What we do

The City of Asheville has a strong record and long standing commitment to sustainability. The Sustainability Department was created in 2008 to integrate sustainable design, technology, and practice into municipal operations, infrastructure and services.  The Sustainability Department is responsible for incorporating City Council’s Strategic Goals and City Resolutions pertaining to sustainability within the organization.


 


Doing the Work

Listed below are the plans, assessments and policies that guide the work of the Sustainability Department.

Guiding Documents

Policies

 


Asheville Community Carbon Footprint

The Office of Sustainability recently worked with a student from the Lenoir Rhyne Masters of Sustainability Studies program to measure the carbon footprint from the city at large. The carbon emissions from 2019 for the city of Asheville are summed up in this infographic.

Text only version

 


Community Partners

The Office of Sustainability partners with the following local nonprofits to implement community programs:

 

 


 

Related Services

Information about disposing of large or unusual items such as furniture, household hazardous waste, or appliances. As well as instructions for brush, leaves, or Christmas trees.

Information on what can be recycled, how to prepare items for collection, and composting.

Related Projects

Single-Use Plastic Reduction

Asheville City Council has directed the Sustainability Department to take a phased approach to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic.

image of green healthy tree merging into dying dry tree

Municipal Climate Action Plan

The Municipal Climate Action Plan will incorporate all new additions of policies and resolutions while creating a roadmap on how to accomplish adopted goals and identify those most impactful at carbon mitigation and climate resiliency.

Food Waste Reduction Initiative

The Food Waste Reduction Initiative aims to provide useful information and tips to residents seeking ways to reduce their household food waste, pilot opportunities for community compost drop sites, elevate the message of food waste reduction, and model food waste reduction initiatives in city facilities.

Sustainability News

Sustainability Advisory Committee invites community to Holiday Free Store

This holiday season the City’s Sustainability Advisory Committee is supporting our community in finding alternatives for holiday gift sourcing.  The Holiday Free Store is a  fun “shopping” event that is good for your wallet and for the planet.

solar panels at Fire Station 10

City of Asheville shares data from new solar installation at Broadway Public Safety Station

The Broadway Public Safety Station on Broadway Street, even though not officially open yet, it is producing solar energy. This is the seventh City facility to include renewable energy production.  The Broadway Public Safety Station will produce approximately 77,386 kilowatt hours per year,  enough electricity to power 7 homes.