Bravo to our Zero Waste Team who volunteered this weekend at Westport Rotary’s LobsterFest. Together, we helped divert 1,000 POUNDS of food from our waste stream! Special shout out to members of the Staples Players for volunteering with energy and enthusiasm to help us reduce waste and encourage sustainable practices in our community.

This is the second year that Sustainable Westport has partnered with the Westport Rotary LobsterFest to implement eco-friendly event practices. We applaud their commitment to making LobsterFest both successful and more sustainable. Wondering how you can make your next at-home event more sustainable? Check out the Sustainable Hospitality Guide on our website.

The Sustainable Westport Zero Food Waste Team will be volunteering at the Westport Rotary LobsterFest at Compo Beach on Saturday, September 21, 2024, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. Learn more and purchase tickets to Lobsterfest here.

Help us make Lobsterfest a Zero-Waste event! 🦞🍽️ We’re looking for volunteers leading up to and onsite during the event to help prepare and run our Zero Waste Stations.

💚 Food Scrap Sorting Leaders Needed: If you are knowledgeable about food scrap collection and want to lead by example, we need your expertise to help train our onsite volunteers in sorting waste effectively.

💚General Volunteers: From assisting with preparing materials before the event to engaging attendees with waste disposal tips onsite, there are several opportunities to jump in and help reduce waste and contribute to making Lobsterfest a truly sustainable event. No experience necessary!

📧 Interested in Volunteering? Email zerowaste@sustainablewestport.org to sign up and coordinate your shifts. 

Sustainable Westport recently hosted “Walkable Westport,” an evening conversation designed to encourage our community to consider short and long-term opportunities to transform Westport into a more walkable, bike-friendly, and sustainable community. The gathering brought together residents, organizations, and renowned urban planner Jeff Speck to discuss the importance of walkability and its positive impact on the economy, environment, and overall quality of life. The event was a resounding success, leaving nearly 200 residents not just inspired but also feeling a part of a larger movement, motivated to help shape the future of Westport.

Sustainable Westport Co-Directors, Gately Ross and Johanna Martell opened the event by expressing their gratitude to the attendees and sponsors who made the evening possible. In her opening remarks, Martell shared, “We believe that creating a more walkable Westport is key to fostering a sustainable and economically vibrant environment. It’s about making small changes and big commitments that will benefit us all in the long run.”

The highlight of the evening was Jeff Speck’s insightful keynote address, which highlighted not only his personal experience in urban planning but also his learnings from various economists, environmentalists, and epidemiologists, who all advocate for walkability from various perspectives. As Jeff explained, “Changing all your lightbulbs to energy savers saves as much energy in a year as moving to a walkable neighborhood saves in a week. Location efficiency plays a pivotal role in reducing our carbon footprint and creating a greener future.”

In his presentation, Jeff explored how parking, vehicle size, speed limits, the environment, the number of lanes, and the width of our city blocks and roads impact walkability and safety. 

As Jeff explained, “It’s not enough to rely solely on electric cars or individual efforts. We must embrace a collective change in mindset and design our communities to prioritize walkability. Together, we can create a more sustainable and vibrant Westport.”

The morning after the community event, a small group of local officials including the First Selectwoman and members of the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee (DPIC) met with Speck and Sustainable Westport to discuss some of the ideas included in Jeff’s presentation. During the workshop, Speck reiterated the importance of a comprehensive master plan that addresses parking policy and strategy alongside riverfront redesign and other development efforts.

On the heels of Jeff’s visit, Sustainable Westport urges residents to continue the conversation by actively contributing to the vision of a walkable Westport:

• If you were inspired by Jeff’s ideas, including his design of Parker Harding, speak up and share your opinion by emailing the RTM (RTM-DL@Westportct.gov), the Planning and Zoning Commission (PandZ@Westportct.gov), and our First Selectwoman Jen Tooker (JTooker@Westportct.gov).  
• If you want to address traffic and safety issues, Ms. Tooker has a survey on her office’s website or email the head of the Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Task Force, Tom Kiely (Tkiely@westportct.gov).
• If you have other ideas about the downtown redevelopment, including the incorporation of parking structures, please share your feedback with the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee (DPIC) here and be on the lookout for opportunities to participate and share your voice at upcoming DPIC public forums (dates to be announced).

