The Sustainable Fairfield Task Force (SFTF) aims to expand its ongoing outreach and education regarding sustainability and environmental preservation, and to encourage Town-wide involvement in activities designed to help Fairfield become a truly sustainable community.
Achievements to Date
- Developing the Town’s first-ever Sustainability Plan, followed by a series of forums to create awareness
- Securing Fairfield’s designation as a Silver-level Sustainable CT community
- Organizing an annual region-leading EV-focused “Green Wheels Expo”
- Conducting the first-ever Town-wide “Green Survey”
- Providing support for renewable energy projects: residential solar programs, EV charging stations, household energy audits, LED bulb giveaways
- Overseeing the annual Earth Day Celebration event
- Conducting tours of key Town sustainability facilities
- Developing a Town informational resource for household recycling
- Conducting forums on “tips” for household sustainability and environmentalism
- Overseeing initiatives to engage Fairfield citizens in key sustainability opportunities, e.g., home composting, home gardening, pollinator pathways, environmentally friendly mattress disposal, residential “Solarize” program
- Providing informational/educational resources on dedicated Town webpage
- Conducting ongoing media/social media outreach to inform our community
Challenges Ahead
- Crowded environment for cause-related messaging makes it difficult for local sustainability messaging to break through
- Keeping Fairfield’s citizens aware of increasingly critical environmental and sustainability issues and encouraging wider public involvement
- Maintaining alignment with Town bodies and Town officials to ensure an ongoing flow of consistent information and support of sustainability actions
- Creating and maintaining “feedback mechanisms” to better understand and respond to citizen concerns and interests re: sustainability
Benefits of Citizen Outreach & Education
- Building recognition of Town’s leadership in sustainability, with benefit for the Town’s reputation
- Enhancing community support for Town’s sustainability initiatives
- Encouraging citizen action to enhance household sustainability
2030 Plan Goals*
- Establish a Town-authored, quarterly media column focused on sustainability
- Promote specific sustainability and environmental quality initiatives
- Keep citizens fully updated on full range of steps/activities they can undertake
- Update and carry out two more “Green Surveys” by 2030
*Some goals are ambitious and may need more time to achieve target participation rates; others can be achieved sooner. Work on all goals should begin as soon as possible.
How Do We Reach Our Goals?
- Conduct biannual community “Solarize” initiative, building on prior projects
- Initiate annual Town workshop for residents focused on household sustainability
- Continued sponsorship of annual Green Wheels Expo
- Initiate program to recognize Town businesses with demonstrated sustainability actions
- Develop improved Web resources focusing on our sustainability mission, including core sustainability documents and standing sections for both timely news and “evergreen” content
- Initiate annual Town-wide newsletter updates to residents on sustainability issues and SFTF mission progress
- Regularly update the Town on significant sustainability initiatives, e.g., solar carports, EVs for Town fleet, electric school buses, via media outreach, Town e-mail list, Town website posts
- Build knowledge and engagement among Town’s youth via support for Sustainable Youth CT group and sustainability initiatives at Town schools
- Join forces with other CT municipalities via Sustainable Fairfield County, Clean Cities, EV Club of CT
- Establish Town-wide signage program highlighting key sustainability projects
- Conduct annual sponsored tour of sustainability projects/installations
- Curate annual, relevant exhibit at Museum/History Center, Main Public Library, Fairfield Farmer’s Market
- Highlight significant “sustainability business partners” in Fairfield Chamber of Commerce Directory
