city inside of a leaf

Local Resources

The City of Asheville works to mitigate the impacts of climate change in City operations and encourages community members and business owners to take action in their own lives. Below are some resources to become more sustainable and to help mitigate and adapt to climate change. Reduce Energy Bills The City supports the Blue Horizons [...]

Renewable energy planning illustration

Come learn about Asheville/Buncombe County 100% renewable energy initiative 

  Transitioning from fossil-fuel energy use to 100% renewable energy sources will take careful planning. Through their leadership, Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners adopted a goal of doing just that by the year 2030.   In 2018, City Council adopted Resolution 18-279, calling for the City of Asheville to transition [...]

Blue Horizons project webpage screenshot

Asheville recognized for Blue Horizons project in national climate awards

  Asheville’s Blue Horizons Project earned the City an Honorable Mention in the Mayors Climate Protection Awards announced at the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Honolulu today.   Mayor Esther Manheimer is a participant in this climate consortium made up of mayors across the nation.   The Blue Horizons Project works to reduce the region’s peak [...]

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City of Asheville to release climate change resource guide and share renewable energy initiative findings

  Resource information Find information page about climate resilience initiative here. The Climate Resilience Resource Guide is posted on that page. Here is a direct link. Find information about the 100% renewable energy initiative here.   Original post: Interested in local energy and climate issues? Come to the City of [...]

People recycling

City of Asheville partners with GreenWorks for neighborhood recycling education campaign

  Are you “recycling right?” We’ve all had that moment when we’ve gotten confused on what the City of Asheville accepts and does not accept in the Big Blue recycling bins.   Getting it right is important and here’s why: As a city, our contamination rate is on the rise. Where we were previously at a 5% contamination [...]

serviceberries tree photo with Asheville City Hall in the background

Serviceberry season accompanied by cooking workshop, plus launch of online Asheville Edibles Map

    Residents invited to participate in Asheville Edibles initiatives this spring   Serviceberries are ripening now — making it a perfect time to learn how to cook with them! In partnership with the Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council, the City of Asheville’s Office of Sustainability is pleased to unveil a crowd-sourced Asheville Edibles Map and a free serviceberries harvesting/cooking [...]

Renewable energy illustration

Energy Innovation Task Force announces cancellation of Duke’s Peaker Plant

Community partners also honored   The Energy Innovation Task Force (EITF) is excited to announce that through community collaboration, the gas-fired peaker plant, originally planned for 2023, has been pushed out beyond 2032. “Delaying the need for any additional natural gas-fired generation in Buncombe County beyond 2032 is a big deal. The facility would have cost residential [...]

fresh garden vegetables

Food

Food Policy Action Plan The City of Asheville has adopted Resolution 17-257, which re-establishes the City of Asheville’s Food Policy Action Plan. This document outlines activities in seven focus areas in support of the Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council’s identified priority areas and Agenda. Access to healthy, nutritious food and the ability to cultivate, harvest, [...]

Energy

  100% Renewable Energy Initiative The City of Asheville has a goal to power all municipal operations with renewable energy by 2030 and to support Buncombe County’s community-wide goal of the entire county to be powered by renewable energy by 2042. These goals are referenced in Resolution 18-279 and Buncombe County [...]

asheville community garden

AVL Edibles

Asheville Edibles Map Access to healthy, nutritious food and the ability to cultivate, harvest, process, sell, share and trade food contributes to a thriving and resilient city environment. Explore and contribute to the Asheville Edibles Map – A place to share and explore the many edible projects, plantings and gardens. Check out the Edibles Map [...]

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Blue Horizons Project

The Blue Horizons Project grew out of the former Energy Innovation Task Force (EITF), a working group convened in April 2016. The EITF was a joint initiative between the City of Asheville, Buncombe County and Duke Energy Progress to research and recommend energy efficiency and demand-side management programs in Buncombe County. The EITF had two goals: Avoid [...]