Consider paper bags or reusable containers for leaf season this year

Fall has officially come to the mountains and after a glorious season of color, the leaves will soon start to fall. To Asheville residents using paper bags or reusable plastic containers for their fall leaves these past few years, we say thank you and keep up the good work! We’d encourage everyone else to follow this [...]

water department staff in front of North Fork resevoir

American Water Works Association: “Protect the Source” Week is September 25 – October 1

Enjoying clean water from your tap often starts many miles from your home at “the source”. That’s why the American Water Works Association has named September 25 through October 1, 2022 as “Protect the Source” Week.  “The best way to ensure we have high quality drinking water at the tap is to protect our [...]

Who’s up this week on What’s Up AVL

What’s Up AVL! The City of Asheville’s bi-monthly radio show gives the community the chance to take a deep dive with City of Asheville staff and departments. Learn about different departments and what projects are taking place in your community. This week, the City of Asheville sits down with newly appointed Sustainability Director Bridget Herring [...]

Earth Day photo illustration

Earth Day is just around the corner!

The Office of Sustainability invites you to join in the fun of making a cleaner, greener Asheville at home, at work, and in our community. There are many ways to make small changes with big impact to the health and quality of our environment.  Below are a few examples and a super fun opportunity to join in the fun. Earth Day is this Friday and it's not too late to schedule your earth action!

solar panels on Fire Station 11

City of Asheville completes aggregated solar project

Recently the City of Asheville “flipped the switch” on a photovoltaic array, commonly known as solar panels, at the Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center on Shiloh Road. This is the fifth City facility to include onsite renewable energy production. This completes the City’s portion of projects included in the joint initiative to install solar panels on City of Asheville, Buncombe County, Asheville City Schools, Buncombe County Schools and AB-Tech facilities. 

installing solar panels on residential roof

Office of Sustainability shares results of Solarize Asheville Buncombe campaign

The City of Asheville is one of over 180 local governments that are members of the Urban Sustainability Network (USDN). One of the recent initiatives of the USDN was a partnership with World Resources Institute and Rocky Mountain Institute to implement a renewable accelerator residential solar cohort that provided technical assistance (including analyzing rooftop solar economics and tracking campaign equity impacts) to local governments implementing a bulk purchasing solar program. The City of Asheville was one of twenty-one local governments selected to participate in the cohort. 

solar panels

Real Time Data from new solar installations

City of Asheville shares data from new solar installations at Fire Station 11 and Burton Street Community Center   Recently the City of Asheville “flipped the switch” on the photovoltaic arrays, commonly known as solar panels, at Fire Station 11 on Rocky Ridge Road and at the Burton Street Community Center on Burton Street. These are the [...]

people holding sign that says 'climate justice initiative'

Office of Sustainability shares update on Climate Justice Initiative

The Climate Justice Initiative includes a community led definition of Climate Equity and Climate Justice, as well as the creation of the Climate Justice Data Map for staff and public to visualize and understand local climate threats alongside compounding social and economic stressors. A Climate Justice Guide and Screening Tool for internal operations are also included.