WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

The purpose of the Sustainable and Green Procurement Policy is to encourage the purchase and use of goods and services that best align with the city’s fiscal, environmental, social equity, economic growth, and community enhancement goals. The policy stems from the provisions of the Mayor’s Order #2011-4: For the Establishment of a Green Government. 

This policy encourages the purchase of environmentally preferable products that reduce the overall negative impact on the environment. To this end, the policy promotes the purchasing of recycled materials and other environmentally preferable goods and services that protect human and natural resources, prevent pollution, reduce waste, conserve resources, and support environmental sustainability.

As local government employees, we are faced daily with the reality that many of the products we buy can cause damage to the environment and/or public health. By purchasing EPPs we look to reduce those impacts, some of which can be severe. 

By purchasing EPPs that are:

• Made with a percentage of post-consumer recycled content instead of pure virgin products, we reduce the need to extract raw materials, such as petroleum, trees or metals, and in general use less energy and water.
• Manufactured using fewer toxic ingredients, we minimize the hazardous impacts of those products during the manufacturing process (e.g. water/air pollution) as well as reduce the damage caused through accidental spills and improper disposal. We also reduce the risk to workers handling the products, and the risks posed to building occupants when the product is in use. 
• Energy efficient, we help to limit energy consumption, which in turn lowers our emissions of carbon dioxide (a primary greenhouse gas) and other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (which causes acid rain). 

The purchasing decisions we make effect our local environment and the health of our employees and residents as well as the global community.  

For more information contact:

Procurement Services
900 E. Broad Street, Room 1104
Richmond, VA 23219

804-646-5716

THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2012

Mayor Dwight C. Jones invited residents and commuters to join him biking to work, May 18, 2012. Commuters gathered at Monroe Park at 7 a.m. a Bike To Work Day rally. Joining the mayor were members of his Pedestrian, Bicycling, and Trails Commission and cyclists from around the area who were participating in the 2012 City of Richmond Bicycle Commuter Challenge. After the rally, the group left for City Hall.

Commuter convoys met at the several locations to join the rally at Monroe Park, departing from Ellwood Thompson's, Tricycle Gardens, Forest Hill Park, Bryan Park, Plant Zero, and the Laurel Park Shopping Center.

FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

Spring is the perfect time to start a vegetable garden. Tomatoes, summer squash, okra, peppers, cucumbers and bush beans are delicious additions to any summertime plate, and always taste better fresh from the garden!

Recognizing the value of urban agriculture, the City of Richmond established the Community Garden Program called "Richmond Grows Gardens" to promote the development of community gardens throughout the city. Community gardens build and strengthen the community, provide economic benefits, increase social equity and promote environmental stewardship. 

By providing access to affordable, nutritional foods, community gardening is among the most practical approaches to preventing and reducing obesity and associated diseases. Under the City's program, community gardens are created and maintained by Garden Groups and citizens. This helps the City decrease its operation and maintenance costs. Turning vacant lots into attractive gardens can also help neighborhoods more effectively attract and retain residents and businesses.

Urban agriculture improves the quality of life for urban residents by creating green spaces and enhancing the connections between garden participants. Community gardens can also provide environmental benefits including managing stormwater runoff by capturing and filtering water in the urban environment.

For more information or to start a garden of your own, visit the Community Gardens website.

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2012

The Green Infrastructure Center (GIC) helps communities, like Richmond, develop strategies for protecting and conserving ecological and cultural assets. Recently the GIC released the Bellemeade Walkable Watershed Report for the southside neighborhood of Bellemeade.

This neighborhood resides within the Bellemeade Creek watershed that flows into the James River and eventually the Chesapeake Bay. The watershed, like many urban watersheds around the country, is inundated with polluted runoff from yards, streets and parking lots. In order to protect the neighborhood watershed, and the James River and Chesapeake Bay, the City of Richmond prioritized this area for improvements.

The GIC held two community workshops to gather information and identify opportunities to infiltrate and clean rainwater, while simultaneously providing neighborhood amenities such as trails, trees and park enhancements. More information about the project is available here.

The Bellemeade Walkable Watershed is a part of a larger project to assess the city of Richmond's green infrastructure, this project was completed in 2010. To learn more, click here.

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

RVAgreen Sustainability Plan
The Sustainability Plan is part of Mayor Jones’ Green Richmond Initiative, created to support the city’s sustainability goals. These goals are to improve the quality of life for residents, create a healthy environment and enhance economic opportunity in the city. The five focus areas of the plan are economic development, energy, environment, open space and land use, and transportation.

The City enlisted many groups and stakeholders in the development of the plan and hosted two community-wide workshops to gain input and insight into its implementation.

Build a Barrel – Save the Bay:
The city’s Department of Public Utilities (DPU) Stormwater Division partnered with Richmond Public Schools to educate students about storm water pollution. The Build a Barrel–Save the Bay project was targeted to elementary school students to provide each science classroom a rain barrel to construct and decorate. The Virginia Partnership for Meaningful Watershed Education awarded a grant to purchase the rain barrels and rain barrel kits for all 5th grade elementary school classes and for an additional 9 middle schools.

The Build a Barrel–Save the Bay Rain Barrel Project was a teaching tool for several areas of instruction. The rain barrel project was the beginning of science lessons on water conservation, watersheds, the impact of pollution and current laws and regulation on storm water runoff. Volunteers judged the decorated rain barrels and the top six were announced April 24, 2012 at the Science Museum of Virginia.

17th Street Farmers’ Market

The market opened for another exciting season filled with festivals, special events, and of course – fresh vegetables, meats, and baked goods! The 17th Street Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays and Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. – from April to November. For more information on the market, visit www.RichmondGov.com/farmersmarket.