More about Jeff Speck: Jeff Speck is a city planner and author who advocates internationally for more walkable cities. As Director of Design at the National Endowment for the Arts from 2003 through 2007, he presided over the Mayors’ Institute on City Design and created the Governors’ Institute on Community Design. Prior to his federal appointment, Mr. Speck spent ten years as Director of Town Planning at DPZ & Co., the principal firm behind the New Urbanism movement. Since 2007, he has led Speck & Associates — now Speck Dempsey —an award-winning urban planning firm serving public and private clients around the world.

With Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Mr. Speck is the co-author of Suburban Nation, which the Wall Street Journal calls “the urbanist’s bible.” His 2012 book Walkable City was the best-selling city planning title of the past decade and has been translated into eight languages. He is also the principal author of The Smart Growth Manual and Walkable City Rules.

Jeff Speck has been named a fellow of both the American Institute of Certified Planners and the Congress for New Urbanism. In a recent Planetizen poll, he was voted one of the ten “most influential urbanists of all time.” Mr. Speck was the 2022 recipient of the Seaside Prize, whose former awardees include Jane Jacobs and Christopher Alexander. His TED talks and YouTube videos have been viewed more than six million times.

Last weekend, Sustainable Westport joined forces with Earthplace and Boy Scout Group 36 to bring a Free Mattress/Box Spring Recycling Event to Westport. In total, we saved 78 mattresses and box springs from ending up in landfills or incinerators. Outstanding! 

Thanks to our partnership with Bye Bye Mattress, at least 75% of the materials collected will be recycled into new products. Wood is recycled and used as a fuel source or shredded to produce landscaping mulch. Foam, fiber, and other soft commodities are compressed and turned

into carpet underlayment or animal bed padding. Metal and box springs are extracted and sent to recyclers to make new appliances and building materials. This achievement demonstrates our community’s commitment to reducing waste and preserving our natural resources.

We extend a heartfelt thank you to Boy Scout Troop 36, who helped promote this opportunity to reduce waste, worked diligently to pick up mattresses from community members, and loaded the trucks to be sent off for recycling!

If you missed the recycling event, don’t worry! You can still recycle your mattress or box spring at any time. Simply give Park City Green a call ahead of time to arrange drop-off:

Park City Green
459 Iranistan Ave
Bridgeport, CT 06604
Phone: 203-212-3858

Join us for “Walkable Westport” on Tuesday, June 4, at the Bedford Middle School Auditorium. 

6:00 – 6:30 p.m. Welcome Reception

6:30 p.m. Lecture

Sustainable Westport, along with several community partners, is excited to bring world-renowned Urban Planner and Author Jeff Speck to Westport for an evening of education, inspiration, and dialogue. Jeff will share his perspective on how Westport could be more walkable, bikeable, and environmentally and economically sustainable. Drawing from his extensive experience and firsthand observations of Westport, he will provide recommendations on short and long-term opportunities to not only reduce traffic but create a safe environment for pedestrians and cyclists. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with your neighbors and contribute to the future of Westport.

WHO IS JEFF SPECK?

Jeff has dedicated his career to advocating for and implementing sustainable urban design practices across the country. He is the author of Walkable City, a best-selling city-planning title, and the co-author of Suburban Nation, which the Wall Street Journal calls “the urbanist’s bible.” His TED Talks “The Walkable City” and “4 Ways to Make a City More Walkable” have been viewed millions of times. Jeff did a similar, incredibly well-received presentation this year in New Canaan.

We are looking forward to bringing Jeff’s expertise to Westport!

Americans discard an estimated 20 million mattresses and box springs annually, with approximately 55,000 of them ending up in incinerators and landfills each day. Sustainable Westport, in partnership with Earthplace, is addressing this waste issue by hosting a FREE BI-ANNUAL mattress/box spring recycling event on Saturday, May 18, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Earthplace, 10 Woodside Ln, Westport, CT 06880.

Did you know that up to 90% of old mattresses can be recycled into new products such as carpet pads, exercise equipment cushioning, bike seats, insulation, air filters, and steel materials? By participating in this event, you can contribute to the zero-waste solution and help divert mattresses and box springs from the landfill.

