City's Green Efforts and Activities

The City of Winchester continues to search for new ways to do the same (if not improved) services with less environmental impact.  Below is a list of the City’s green efforts and activities:

Buildings and Facilities

  • Light sensors - Installed in all restrooms in City Hall and hall area on
    4th floor. Used to reduce energy costs and man power on replacing lights.
  • Light bulbs - Replaced many recessed lights with compact fluorescent type.
    Replaced many 2' x 4' lighting fixtures with 60 month bulbs and upgraded to
    electronic ballasts. Used to reduce energy cost and man power.
  • Indoor Pool Machinery - Installed new dehumidification system
    that captures humidity, filters the air, and is able to heat captured water
    and redistribute back into the pool when needed instead of discharging
    outside.
  • Dog Park – In order to construct the new Winchester Dog Park in Jim Barnett Park, several trees were cut down.  Instead of discarding them, the trees were shredded and used as mulch within the dog park.
  • Energy Efficiency - Facilities Maintenance will be conducting an energy
    audit of the Joint Judicial Center. This process will assist in identifying
    opportunities to lower operating costs through reduction of energy
    consumption; this effort will concentrate on a thorough evaluation of the
    existing energy consuming building systems including:
    • HVAC
    • Lighting and lighting controls
    • Heat Gain/Heat Loss through building envelope, primarily windows
    • Motors and Pumping Systems
    • Building Controls
    • Water and Sewer use
    • Benchmark Score for Energy Star Certification

Streets

bike lane
  • Low-maintenance medians – The City has many medians that require on-going maintenance, such as mowing and weeding.  To cut down on the amount of hours these medians require the use of emissions-creating machinery, the City is installing low-maintenance medians wherever possible (stamped concrete or landscaping with certain plants to produce ground cover instead of grass).
  • Bike Lanes – The City is making efforts to provide safe spaces on Winchester’s roads for bike traffic.  Bike lanes on portions of several streets have already been installed (i.e. Valley Avenue, East Cork Street, Middle Road) and the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has recommended bike lanes be installed on Millwood Avenue, Berryville Avenue, Merrimans Lane, Loudoun Street, Braddock Street, Washington Street, Handley Boulevard, and Fox Drive.  More information about the Winchester / Frederick County MPO Bike & Pedestrian Mobility Plan is available at www.winfredmpo.org.

Compost

  • The City composts the yard waste collected from homeowners throughout the year at City Yards (301 East Cork Street).  Not only is the compost used for fertilizing City grounds, it is also available to the public at no charge.  Pick some up at City Yards Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Load you own, or call Terry Davis at 667-1815 ext. 1490 at least one day ahead to schedule help with loading.
  • Make your own compost.  The City's Public Works Department will deliver a load of leaves to your home or business.  Call Terry to be added on the fall leaves delivery list.

Green Circle

  • Green Circle LogoThe City’s Green Circle Trail has been developed to provide a readily available and safe network of pedestrian and bicycle trails around Winchester.  Its primary benefit will be in providing a unique and safe opportunity for residents and visitors in Winchester to utilize a shared bicycle and pedestrian trail within the City.  It will significantly enhance transportation as it will provide an alternate means of traveling within the City to such destinations as the Old Town Historic District, Shenandoah University, Jim Barnett Park, Winchester Medical Center, the History and Tourism Center, the Apple Blossom Mall and other shopping destinations.  The Green Circle Trail is an on-going project within the City.

Rain Barrels

  • The City’s Public Works Department has installed rain barrels from the roof of several buildings at City Yards.  The collection will be used to water City plants and trees in an effort to conserve water.  The City hopes to expand to other City facilities in the future.

Public Education

  • The City offers Green Workshops several times a year to help educate the public on living greener.
  • INSIGHT Citizen’s Academy – In 2008, a green component was added to the schedule.  In addition, INSIGHT organizers are making an effort to go paperless whenever possible.
  • Going Green Website – This comprehensive Going Green website was created to act as a “one-stop-shop” for environmental information for area residents. 
  • CitE-News – the City decided to distribute the new citizen’s newsletter electronically to not only get the information to subscribers more quickly, but it was also more cost efficient and better for the environment.

Recycling

  • Recycling BinThe City offers a comprehensive recycling pick-up service for Winchester residents.
  • The City’s Refuse and Recycling Department has stepped up efforts to get the community recycling.  Michael Neese, Recycling Coordinator, works closely with area businesses to determine a recycling plan that suits their needs.
  • The City will collect recycling at city businesses even if the City does not pick up their trash.

Employee Incentives

  • The City recently launched an Employee Transit Ridership Incentive program to encourage City employees to take the bus instead of driving to work or during lunch breaks.

Comprehensive Plan

  • The City is currently undergoing an overhaul of its Comprehensive Plan for the future.  Playing a major role in its formation is New Urbanism.  Urbanism has 10 key principles: 1. Walkability, 2. Connectivity, 3. Mixed-Use & Diversity, 4. Mixed Housing, 5. Quality Architecture & Urban Design, 6. Traditional Neighborhood Structure, 7. Increased Density, 8. Smart Transportation, 9. Sustainability, and 10. Quality of Life.  To learn more about these principles and the benefits of Urbanism, click www.newurbanism.org/newurbanism/principles.html.

Adopt-A-Stream Program

  • It's up to each of us to keep Virginia's rivers, streams, lakes and bays clean. That's the idea behind Virginia's Department of Conservation and Recreation's Adopt-A-Stream Program. The waterway cleanups supported by this anti-litter campaign provide a chance for local businesses, civic groups, watershed associations, churches, schools, environmental concerns and scouts to work together or separately to do their part.
  • The statewide program aims to reduce litter while advancing citizen stewardship and understanding of the commonwealth's precious waterways. Adopt-A-Stream promotes education, public outreach, citizen involvement, partnership and community capacity-building through Virginia's diverse constituencies.  The City of Winchester actively participates in this program and encourages the community to help keep the city's waterways clean.  Click here for more information.  All clean up supplies will be provided.

Tree City USA

  • Tree City LogoThe City of Winchester is a proud member of Tree City USA® since 1982.  The Tree City USA® program, sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs across the country.

Adopt-A-Tree Program

  • Hands With DirtDuring photosynthesis, trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. They are an integral part of the natural atmospheric exchange cycle here on Earth, but there are too few of them to fully counter the increases in carbon dioxide caused by automobile traffic, manufacturing and other human activities. A single tree will absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime. Click here to find out how you can contribute to saving the environment by adopting a tree in the City of Winchester.

Green City

  • The City is making a sincere effort to reduce its carbon footprint by looking at the way business is conducted on a daily basis and also encouraging residents and the business community to do their part.  Doing this will create a more sustainable community and produce a healthier city for years to come.  While continuing to make a difference, the City is seeking Green City Certification through the www.gogreenva.org .

Natural Resources Advisory Board

  • The City of Winchester is currently appointing members and soliciting volunteers for the City's new Natural Resources Advisory Board. An ordinance for its creation was approved by City Council in August 2007. The members and volunteers currently on the board are meeting regularly to clarify their mission statement and purpose.
  • The Boards roster includes (as of 9/30/08):
    • Gerald Crowell
    • Jim Lawrence
    • Woodward Bousquet
    • David Worthington
    • John Fox