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News and information from the City of Dunwoody Sustainability Committee
Have you considered a Heat Pump Water Heater?
A message from Dunwoody's Sustainability Committee (August 2024):
Heat pump water heaters could save you hundreds of dollars annually on your energy bills when switching from a traditional electric water heater. They’re also better for the environment than both conventional electric water heaters and gas water heaters.
In fact, switching to a heat pump water heater has around the same environmental impact as installing 6 solar panels on your home. Additionally, if you purchase a heat pump water heater, you could receive up to a combined total of $2,500 in federal tax credits and Georgia Power rebates.
ARC recertifies the City of Dunwoody as a Green Community
Dunwoody, GA – January 22, 2024 – The City of Dunwoody has achieved recertification as a Green Community at the Gold Level, the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) announces last week. ARC's Green Communities program is a voluntary certification program that helps local governments implement measures that will reduce their environmental impact. It recognizes their commitment to environmental stewardship and their leadership in sustainability practices.
Results of 2022 City of Dunwoody Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
In 2023, the City of Dunwoody’s Sustainability Committee and City staff conducted a free accounting of direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the City of Dunwoody’s government operations.
Taking an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions allows the City to ascertain the current level of its greenhouse gas emissions from government operations by sector, and then use the results to inform effective actions to reduce emissions. The City will be able to use the 2022 inventory as a benchmark against which to measure the impacts of future efforts to reduce emissions.
The inventory was conducted at no cost to the City by a group of students at George Mason University, under the leadership of Professor Joel Hicks. The group utilized a greenhouse gas inventory tool developed by Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), an international non-governmental organization that is a leader in promoting sustainable development.
The results of the inventory by category are shown below. Total greenhouse gas emissions in 2022 were estimated to be 1,766 metric tons CO2 equivalent. While a typical household uses 30 metric tons of CO2 annually, commercial buildings use much more. The inventory shows that the majority of the City’s greenhouse gas emissions come from electricity consumption by the City’s buildings and facilities, as well as from the consumption of gasoline by both the Police Department’s vehicle fleet (94 vehicles) and from the daily commutes of City employees.
The City will provide future notifications regarding efforts made to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with items contained in both the (1) Transportation & Air Quality and (2) Resource Efficiency pillars contained in the City of Dunwoody Sustainability Plan enacted in 2021. Such items include, but are not limited to:
- Requiring low emission standards to be among purchasing criteria for acquiring new City-owned vehicles
- Increasing the energy efficiency of existing buildings during renovations per the Green Building Policy
- Energy benchmarking to determine how the City’s buildings perform relative to their peers
- Conducting energy audits/retro-commissioning of appropriate facilities
- Supporting renewable energy programs and adopt its use in government operations
- Invest in a demonstration renewable energy project
The scope of the inventory did not include emissions from vehicles operated by third-party contractors, such as landscaping, road-paving, and permit contractors. Furthermore, solid waste facility emissions are the estimated emissions that occur at the Dekalb County landfill that are attributable to solid waste collected at City of Dunwoody-operated facilities.
Ways to Live Sustainably
- Join a River Cleanup with our partners at Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
- Check out recent water quality checks through our Neighborhood Water Watch
- Review how Dunwoody is improving by reviewing our Sustainability Plan
- Participate in our semi-annual Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and Electronics Recycling Events to keep those hazards out of landfills. Watch this website for dates and times.
- Participate in the annual Great Dunwoody Clean-up. Watch this website for dates and times.
- Upgrade to a smart thermostat and LED light bulbs, or better yet, consider a whole house improvement program, to save energy (and money!)
- Buy local produce at the Dunwoody Farmers Market. Eliminate food waste, and reduce meat consumption
- Reduce consumption of single-use plastics, and stay up-to-date on why and how to recycle
- Go pesticide-free, use native plants, and help create sustainable habitats for pollinators - Dunwoody is a Bee City
- Consider composting
Go deeper and find more ways to invest in our planet.
March: Native Plants Make A Colorful Impression Look Easy
Beautiful gardens can be easy to maintain as they attract butterflies, bees, beetles, and birds. How? By selecting native, perennial plants that evolved in Georgia’s climate and ecosystem you’ll have great odds of success. Plant-A-Flower Day in March is a perfect day visit to the website of Georgia Native Plant Society for your next garden addition that should match your level of sun and soil moisture. Make a sustainable choice by shopping Ace Hardware’s native plant section. And visit the Dunwoody Community Garden and Orchard’s native plant sale and free classes. Let’s get diggin’ Dunwoody!
December: Greening the Season
- Offer tickets to a movie, concert, or play
- Support your favorite restaurant by sharing a gift card
- Walk a friend or neighbor’s dog or offer to pet sit
- Refresh fond memories by digitally converting videotapes and photographs
- Share a park pass to the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area or Georgia State Parks
- Buy a membership to the Dunwoody Nature Center or Atlanta Botanical Gardens
November: America Recycles Day
You can celebrate this day by forming new habits.
