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
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Fairfield’s Sustainable CT Certification
About Sustainable CT
Fairfield “Green Survey”
Sustainable Fairfield Task Force
Follow SFTF on Facebook