Latest news with #OfficeofSustainability
Axios
7 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Richmond to start charging 5 cents for plastic bags in 2026
Richmond is about to start taxing your single-use plastic bags. Why it matters: While City Council members lauded the effort to reduce waste and pollution, many shared concerns about how the tax will be passed on to residents on fixed incomes. Driving the news: City Council approved the 5-cent tax, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2026, on Monday. The city is the first in the area, and the 11th locality in the state, to pass a tax like this since the legislature gave them the authority to in 2021. Zoom in: Based on an estimated 8 million bags used in Richmond annually, the tax would generate $400,000 in revenue the first year, said Laura Thomas, director of Richmond's Office of Sustainability. Between the lines: The city would technically receive about $320,000 of that since 1 cent per bag goes to retailers. The total annual revenue would drop to around $100,000 to $150,000 as people use fewer bags, Thomas told councilmembers. Per state law, the revenue can only go toward cleaning up and reducing pollution and providing reusable bags to SNAP and WIC recipients. Thomas also said the city would use some of its own funds to give reusable bags to residents who need them. How it works: Grocers, convenience stores and drugstore retailers will report how many plastic bags they've sold to the state, which enforces the tax and then provides the revenue to Richmond. The tax doesn't include plastic bags used for dry cleaning, prescriptions, trash cans, your dog's poop or packaging meat or produce. What they're saying: Retailers can choose whether they'd like to pass the fee onto consumers or absorb it, Thomas said. Some major grocery stores, like Lidl and Aldi, don't even offer plastic bags. The other side: "Who's going to pay the most are the communities that we've neglected all along, that don't have a quality grocery store," said Councilmember Ellen Robertson, who voted against the tax. Councilmember Reva Trammell said she decided to also vote "no" after some older constituents who rely on delivery services for groceries, which often use plastic bags, raised concerns about pricier bills.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Milwaukee County Exec David Crowley signs off on carbon-zero emissions plan
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley signed off on a carbon-neutral action plan for the county, amid efforts to dismantle climate-driven initiatives from the Trump administration. The plan aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across the county's operations by 2050. It outlines specific and measurable ways to reduce emissions over the next 25 years, including energy-efficient equipment, upgrades to renewable energy generation and alternative transportation fuel. "It's imperative that we protect and preserve these spaces and our environment as a whole generation who get the opportunity to enjoy these parks," Crowley told supervisors and constituents at Tippecanoe Park. "We are here to take action, but also to recommit ourselves to environmental sustainability as well as stewardship." Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley signed off legislation approving the Milwaukee County Climate Action 2050 (CA50) Plan on April 25, 2025, which aims at achieving net-zero carbon emissions in Milwaukee County operations by the year 2050. According to Crowley, the county is already seeing progress, including a 46% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2005, the baseline year for tracking the county's carbon reduction. The county is on track to achieve 50% reduction in carbon by 2030, a county report noted. The plan is estimated to cost roughly $441 million, with energy efficiency and fleet upgrades as well as on-site solar energy installations. But efforts to make Milwaukee County carbon neutral are not new, as the county has previously retrofitted LED lighting, established sustainable design standards to reforestation, and roadway to trail conversions. "These diverse strategies will help Milwaukee County to achieve our emissions reduction goals," said Grant Helle, director of the county's Office of Sustainability Helle said the climate action plan outlines ways for the county to reduce emissions over the next 25 years, such as by using energy-efficient equipment, upgrades to renewable energy generation, and alternative fuel transportation. These efforts, in turn, will create green jobs and reduce urban heat islands across the Milwaukee area. "I'm proud of the way this plan acknowledges our changing realities, more severe temperature fluctuations, more extreme weather events and a growing labor market for careers that address our changing climate together," County Board Supervisor Anne O'Connor said. Contact Vanessa Swales at 414-308-5881 or vswales@ Follow her on X @Vanessa_Swales. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee County Executive Crowley OKs carbon-zero emissions plan
Axios
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Tips to enjoy Fiesta San Antonio more sustainably
Fiesta's aftermath is always apparent — when the streets have cleared of people, they're left covered in confetti and chicken-on-a-stick debris. Why it matters: San Antonio loves to party with a purpose, but we make a lot of trash during 11 days of revelry. All that garbage isn't so great for the environment, but there are ways to party more sustainably. How it works: The city of San Antonio certifies certain events as "green" based on organizers' efforts to reduce waste, promote public transportation and more. It's a practice the City Council adopted back in April 2010. Zoom in: Two 2025 Fiesta events are certified as green, the city's Office of Sustainability tells Axios — the Chanclas y Cervezas event at Brooks on Saturday and the Battle of Flowers Parade on May 2. Organizers gain points toward green certification for measures including: Here are some tips from the Office of Sustainability to celebrate Fiesta in a way that's a little friendlier for the planet: Fill your cascarones with colored or recycled paper instead of plastic or metallic confetti. The eggshell is already biodegradable. Pack drinks and snacks in reusable cups and containers. Look for the recycling bins along parade routes for your bottles and cans. Leave your car at home. Take VIA's Park and Ride service, or walk or bike if you can. Taking a rideshare or a carpool also helps.
CBS News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Gov. Jared Polis celebrates Earth Day, wants to make Colorado leader in energy efficiency
Gov. Jared Polis celebrated Earth Day on Tuesday by working to make Colorado a leader in energy efficiency. He signed an executive order at Cherry Creek State Park that outlines the state's goals to invest in clean energy and decrease the use of fossil fuels. The order includes reducing emissions in state operations by 50% by 2034 and reducing water consumption by at least 20% across agencies. AURORA, CO - APRIL 22: Colorado Governor Jared Polis signs his executive order after speaking during a press conference next to the swim beach at Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora, Colorado on April 22, 2025. Behind the governor is Windi Padia, COO Department of Natural Resourse, Danny Katz, executive director for CoPIRG, Caitlin Casassa, director of Office of Sustainability, Will Toor, Executive Director of Colorado Energy Office, and Kelly Nordini, executive director Conservation Colorado. Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images "This work is first and foremost a reflection of the values we hold. Smart stewardship of public resources, care for our environment, commitment to preserving and protecting our state for generations to come, saving taxpayers money," said Polis. He went on to say that this executive order will continue to push Colorado to the forefront of green initiatives.
Axios
01-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Plastic bag tax could start in Richmond in January
Richmond City Council is considering enacting a 5-cent tax on most single-use plastic bags, The Richmonder reports. Why it matters: The tax could go into effect as soon as January. State of play: The city has been mulling the tax since 2020, when a state law passed giving Virginia localities the right to do so, Tara Worden with Richmond's Office of Sustainability told The Richmonder. The goal would be to discourage the use of the bags, which not only harm the environment but can clog city sewer drains and lead to street flooding. If adopted, Richmond would be the 11th Virginia locality to add the tax, joining Arlington, Fairfax, Roanoke and Charlottesville. The tax would only apply to the disposable bags commonly used by grocery stores and pharmacies, not sturdier ones designed for reuse. Those thin meat and produce bags would also be excluded. How it works: Retailers would be responsible for self-reporting the bag use and paying the state, which would send the revenue to the city. Richmond would get the bulk of the revenue (3 cents the first year, 4 cents thereafter), with the rest going to the retailer. Estimates indicate the bag tax would bring in about $371,000 a year and cost locals about $2.12. State law requires that money be used toward environmental programs or supplying lower-income Richmonders with reusable bags. Between the lines: Some city councilors expressed general support of the tax, but were skeptical about the city's ability to administer the program, given its recent issues with other self-reported taxes, like the meals tax.
