Message from the Sustainability Manager

Greetings everyone and welcome to the 2nd edition of the City of Boca Raton Sustainability newsletter! I have had the privilege of meeting many of you out at recent events - thanks for joining us! April, May, and June have been full of lots of activity such as:


When I am out in the community the most common thing I am asked about is recycling. I give clarity on the rules, provide assurance that recycling is alive and well in Boca Raton and Palm Beach County, and even settle the occasional marital dispute regarding whether certain items can go in the bins.


At the summer reading kickoff party event I had one person ask me “If we are already recycling at home, what else can we do?”


This question really stuck with me because while recycling is a great place to start, it is a terrible place to stop. If you are ready to move beyond recycling we have resources for you!

  • Join us - Monthly updates on our Take Action page
  • Read and act - participate in our quarterly call to action (at the bottom of this newsletter)
  • Volunteer -  we share opportunities on social media, our website and in this newsletter
  • Share - forward this newsletter to friends and encourage them to sign up;
  • Let us know - stay engaged and let us know what you want! Email sustainability@myboca.us 


I look forward to hearing from you;


Lindsey Roland Nieratka, Sustainability Manager
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Florida is Racing to Zero!


Boca Raton is one of 21 cities in Florida racing to zero with the Florida League of Cities Florida Race to Zero cohort. 

The cohort will result in the City setting 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and developing high impact actions to meet those targets. 

Over the next few months stay tuned for more information on what they City will be doing and how you can help. 

Hurricane Season is Here!


The Atlantic hurricane season is here and all Floridians know it's time to prepare. The Office of Sustainability has some resources to help you make your home and property more storm (and climate change!) resilient. Check out the resources and links below. 

Storm Resilient Trees


Trees are extremely important tools for climate resiliency. Trees collect rain water preventing flooding, shade and evapotranspiration combine to make surrounding areas cooler. Trees can even protect your home from wind in a storm if properly maintained. To learn how to maintain your trees for storm resilience, visit the Sustainable Tree Maintenance page. 


For more information on how to prepare your family and your home for hurricane season view the City's 2022 Be Prepared Guide.

Personal Climate Adaptation

The City, as part of a regional group called the Coastal Resilience Partnership of Southeast Palm Beach County (CRP) completed a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment that identified climate threats and risks in the region and strategies to adapt.


What can homeowners do to make their own properties more climate resilient? View the list of personal climate adaptation options and take action. 

Flip the Switch on June 22


Every summer on the longest day of the year the City participates in Daylight Hour, a global event to encourage the use of daylight in our offices spaces. For one hour at noon, turn off electric lights and work by daylight.


Daylight hour helps to raise awareness of the energy used for lighting and the benefit of using daylight when possible. Daylight hour is a great time to reflect on the sun as the main source of energy, all the ways we can use that energy sustainably, and the link between sustainability and our wellness.


Learn more at daylighthour.org. 

Join the City for Sustainable Summer


Every summer Boca Raton takes a deeper dive into various topics in personal sustainability. Join us this sustainable summer and keep checking back for new information and activities.  www.myboca.us/sustainability


June - Energy Conservation 

Energy conservation saves you money and makes you more comfortable. Electricity used in buildings represents more than half of the greenhouse gas emissions - making energy efficiency one of the most important tools for getting to net zero goals. 

  • June 22 - Daylight Hour!
  • Take some time this summer to think about ways to make your home more energy efficient. FPL has tools that can help, such as the free home energy survey. 


July - Waste Reduction

Inspired by the Plastic Free July campaign, July focuses on waste reduction. This year focus on waste from fashion and other consumer consumption. Buying less, keeping things longer, and buying second-hand help reduce emissions and environmental impact from the extraction, manufacturing, and transport of consumer goods. 


Of course we cannot forget about plastic pollution entirely! 


August - Water Conservation

While the heavy summer rains may make you wonder why water conservation is necessary, it is an important topic to think about year round. Stay tuned for more content on water conservation! 


All Summer Long (and beyond) - Experience "the Real Florida" with a FREE Real Florida Reader Day Pass.

