Welcome to Sustainable Stamford!  Visit this page often to learn how Stamford is becoming more sustainable and how we are working to protect all of Stamford from the risks and hazards of climate change.  Visit also to find out about upcoming events, sustainability in the news and for tips on how to be more sustainable at home, at work, at school, and around your neighborhood.

Recent Climate Actions

 

  • On April 22, 2023, Earth Day, Mayor Simmons issued Stamford’s first Climate Executive Order. The Executive Order required the City’s departments to take sustainable climate actions internally and city-wide. This includes increasing energy efficiency at City facilities, building electric vehicle (EV) and green infrastructure where possible, expanding the City’s Food Scrap Recycling program, and, conducting the City’s first Greenhouse Gas Inventory. The full Executive Order can be viewed here.
  • Stamford’s first Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GGI) is complete. The GGI estimated carbon dioxide emissions community-wide and from municipal operations. The inventory showed that in 2021, emissions totaled more than 1 million metric tons, which is about 7.8 metric tons per person. Community-wide, transportation and residential energy uses accounted for about 31% of emissions each and municipal buildings and facilities accounted for about 33% of municipal emissions. The full Green House Gas Inventory can be viewed here 
  • Mayor Simmons also created the Mayor’s Climate Council to advise and recommend actions for the City’s first Climate Action Plan and to make Stamford more sustainable and resilient.
  • Stamford’s Climate Action Plan is in the works! Follow this link for the results of Phase 1 which takes stock of the more than 90 actions already underway within the City’s municipal operations designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, decrease waste, and increase resiliency to climate risks for all Stamford communities.  Phase 2 will determine specific reduction targets and deadlines, include actions underway by residents, businesses, community organizations, etc., and develop a framework to monitor and report on progress.  
  • Resilient Stamford: A number of projects are underway to protect Stamford from climate hazards including extreme heat and flooding. We have secured more than $1.3 million in grants to address flooding at Toilsome Brook and Cummings Pond. In addition, a comprehensive Coastal Flood Resiliency Plan will also be conducted. Cooler Stamford aims to compile temperature and other data to create a heat resiliency action plan for West Side, Waterside and Downtown neighborhoods.
  • Stamford is committed to diverting waste from landfills. Our Food Scrap Program continues to grow. The amount of organic material composted in the past two years has doubled. With an additional $2M grant from the US EPA, we are purchasing more compost converters. More information, including where to pick up at home food scrap recycling kits, can be found here. Other programs, including mobile EyeRecycle events, where residents can redeem bottles for cash on the spot, can be found here.
  • Stamford Sustainable Buildings: As part of the City’s zoning ordinance, new private construction and major renovation projects over a certain size must submit a Stamford Sustainability Scorecard. This Land Use Bureau program encourages and recognizes sustainable land use and sustainable development best practices across multiple features including energy efficiency, water consumption, air quality, mobility efforts, and more. Once receiving a letter grade along with a Certificate of Occupancy, buildings must conspicuously display their grade. For comparison, receiving a B on the Stamford Scorecard is equivalent to the US Green Building Council’s LEED Silver certification, while an A+ is equivalent to LEED Platinum. All new public developments owned or funded by the City must meet a LEED Silver requirement. More information regarding the Stamford Sustainable Scorecard can be found here.
  • Sustainable Transportation: Multiple sustainable transportation projects are underway and ongoing. We continue to execute our Vision Zero initiative to make Stamford streets safer and eliminate serious and fatal accidents. In November, Stamford was one of 17 municipalities to receive a CTDOT Community Connectivity Grant for the Belltown Neighborhood Connectivity and Safety Project which will connect Barrett Park, the Belltown commercial area, and the surrounding housing. This project, as part of the Barrett Park Master Plan, will increase safety on Burdick Street, Belltown Road, and Upland Road. More information on how our Vision Zero initiative is making Stamford safer and more sustainable can be found here.
  • The City has also been awarded multiple grants to expand our EV charging infrastructure with 20 new dual electric vehicle charging stations to be installed at the Stamford Government Center, 12 new DC Fast Chargers at the Bedford Street Parking Garage, and 12 more at the Summer Street Parking Garage.  For more information on incentives and benefits of electric vehicles, click here