February 19th, 2009 · No Comments

By Harriet Blake

Plano, Texas, a sprawling suburb north of Dallas known for its fine homes, strong schools and high ambitions, is carving out a new facet of its reputation, that of the greenest city in North Texas.

Two years ago, the city of 260,000 introduced Live Green in Plano, a sustainability initiative that encourages its citizens to be good stewards of the environment. “We’re setting the standard in Texas, with our scope of programs and services offered,” says spokesperson Melinda Haggerty.

Under the program, the city has expanded its recycling to reach beyond where most Texas towns go: Plano picks up paper, glass, aluminum and organic scraps from residences and restaurants. It turns the food waste into compost and sells it back to residents at reasonable rates.

The organic waste collection closes a loop in the food chain that helps Plano tamp down landfill waste and return something of value to citizens.

But the city doesn’t stop there. It offers a rebate to residents who improve their home landscapes and reduce water consumption at the same time. Plano residents can earn up to $200 by following the requirements of the YardWise Landscape Beautification Rebate. After enrolling in the program, they must:

1. Attend all four YardWise education classes.
2. Submit the rebate application and photos of the property from before and after the improvement.
3. Show copies of receipts for materials used in the new landscape.

Plano’s sustainability experts recommend that residents planning to make their landscape more sustainable consult horticulture experts to find native, drought-tolerant plants. One web resource they recommend is the Texas Smartscape, a site developed by the North Central Texas Council of Governments to help gardeners find hardy, native plants.

The Live Green in Plano program is sponsored by the city’s Sustainability Department and offers a wide range of green tips as well as promoting a number of community earth-friendly events, says Haggerty. Some of these include: a recent sustainable home improvement seminar; a four-week series of energy efficient workshops co-sponsored by Elliott’s Hardware Store; a home energy efficiency seminar Feb. 21 and a lecture on “10 Steps to a Greener House” on March 5.

Some of the Live Green programs are open to non-Plano residents, says Haggerty. One of these is electronic recycling. “Anyone can participate in electronic recycling which takes place twice a month — on the 1st and third Saturday of every month,” she says. “We work with a recycling vendor who monitors the e-waste and allows us to track where it’s going.” The city’s extra effort helps assure that the electronics don’t end up in a developing country with lax regulations for toxic chemical disposal, a problem that’s arisen in recent years as cities heave off increasingly large mounds of obsolete electronics.

The city also has started a “Material Exchange,” where residents can list items they’re wanting to jettison, in hopes of finding someone who can use the used stuff.  The program lists only items for giveaway and involves non-profits. It claims that it has helped divert 14 tons of material from landfills.

And on April 18, it will again host the Live Green Expo, a gathering of green vendors and home improvement businesses, at the Plano Centre.

Living green means creating a community in which residents conserve resources, minimize waste and reduce toxic products and materials, Haggerty says. Then residents can reap the rewards of healthier ecosystems, smaller utility bills and more environmentally friendly spaces.

The city further defines “sustainability” as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Copyright © 2009 | Distributed by Noofangle Media