Building on a communications foundation that has been meaningfully enhanced in recent years, the Sustainable Fairfield Task Force (SFTF) intends to extend its outreach and education efforts regarding sustainability and environmental preservation. SFTF will encourage even greater, more equitable 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
- Supporting Fairfield’s designation as a Silver-level Sustainable CT community
- Organizing annual events to maintain awareness of electric vehicles
- Conducting the first-ever Town-wide “Green Survey”
- Providing support for renewable energy projects: residential solar, “HeatSmart” home energy efficiency project, residential heat pumps, EV charging stations, household energy audits
- Overseeing annual Earth Day Celebration event
- Developing a Town informational resource for household recycling
- Conducting forums on “tips” for household sustainability and environmentalism
- Overseeing initiatives to engage Fairfield citizens in sustainability activities, e.g., home composting, more effective glass recycling, home gardening, Pollinator Pathways, environmentally friendly mattress disposal program, “CT Rides” shared transportation initiative, etc.
- Providing support for sustainability activities in Fairfield’s school system, e.g., “Green Teams”
- Providing informational/educational resources on Town webpage, dedicated “Sustainable Fairfield” webpage
- Conducting ongoing media/social media outreach to inform our community, including active Facebook/Instagram outreach, use of First Selectwoman’s bimonthly Town newsletter
- Creating/distributing bi-monthly, dedicated Sustainable Fairfield newsletter
Challenges Ahead
- As climate change impacts become more evident, sustainability and environmental issues are becoming more acute, it is increasingly critical to keep Fairfield’s citizens aware of those issues and continue to promote actions that can make a difference if executed at scale
- Need to maintain ongoing alignment with Town bodies, Town officials and affiliated interest groups to ensure that the most urgent issues and initiatives are consistently brought to the broad attention of the Town
- Need to continue responding effectively to citizen interests re: sustainability and connect with a wider range of audience members via social media outlets, especially in communities not specifically focused on sustainability or environmental issues
- Need to expand our methods of outreach with communities that are often excluded from the sustainability discussion, for example, low- and moderate-income households, individuals with disabilities, young and elderly populations, among others, and invite them into the discussion
Benefits of Citizen Outreach and Education
- Building recognition of the Town’s leadership in sustainability, with benefit for the Town’s reputation
- Enhancing community support for the Town’s sustainability initiatives
- Encouraging citizen action to enhance household sustainability
- Giving opportunities to citizens and local groups to be involved with sustainability initiatives, e.g., composting, energy efficiency, first-hand, via our social media and outreach
- Ensuring SFTF’s programs are benefiting Fairfield’s residents in an equitable manner by engaging with residents from diverse backgrounds and situations
2030 Plan Goals
- Continue promoting specific sustainability and environmental quality initiatives launched by Town, local organizations and businesses
- Continue fully updating citizens on full range of activities they can undertake, with emphasis on practical steps that can make a difference at the individual/household level
- Strengthen our communications channels to reach more residents/key constituents with more information/guidance/education
How Do We Reach Our Goals?
- Explore ways to create two-way communication/feedback mechanism with Town residents to share perspectives on issues/concerns, e.g., Q&A feature on “Sustainable Fairfield” or in SFTF newsletter
- Repeat the previously conducted Fairfield “Green Survey” of residents
- Building on “Sustainable Fairfield” webpage, develop improved web resources focusing on our sustainability mission, including core sustainability documents, standing sections for both timely news and “evergreen” content
- Continue regularly updating the Town on significant sustainability initiatives, e.g., community solar, EVs for Town fleet, electric school buses, enhanced recycling/composting, via social media outreach, SFTF newsletter
- Continue building knowledge and engagement among Town’s youth via support for Sustainable Fairfield Students group, “Green Teams,” sustainability initiatives at Town schools
- Maintain contact with other CT municipalities via Sustainable Fairfield County, Clean Cities
- Maintain liaison with other affiliated Town bodies, e.g., Bike-Ped, Forestry, Conservation
- Maintain presence at Town “gatherings” including farmer’s markets, Earth Day Celebration, Sand Jam
- Increase engagement with various religious and community groups to reach a wider audience