Environment
Whether considering the beauty of its natural surroundings, opportunities for recreation, the value of the James River and other
bodies of water, or the health and well-being of its occupants, Richmond has much to offer—and much to protect—in its
environment.
The community recognizes the importance of sustaining and enhancing its surrounding environment through resource protection and
conservation, minimizing waste, and protecting the quality of its air and water.
Goal
Create a healthy urban environment
Objectives
- Protect and enhance Richmond's water resources
- Enable the Richmond community to use water wisely
- Improve the city's solid waste system
- Strive to continuously improve the quality of Richmond’s indoor and outdoor air
How are we doing?
Objectives
Water Resources
Protect and enhance Richmond’s water resources
Initiatives
Use storm water best management practices (BMPs) in new construction and maintenance
Use storm water BMPs in all construction and maintenance activity
Adopt an organic pesticide and fertilizer policy
Adopt a policy to reduce amount of non-organic chemicals entering watershed through storm water runoff
Reduce the percentage of impermeable surface area
Use land use regulations to reduce percentage of impermeable surface area
Community Water Usage
Enable the Richmond community to use water wisely
Initiatives
Install low-flow fixtures in city-owned buildings
Install water-efficient fixtures in all city-owned buildings
Create a rebate program for water-efficient fixtures and appliances
Create a rebate program for residents to purchase water-efficient fixtures and appliances
Promote rainwater collection systems
Promote rainwater collection systems for use in homes and businesses
Waste System
Improve the city's solid waste system
Initiatives
Expand recycling service to commercial and multi-family sectors
Expand recycling service to commercial and multi-family buildings
Adopt a material reduction procurement policy
Adopt a procurement policy that emphasizes materials reduction
Implement a Pay-As-You-Throw program
Adopt a Pay-As-You-Throw program to incentivize increased recycling
Indoor and Outdoor Air
Strive to continuously improve the quality of Richmond's indoor and outdoor air
Initiatives
Adopt a green Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) policy and/or Operations & Maintenance (O&M) practices in city buildings
Adopt a green IAQ policy and/or O&M standards for city buildings
Develop a Traffic Management Plan to reduce congestion
Conduct a traffic management plan to identify strategies for reducing congestion
Participate in the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative
Participate in the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative to improve housing and promote sustainability
Follow RVAGreen on Twitter for tips on conserving water and energy!
Keeping Citizens Informed!