The Climate Connection - Your Connection to Sustainability Happenings in Orange County

The official start of Spring is almost here!  As we look forward to celebrating a season that represents new growth, we also look forward to new opportunities to grow Sustainability in Orange County. Good stuff is happening with climate action in Orange County which we are highlighting in this edition of the Climate Connection.  Read on to learn about Climate Action planning now underway, plus ways you can participate in the process. We also welcome Bladen, our UNC-Chapel Hill Eco-Studio intern who is helping with outreach and education, including writing some of the articles in this newsletter!  

We Welcome Our Eco-Studio Intern!

Hey everybody! My name is Bladen Currier, and I am a sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill studying Environmental Sustainability and Urban Planning. Using what I learn at UNC, I hope to one day be a crucial part of the efforts to make our cities greener. For now, I am enjoying opportunities such as my internship with Orange County's Sustainability Program to learn more about the environment and put my knowledge in action. I am so excited to be a part of this team, and to see how Orange County succeeds with the Climate Action Plan. I hope you all are too!

Climate Action Planning is Underway!

Orange County has set a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2050 to address the climate crisis. We have begun a climate action planning process that will identify and prioritize the strategies we need to take to make this goal a reality. 

Climate change needs all of us working together which is why we need YOUR help! A survey, and three on-line (Zoom) focus group sessions have been created for the community to weigh in on strategies and partnerships that will help us tackle climate change. 

What climate action strategies do you feel need to be focused on? Do you have any great ideas? We want to hear what is important to you. Take this quick and easy 5 minute Climate Action Plan Survey and/or sign up to attend one of our focus group sessions to Let Your Voice Be Heard!

• Community Focus Group: Business Community March 14 at 9:30 am via Zoom. Pre-registration is required by visiting this link.
• Community Focus Group: Non-Profits and Community Groups
  March 15 at 1:00 pm via Zoom. Pre-registration is required by visiting this link.
• Community Focus Group: Student Voices from UNC-Chapel Hill and Durham Tech
  March 23 at 1:00 pm via Zoom. Pre-registration is required by visiting this link.

Community Climate Action Grant

Since 2019, Orange County has been running a Community Climate Action Grant Program to fund projects aimed at climate action. The project eligibility and scoring guidelines ensure projects make a positive impact on Orange County residents and emphasize social justice and racial equity.  Other considerations include reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing and diversifying economic opportunities, among other criteria. Many impactful projects have been completed with the help of the grant and we are excited to feature them in this newsletter.

Updates for the next round of grant funding will be available on our Community Climate Action Grant webpage this Spring. 

Spotlight On Community Climate Action Grant Awardee-Town of Chapel Hill

Each Climate Connection newsletter will spotlight at least one grant awardee to showcase the awesome climate work that is being done in our community with the help of this grant program.  This quarter, Bladen talked with Town of Chapel Hill staff to get the low down on the Cedar Falls Park Project in Chapel Hill. 

Hi everyone, Bladen here. The Cedar Falls Park Project in Chapel Hill received grant funds to convert energy intensive lights to LED lights. They also installed environmentally friendly, recycled turf on their athletic fields. The numbers tell the story of the positive effects this project will have: 48 metal halide light fixtures were replaced with 40 LED fixtures. The LEDs will save more than $97,150 in utility costs over their useful life (25 years), as well as saving an astounding 28,230 pounds of GHG emissions per year, which comes to about 320 metric tons over the 25-year lifetime of the system. As for the turf, it is made of recycled material that created a natural field experience. Benefits include easy upkeep, with no need for irrigation, replenishment, or mowing, it is durable, and it offers a cooling effect. The light fixtures will need to be replaced less often as well, which will reduce overall maintenance needs at the park. 

Spring Sustainability Swaps

There are many actions individuals can take to reduce greenhouse gasses, conserve energy, water, and more. Turn over a new leaf this spring by following our guide of 10 Sustainable tips to try:

1.  LED lights are available for typical house lighting systems and are affordable. Check out this webpage to get started on replacing your home’s lights: Climate Solutions: LED Lightbulb Replacement at Home | Sustainability. I mean, who wouldn't want to save money and energy at the same time?

2.  As the weather gets warmer, think about other ways to get to school, activities, and work. Consider walking or biking to your destination. Keeping your body active is a great way to stay physically healthy, and being outside is always good for your mental health. When the distance is too far or the weather is bad, look up your town's bus system and see if you can get to your destination that way. Public Transportation helps decrease the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted from drivers. If none of these are possible, carpool with a friend! 

3. In the fall edition of this newsletter, we gave you several options to think about in your yard. This spring, consider electric options for weed cutting and mowing if you need to do yard work. Electric options help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

4. Try recycling your old t-shirts.  They make great reusable bags! Stop by the Orange County library in Hillsborough for directions on how to do an easy, no sew bag or check out this link. This is a great way to reduce plastic bag use.  Use your homemade bag for groceries, books or anything else you need to carry!

5. Warmer weather equals sweating, especially if you take our advice and walk or bike! Taking a nice shower to clean up is great, but they use a lot of water. Consider switching your shower head to a low-flow one so that you don't waste as much water. Also, consider switching to zero waste soap bars instead of using plastic bottled soap. 

6. If you aren't much of a soap bar type of person, get yourself some refillable soap bottles by exploring a refill store near you. Reduce your grocery shopping waste by refilling your containers over and over, and only taking what you need. Refill stores are the new exciting way to shop sustainably. Check out this North Carolina Zero Waste Grocery Guide for where to shop. 

7. Consider composting your food and packaging waste (which we hope you won’t have!) You can compost at home, or you can send your waste to one of Orange Counties many sites. We encourage you to check out which sites may be near you, and what the accepted items are. You may be surprised that it's more than you think.

8. As a new season approaches, buying new outfits is irresistible. A reminder from the fall edition of this newsletter… Thrift your clothes! There are many second hand stores in Orange County that are worth checking out. They also have way more than clothes. You can find furniture, cookware, books, decorations, and more. If you can, revamp your current clothes with a makeover. Whether you cut old clothes to a shape you would more likely wear, or sew on some additions, re-using old clothes is a great way to reduce fashion waste. The best thing you can do is to buy less. If you can, challenge yourself to use what you already have! 

9. Go solar for the summer! The sun will be out for longer periods during the day very soon. Get a head start to summer solar and start thinking about putting solar panels on your house. The energy and financial savings are definitely worth giving it a shot! If you need a place to start you can scroll down for more information on Solarize the Triangle. 

10. As the sun shines during the day, consider opening your curtains and turning off your lights. Sunlight is beautiful and offers a natural, bright alternative to your energy intensive indoor lights. The upcoming sunny spring and summer days are a great chance to start saving on your energy bills while saving energy at the same time. 

Earth Evening is Coming

Don’t miss our annual Earth Evening celebration focusing on how we can reduce our footprints, be more sustainable and protect our precious natural resources.  This family friendly event will be held on April 28 from 6-8pm and will feature a host of fun and informative educational booths focused on our environment.  Please stop by the Orange County Sustainability programs table to learn about our Climate Action Plan and to Let Your Voice Be Heard!

• When: April 28th, 6-8pm

• Where: Hillsborough Farmers Market

Contact Us:

Questions about our Sustainability Programs? Want to Volunteer?  Contact us at:

Amy Eckberg
Orange County
Sustainability Programs Manager
aeckberg@orangecountync.gov
919-245-2626