Officials Looking to a More Sustainable West Hartford – We-Ha

Volunteers are invited to affix the Sustainability Advisory Group which has simply been licensed by the West Hartford City Council.

By Kristina Vakhman

West Hartford already has an award-winning reputation as being environmentally aware, however that doesn’t imply it isn’t aiming to do even higher. Officers at the moment are in search of volunteers for the city’s new Sustainability Advisory Group to proceed towards a extra equitably sustainable future.

“West Hartford is a really various neighborhood, so we’re hoping to draw all kinds of individuals to characterize completely different pursuits and voices throughout our neighborhood,” mentioned Catherine Diviney, the city’s vitality specialist.

Created by resolution in February, Diviney mentioned neighborhood volunteers on the Sustainability Advisory Group will permit for broader enter when assessing future sustainability efforts. Round 20 residents will serve on the group over a 10-12 month interval. Members will meet month-to-month, in addition to probably have further subcommittee assembly assignments.

West Hartford already has equitable and sustainable initiatives just like the Solar Virtual Net Metering program. Nevertheless, the city is trying to enhance on not solely the atmosphere, but in addition financial growth, arts and cultural topics, public well being, planning, vitality, supplies administration and transportation.

The purpose is to have illustration of all aspects of West Hartford, in addition to to encourage higher communication among the many city’s present commissions, defined Diviney, who additionally serves on the Clear Power Fee.

“You see lots of the identical faces on the desk in the case of City Council conferences and illustration on commissions,” she mentioned.

On a bigger scale, the first objective of the group might be to assist West Hartford earn towards the Silver Stage certification, which is an honor awarded by the voluntary Sustainable CT program to municipalities who full sustainable actions that rack up 400 or extra factors. At present, 19 municipalities are Silver Stage.

Diviney mentioned West Hartford is on monitor to earn the Silver Stage certification by the August deadline, however that there are all the time areas the place the city can do higher. The Advisory Group will make clear communities which might be underserved or completely uncared for in sustainability efforts.

However which means getting the voices of volunteers from these communities to the desk. The Advisory Group is open to anybody ages 14 or older – youth illustration is one thing Diviney mentioned she and Mayor Shari Cantor are very enthusiastic about – with a willingness to contribute to West Hartford’s sustainability work.

These desirous to take part ought to ship a letter of 1 to 2 pages to the City Clerk with their basic background and the way they imagine they will contribute to the sustainability initiative. The letter could be emailed to City Clerk Essie Labrot at [email protected] or mailed to City Clerk, City of West Hartford, 50 South Important Road, West Hartford, CT 06107. The deadline is March 31.

“I’d encourage anybody who hasn’t participated but or has an actual curiosity or ardour or opinion on sustainability in West Hartford to use,” Diviney mentioned.

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