What We Do

Sustainability Success Stories

Sustainable Lafayette’s core project has always been to publish informative and inspirational sustainability success stories on our web site and in our monthly newsletter about what residents, businesses, schools, and community organizations are doing to be reduce their environmental impact.

Community Education Initiatives

Workshops – We work with the Lafayette Library and Learning Center to host educational workshops at the Art & Science Discovery Center.

Green Film Nights – We help promote the Green Rheem Film Nights in Moraga (hosted by Generation Green) and in 2011 held a summer film series at the Lafayette Library with about 400 people attending.

Tip of the Month – Starting in September 2007, we began publishing a Tip of the Month in the Lafayette Today newspaper that provides tips on a specific sustainability topic, and customizes the tips for the unique challenges, opportunities, and resources in Lafayette.

Green Schools Initiatives

“Green Opportunities” Initiative – Strategic program with the Lafayette School Board and Superintendent to identify opportunities to save the district money on energy, water, and waste costs.  Working with PG&E, EBMUD, The Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority, and other agencies, to audit and analyze each campus and identify the best opportunities with the fastest payback.  This project was kicked off in Fall 2009 is expected to identify over $1 million in savings over the next ten years.

Lunch Recycling Initiative – Working to standardize how lunch time recycling is handled at all district schools.

Replacing Lawn with Natives Initiative – Working to identify unused lawn areas that can be converted to native plants.  Converted area in front of district office in October 2011.  Will save $1200 per year.

School “Green Team” Initiative – Identify green team representatives at each school, each school year, that can facilitate the exchange of ideas and best practices between schools and can work at a campus level on district wide projects.

Green Business & Recognition Initiatives

Chamber of Commerce Green Committee – Sustainable Lafayette has worked with the Lafayette Chamber to launch and lead a Chamber Green Committee that meets monthly and is actively pursuing ways to help local businesses adopt green practices.

Green Business Recognition Program – The Green Committee developed and launched a Lafayette Green Business Recognition Program that recognizes local businesses that have adopted a wide variety of green practices.  Businesses receive a “Lafayette Green Business” designation with a logo and window sticker that residents can recognize.

Green Awards Program – Sustainable Lafayette partners with the City of Lafayette every year to host the Lafayette Green Awards.  Sustainable Lafayette promotes the program, accepts nominations, and forwards them to the City’s Environmental Task Force for judging and awards.  Nominations are accepted in January and February for the prior year.  Winners are selected in March.  Awards are given in April.

Local Foods Initiatives

Lafayette Farmers’ Market – Sustainable Lafayette and the Local Foods Group provide community outreach for the market, helping to promote it, and acting as a liaison between the city, business community, and residents and the Contra Costa Certified Farmers’ Market that operates the market.

Lafayette Community Garden – A Lafayette Community Garden is being designed and planned by the Local Food Group.  As a follow-on to the Lafayette Library and Learning Center, the Community Garden will provide an outdoor space for the community to learn about nature, plants, wildlife, and growing food. View the Lafayette Community Garden website.

National Food Day - In October 2011 Sustainable Lafayette organized a community potluck at the Lafayette Community Center to help recognize and celebrate the first ever national Food Day.  National Food Day is like Earth Day, but about food.

Inspirational Events

Annual Earth Day Picnic & Festival – Sustainable Lafayette partners with the City of Lafayette and Chamber of Commerce to host an annual Earth Day Picnic to celebrate and recognize all of the efforts and progress by all the environmental groups across town.

Art & Wine Festival Green Zone – Sustainable Lafayette partners with the Chamber and Festival Green Sponsor to organize a Green Zone at the Festival each year.  In 2010,  the Green Zone was called “Tomorrowland” and featured over 50 green innovations, that are expected to become common by 2020, in a home-like exhibit that featured a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and yard of tomorrow as well as family transportation of tomorrow. In 2011, we organized a Green Transportation Zone which featured green vehicles such as a Nissan Leaf, scooters, bicycles and more.

Green Transportation Initiatives

GoLafayette – GoLafayette is a branded campaign and web site that provides tools, information, and special events to help residents utilize alternate and green transportation options – like riding a bike, walking, taking a bus, carpooling, etc.   The site was first launched on Earth Day 2012. Please visit: GoLafayette.

Other Misc. Initiatives

75% Waste Diversion – Sustainable Lafayette is working closely with the City of Lafayette, Chamber of Commerce, Waste Authority, and Lafayette School District to pursue the goal of achieving a 75% waste diversion rate.  This would mean that 75% of our total waste stream is being recycled.

Sustainable Landscaping – Sustainable Lafayette is working with Orchard Nursery and Mt. Diablo Nursery to help residents learn about and adopt sustainable gardening practices.  A special focus is on converting unused lawn areas to natives.

Open Space & Maps – Our Natural Resources Committee is working with the City of Lafayette to produce maps for enjoying and appreciating our open space areas and providing volunteer opportunities.