Sustainability

What is ‘sustainability’? The 1987 Brundtland Report defined it as “meeting needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The City of Richfield is committed to building and supporting an environmentally conscious community. Over the years, there have been and continue to be a variety of green efforts, internally as well as for residents and businesses. On this page, you will find numerous environment-related resources including City staff and departments, local events and programs, and data on Richfield’s continued progress on sustainability goals and projects.

Climate Action Plan
On 10/13/2020, the City Council voted to approve the Climate Action Plan put together by staff with council, staff, and resident feedback. The CAP identifies 6 goals (Develop and Promote Energy Efficiency Efforts, Promote Renewable Energy Installation and Purchasing, Encourage Sustainable Design and Building Practices, Strengthen and Expand Natural Resource Management, Reduce Waste Generated, Improve Access to Local and Healthy Food) that encompass 80 actions. This plan will guide the City’s internal and external sustainability efforts over the next 5 years with progress to be annually reviewed by the Sustainability Commission.

 
Additional Richfield Resources:              
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What does the City's Sustainability Specialist do?
As Richfield's Sustainability Specialist, Rachel Lindholm works on a variety of projects including municipal waste reduction and education efforts, solar installations, EV fleet implementation, running the city's organics drop-off program, resident and business waste reduction and recycling efforts, energy efficiency efforts, landscaping standards and initiatives, green construction efforts, park projects (native plantings, recycling, etc), sustainability website creation and maintenance, improving the environmental footprint of events held within the City, connecting multiple departments on sustainability projects, acting as the staff liaison for the Sustainability Commission, interacting with local schools and businesses on environmental efforts, answering resident questions, and so much more.