- Drop off your glass recycling at Brook Run Park near the baseball complex. It’s easy and no longer sorted by color.
- Separate your other recycling using a Dekalb County Sanitation blue bin. Click on the link below to ensure you are recycling the appropriate items.
- If you live in a multi-family complex that doesn’t offer recycling, contact your board and encourage recycling options.
- Separate your e-waste and household hazardous waste for Dunwoody's biannual recycling events.
Dive deeper on the Dekalb County and Georgia Recycles websites listed below:
https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/sanitation/why-how-recycle
https://www.georgiarecycles.org/
You can also reduce waste and help the environment by avoiding single use plastics/paper and choosing more sustainable alternatives instead. Buying products that use recycled materials is another important way to participate in recycling. This is easy to do with paper and aluminum packaged products.
October: World Food Day
While World Food Day’s goal is to solve world hunger, observing sustainable dining practices and trying your best to not waste food are just some of the practical ways to celebrate World Food Day and reduce impact on the planet.
What you can do?
- Take advantage of wonderful, local food at the Dunwoody Farmers Market on Saturdays (9 a.m. to 12 p.m.) at Brook Run Park.
- Eliminate food waste - plan ahead, buy what you need and eat leftovers
- Reuse mature fruit in smoothies and desserts
Dig deeper using these links:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
September: World Water Monitoring Day
Planning a renovation? Use residential bathroom plumbing fixtures that meet EPA WaterSense or higher efficiency standards - available at your local home supply store.
Washing your car? Use a hose nozzle, or even better, use a local car wash facility that recycles water.
Brushing your teeth? Turn off the water when not actively rinsing.
Doing the dishes? Wipe off any oil residue, then let your dishwasher wash. Most prewashing wastes water, energy & time.
You can support this effort locally by joining the Sustainability Committee's Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Dunwoody Stream monitoring program. Email us at sustainabilitycommittee@dunwoodyga.gov for more information. Another great way is to participate in Dunwoody's household hazardous waste recycling.
To dive deeper - explore the following:
July: LED light bulbs
- Use up to 90% less energy than standard bulbs
- Last at least 15 times longer than standard bulbs
- Generate significantly less heat (70-90%) than standard bulbs for safer operation and reduced energy costs associated with home cooling
- Will pay for themselves in 1-2 years and continue to save you money for many more years to come!
You can take advantage of instant rebates offered through the Georgia Power Marketplace for even more savings!
June: Embrace World Environment Day
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) annually organizes events for World Environment Day, which encourages worldwide awareness and action for the protection of the environment. It is celebrated in over 100 countries.
The theme for World Environment Day 2021 is “Ecosystem Restoration”. Ecosystem restoration can take many forms.
Things you can do in Dunwoody include:
- Make a splash with a new birdbath and plan to refresh the water twice weekly.
- Shop the Dunwoody Farmers Market at Brook Run Park and buy local items to support our local economy.
- Visit the Dunwoody Community Garden & Orchard in Brook Run Park and shop for native plants (see more at DCGO.org).
- Plant native trees by hosting a tree planting party at your house and sending a seedling home with guests to plant at their house (ideas and further links can be found by clicking here).
- Plant flowers to attract pollinators (see more at https://beedunwoody.org/).
- Throw a birthday/nature celebration party. Kids can plant flowers in pots – all you need are pots, soil, flower seeds or flowers, gloves, and small shovels. Create a dirt cake / cupcake to keep with the theme
- Pick up trash on your walks around Dunwoody, your morning walks on a beach vacation, or at Brook Run Park.
- Go on a nature walk at Dunwoody Nature Center - check out the green roof while you are there (https://dunwoodynature.org/).
This World Environment Day, join #GenerationRestoration to revive and protect our ecosystems. Reset your relationship with nature. #DunwoodySustainability
Dunwoody City Council adopts new Sustainability Plan
Dunwoody, GA – May 26, 2021 – The Dunwoody City Council gave unanimous approval this week to a new Sustainability Plan prepared by the City’s Sustainability Committee. The new plan streamlines the 2014 version and updates the City’s vision of sustainability for the community.
May: FIVE reasons to opt for a rake instead of a leaf blower
- Gas-powered leaf blowers emit fumes and create constant vibration.
- The sound emitted carries further than other power tools and can be readily measured at 800 feet with decibel levels in the 50s.
- Running a gas-powered leaf blower for 30 minutes can create more emissions than driving a F-150 pickup truck 3,800 miles.
- Leaf blowers can blast air at up to 185 mph, whipping up hazardous particles from the ground.
- Time spent raking or sweeping provides significant health benefits.