The City of Culver City is proud to announce that it is going zero waste at City Hall. The City launched the City Hall Zero Waste Program, a three-phase initiative, on April 22, 2019, Earth Day–a testament to the City’s ongoing pursuit to create a healthier, resilient and more sustainable community to live, work and do business in. Since the launch of the City Hall Zero Waste Program, the City has reduced the trash it produces by approximately 30 percent per week.
“My parents taught me to lead by example, and that’s exactly what Culver City is doing by making City Hall zero-waste. We can all be leaders in tackling pollution, helping the environment and saving money by eliminating the single-use items that are sent to landfills,” said Culver City Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells.
A “Green Team” made up of City Staff has led the effort, continuously educating staff, answering their questions and tracking City Hall happenings to ensure the City stays on track.
Over the course of the first phase, staff learned what it means to be zero waste, the importance of eliminating waste and steps they can take to contribute. The Green Team also facilitated janitorial training and provided new deskside recycling and organics waste containers. Additionally, containers for landfill, recycling and organics were installed in the kitchenettes and conference rooms and a new dishwasher was installed in the City Council’s Closed Session Room. Reusable dishware is also now available for staff to use in place of disposable wares. Lastly, the Green Team drafted an ‘Environmental Purchasing Policy,’ evaluated staff efforts and hosted a Lunch and Learn workshop for staff to ask questions and learn more about the program.
In the coming months, Culver City’s City Council will provide policy direction as the Green Team implements the program’s last two phases. During the second phase, the Green Team will create an e-waste collection policy, establish written agreements to incorporate waste reduction efforts, use Zero Waste Checklists to generate annual reports and create a Green Office Certification Checklist for department use. The third and final phase of the initiative calls for City Hall to reduce paper waste by identifying an electronic document imaging solution and transition to electronic timesheets.
To learn how else Culver City is building a green community, visit the City’s green initiatives webpage. On the green initiatives webpage, local businesses and residents can also learn how to get involved and become green leaders in the community.
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