Bring your dry and unsoiled mattress and/or box spring to Earthplace during the designated time frame. In case you are unable to transport your mattress or box spring, Westport’s Boy Scout Troop 36 will provide a pickup service for a small donation. Sign up here.

The free mattress/box spring recycling event is proudly organized by Sustainable Westport, Earthplace, and supported by Bye Bye Mattress. We would like to extend our gratitude to Westport Boy Scout Troop 36 for their assistance.

The Town of Westport is pleased to announce The Westport Green Building Award for Achievement in Sustainable Design and Construction to a Saugatuck Shores home damaged by a tornado in 2020 and rebuilt for resilience and sustainability.

Project Lead: Patricia M. Miller Residential Design, LLC

Builder: Marc & Joseph Fuscaldo, Fuscaldo Builders

Smart Home Design: Barry Reiner, InnerSpace Electronics

The Westport Green Building Award for Achievement in Sustainable Design and Construction recognizes residential and commercial projects that make, or have made, significant contributions to sustainability and Westport’s future as a Net Zero Community. This award is a collaboration between the Town of Westport and Sustainable Westport and it acknowledges noteworthy accomplishments that add benefit to the Westport community. This winner is a stellar example of what is possible with sustainable design and construction in a residential project.

The original dwelling was built in 1968. When an EF1 tornado hit in 2020 during Tropical Storm Isais, it was fortunate the home was vacant, and no injuries were sustained. The home, however, had the roof torn off and the second floor’s supporting wall structure blown 30-50 ft away. This devastation allowed the home to be rebuilt sustainably within the original building footprint. 

The renovation is now designed for resiliency to sustain future weather events. Flood vents have been added to the lower level, and the building mechanical and electrical systems have been moved above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) for FEMA compliance. Glass windows facing the sound feature hurricane-impact glass and are tempered on the inside and laminated on the outside.

The building envelope consists of Boral siding composed of recycled polymer & fly-ash. The fly-ash is a byproduct of coal-combustion power generation that has typically been sent to landfills. Windows and doors are energy efficient. Spray foam insulation provides thermal resistance beyond code requirements. The efficient exterior envelope reduces heating and cooling demands on the home, as well as the size of the heating and cooling equipment.

The Tesla roof generates electricity with glass photovoltaic tiles and supplies 43% of the home’s power consumption. Batteries are installed utilizing 4 Tesla power storage walls to optimize the management of surplus clean energy produced. The house participates in Connected Solutions through the Tesla Virtual Power Plant, where Tesla takes stored energy to meet Eversource’s peak grid demands in the summer months.

The building control system integrates LED lighting, shades, and the heating and cooling system. Combining these systems under one control platform allows for synergies to utilize the windows to provide natural lighting and/or passive heating to reduce energy consumption.

All appliances are Energy Star rated. These appliances meet energy efficiency standards set by the US Environmental Protection Agency or US Department of Energy.

A rain garden hosts indigenous plants and receives water gathered from the roof and directed to the garden through a gutter and leader system. A rain cistern is integrated to part of the roof drainage system and provides water for plants.

To learn more about what you can do to make your home more sustainable, refer to the Sustainable Westport Green Building Awards website page.

FREE HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION 

Saturday, April 13

9:00am – 2:00pm

Greens Farm RR Station (Parking Lot 1)

Open and free to Westport, Norwalk, New Canaan, Darien, Stamford, & Greenwich Residents

Many common household items (ex. cleaners, gasoline, pesticides) are considered hazardous wastes because they contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients. When these types of products are disposed of improperly, they can enter our water or solid waste stream, polluting the environment and jeopardizing public health. Swipe for a list of common hazardous chemicals you may have in your home.

Before bringing hazardous household items to the collection site:

• Make sure items are clearly labeled and NEVER MIX CHEMICALS. Incompatible products may react, ignite, or explode, and mixed waste may become not recyclable.
• Keep products in original labeled container.
• Place leaky containers in clear plastic bags.
• Tighten lids of all containers and pack items in sturdy cardboard boxes lined with newspaper.
• Put boxes in the trunk or in the back of the vehicle away from passengers.
• Leave pets and children home when bringing hazardous materials for collection.
• Keep your windows open and drive directly to the collection site.
• Do not smoke or eat while handling hazardous materials.