tips on how you can make a difference this month and how you can join us in our celebration of our most incredible natural resources.
The Hartford Advisory Commission on Food Policy held its annual Community Food Security Awards on Wednesday, March 28th. Recognizing leadership in local food justice, the awards highlighted Hartford’s organizations and individuals improving the well-being of residents and visitors.
ASHES TO ASHES The race is on to save our Ash trees! The Emerald Ash Borer first reared its green head in Connecticut in 2012, and has the potential to infest and kill nearly 10,000 trees in Hartford alone, and millions across the state!
Hartford is building momentum with its Climate Action Plan!
Last fall, the City of Hartford established an Energy Improvement District (EID), which can be used to enter into contracts, to buy or lease energy facilities, to increase energy efficiency, and to make it easier and cheaper to do business in Hartford. The board, which consists of nine voting members and five non-voting members, includes residentsContinue reading Energy Improvement District Adopts Comprehensive Plan
Hartford is going full steam ahead with its Climate Action Plan! The Office of Sustainability, in partnership with KNOX, hosted its second climate action group meeting last week.
The City of Hartford, led by Bike & Pedestrian Coordinator, Sandy Fry, is developing a citywide bike plan! This week, a few dozen people gathered at a public meeting to kick off the discussion.
Trinity Professor Amber Pitt’s Fall 2017 “Global Perspectives in Biodiversity and Conservation” course went above and beyond to engage students in biodiversity and conservation efforts.
This week, the City of Hartford’s Office of Sustainability will be continuing its series of resident climate action meetings. Hosted on 2/15 at 5:30, the meeting will be held at KNOX’s site at 75 Laurel Street in Hartford.
Good news! The City of Hartford was among pioneering cities and towns that recently joined Sustainable CT, a new statewide initiative to support environmental progress in Connecticut’s cities and municipalities.
Great news! Hartford just became the second major American city in the country to eliminate parking minimums citywide. On December 12, 2017, the Planning and Zoning Commission, chaired by Sara Bronin, voted to approve a measure that eliminated minimum parking requirements for new development.
We all get by with a little help from our friends, and here in Hartford, we have some good friends up near Boston! Fair Foods, a Dorchester-based non-profit organization, recently brought more than two tons of surplus food from Boston’s wholesalers to Bloomfield’s Foodshare just in time for Thanksgiving. The dedicated staff and volunteers fromContinue reading Two tons of holiday cheer from Boston
Happy Holidays, Hartford! Did you know that, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, Americans produce five million more pounds of food waste than at other times of the year? On an annual basis, 40% of food goes to waste. If just 1/3 of our nation’s annual waste was redirected instead of tossed out, we could solveContinue reading Tips for Planning a Zero Food Waste Holiday
Everyone deserves a park within a 10-minute walk from home. Parks are an essential element of urban life, providing residents with a safe place to exercise, socialize, or just unwind. Green spaces beautify and cool neighborhoods and improve the overall quality of life for all.
Check out this video about the launch of the Climate Action Plan, directed by CCSU student Wojciech Muszynski!:
Established in 1968, Bushnell Park is the nation’s oldest publicly funded park, and not surprisingly, it is a veritable arboretum of over 450 magnificent trees and 76 different tree species. Hartford’s trees are invaluable additions to our community that help provide over $300,000 in services every year.Continue reading Tree Time in Bushnell Park
Have you noticed areas in our parks that look like they have not been mowed in a while? Low mow zones are planted with meadow plants instead of traditional turf, saving valuable staff time and money on lawn maintenance while absorbing runoff and providing habitat for wildlife. They reduce usage of fuel and equipment, whichContinue reading Growing Instead of Mowing in Hartford’s Parks
Check out this video about the launch of the Climate Stewardship Initiative, edited by CCSU student Wojciech Muszynski: Another video, focusing on the Climate Action Plan and featuring additional community members engaged in these efforts, is coming soon.
Thanks to an innovative set of new zoning provisions recently approved by the City of Hartford Planning and Zoning Commission in consultation with the green infrastructure team at the Office of Sustainability, green infrastructure practices will now be incorporated into new developments disturbing more than 5,000 square feet. The goal of these changes is to manageContinue reading Zoning for Green Infrastructure!
In the 2016 Complete Streets Policy ranking conducted by Smart Growth America, Hartford was among the top 23% of communities that received a score of 90 (out of 100) or higher. (Scoring metrics here.) Congrats to all who were involved in ensuring the safety of all in Hartford. If you don’t know what Complete StreetsContinue reading Hartford Ranked a Top Complete Street Community!