What better way to celebrate sustainability this summer than by getting out and exploring "The Real Florida" in a Florida State Park? Get up close and personal with native Florida ecosystems and learn about their management, conservation, while also learning about state history.


With 175 state parks to choose from, several of which are an easy day trip from Boca Raton, there is lots of adventure available this summer. Learn more about the Real Florida Reader Program from floridastateparks.org and reserve your FREE PASS at bocalibrary.org. 
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Summer Party Season - be Sustainable!

It is backyard barbeque and pool season!. Make your parties more sustainable by reducing waste!

  1. Use reusable cups, plates, and cutlery when you are at home. 
  2. Have recycle bins available for your guests for bottles and cans. 
  3. Decorate with reusable, recyclable, or biodegradable decorations! 


If you are hosting an event at a City park or other facility, remember,  the City Council voted to prohibit polystyrene foam ("Styrofoam"), balloons, and confetti on City property.


Learn more and find alternatives on the City's waste reduction pages and stay tuned for the City's upcoming Sustainable Events Guide (Coming soon!)


REMEMBER - The City's Fabulous Fourth celebration will include the MARS water station and recycling bins sponsored by 4ocean. Bring a reusable water bottle to fill with ice cold filtered water and make sure to dispose of any waste/garbage in the correct place! 

Surprising Sustainability!

How City staff incorporate sustainability into operations in small and surprising ways.


What do you picture when you hear that the City is becoming more sustainable?

Do you imagine solar on every rooftop?

A fleet full of electric vehicles?


While the City’s sustainability action plan envisions those things, too, you may be surprised by how many small and simple ways our City staff incorporate sustainability into everyday decisions and operations. Here are two examples! 

Familiar T-Shirts at Science Camp!

Any given summer if you head over to Sugar Sand Park you may see some happy campers sporting bright green t-shirts. This is because the staff at the Children's Science Explorium know the importance of walking the walk in sustainability. Their science camp has used the exact same t-shirt design for over 14 years. This allows extra stock to roll over to future years and campers (and their siblings) to reuse t-shirts each time they attend. 

Waste Reduction on the golf course!

The Boca Raton Golf & Racquet Club utilizes bottle refill stations at the clubhouse and on the course. Where most golf courses provide Styrofoam cups and straws, the City asks that golfers bring their own or purchase refillable bottles in the golf shop. The Boca Raton Golf & Racquet Club is also looking into reusable and recyclable metal cups to provide to golfers. In this way the City is reducing plastic and waste while providing world class recreation.
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Coastal Connection Community Heroes!

ClimateREADY Ambassadors Christos Skoundridakis and Celine Zheng

Meet Climate READY Ambassadors, Christos Skoundridakis and Celine Zheng. Christos and Celine are both students at Boca Raton Community High School and participated in FAU Pine Jog’s Climate READY (Resilience Education and Action for Dedicated Youth) program. Climate READY seeks to empower high school students to become knowledgeable and effective voices for climate resilience in their communities. Ultimately they become Climate READY Ambassadors to educate younger students, teachers, and local residents about how our communities can become more resilient to environmental challenges and work together toward equitable climate solutions. Christos and Celine were able to mentor younger students and engage the Boca Raton community at events such as WLRN's Ecofest. Learn more at FAU.edu.

Are you, or someone you know, going above and beyond for sustainability in the City of Boca Raton? Submit them for the next edition! Email us at sustainability@myboca.us
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What Are We Watching?


The 2020 documentary, David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet.

What Are We Reading?


The novel, Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
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Your Quarterly Call to Action:

Summer energy efficiency

Energy for cooing makes up most of a typical Florida home's energy use so it is no surprise that energy bills tend to go up in the summer. Not only does this impact our budgets, but residential electricity use represents nearly a quarter of all the greenhouse gas emissions in the City making energy efficiency a powerful way for City residents to help work towards the City's net zero goals. 


For this quarter's call to action, make some changes around your home to save energy.

  1. Schedule FPL's free home energy survey.
  2. Check out this guide on summer energy efficiency from Energy Star. 
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www.myboca.us/sustainability

sustainability@myboca.us

561-393-7997
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City of Boca Raton | 201 West Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, FL 33432
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