This edition of the Orange County Climate Connection is full of fall-themed sustainability
tips and exciting news on Orange County's efforts with climate action. This fall, we welcomed our amazing intern, Max Feldman who helped co-write this edition of the Climate Connection! Keep reading to learn more about Max and what's been happening around the County with sustainability over the past couple of months.

For more information about sustainability in Orange County, please visit our webpage. And, don't miss out on a single issue of the Climate Connection! Sign up now to have it delivered directly to your inbox, hot off the press!

Orange County Welcomes UNC Eco-Studio Intern: Max Feldman

Hi, I’m Max Feldman, a sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill majoring in environmental science. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Orange County sustainability programs to help with green initiatives and learn more about government along the way. I’m interested in analyzing relationships between humans and the environment from a public health lens. I hope to one day push for changes to our built environment from a government position that will make the places we live healthier. I’m glad to have this opportunity to learn more about local politics and policy and what Orange County is doing to combat climate change.

Speaking of climate change, I recently had an opportunity to interview Habitat for Humanity, one of the recipients of the County's Community Climate Action Grant program. This grant program, started in 2019 and funded through a ¼ cent property tax, aims to support community projects that reduce greenhouse gasses and promote social justice. For more on my interview with Habitat for Humanity check out the segment below.

The Habitat for Humanity development at Odie St in Hillsborough continues to welcome new homeowners after its grand debut on Saturday, August 25th. Kaitlyn Kopala, communications director for Habitat, says that, “while only a handful of homeowners have actually moved in to the community’s 15 solar paneled homes, it's been a really exciting partnership for us, and I know that it will help homeowners down the line with saving on electrical expenses and also just being greener in general.”

Solar panels are not the only eco-friendly installation that Habitat has incorporated in the new development. According to Heather Fisher, Stormwater Program Coordinator with the Town of Hillsborough, Habitat collaborated with the Town and Piedmont Conservation Council to install new water management features such as bioswales, rain gardens and rain barrels.
The town is taking the opportunity to put in and replace more water management features along Odie St. as the new development progresses, Fisher says.

Bioswales, which are gently sloping ditches, usually filled with natural sand and soil mix, allow for better stormwater filtration, according to Fisher. Vegetation such as native plants, grass and other groundcovers can grow on top of the bioswales, which will need to be tended to by the homeowners. Fisher says that an “amazing community can be created through homeowner engagement” with these sustainable features.

“We had a great turnout when we met with the homeowners in the spring to talk about the bioswales – it was great to hear that they were excited about the project too,” Fisher said. “The big concept behind green infrastructure is it provides multiple benefits for homeowners, including environmental, social and economic benefits.”

Habitat demonstrates how building with sustainable features and designs should be a standard for any new project. Kopala points out that “new construction from larger building companies should use this project as an example and consider sustainable features for new developments.” According to Kopala, “It’s something we've found that isn't that hard to do and it’s going to help the homeowners on their expenses and even the environment in the long run, so it's almost a question of why wouldn't you do it?”

Solarize the Triangle Campaign on Track to Break Records!

The Solarize the Triangle Program continues to go gangbusters. If you missed hearing about this program in our last newsletter, here’s a recap: The Solarize the Triangle program is a group effort between Orange County and 10 other local governments that uses the power of group purchasing to help bring down the cost of solar for residents, nonprofits and commercial businesses. The Solarize the Triangle website provides tons of information. Check out this link to see recorded informational videos, testimonials, frequently asked questions and to sign up for a free assessment!

At the time of this writing almost 900 people have registered for a free assessment and the program is in Tier 3 pricing. The enrollment deadline is December 31, 2022 so don’t delay signing up! Two upcoming "solar socials" are being offered to learn more about the program and to get all of your questions answered from the experts.

More EV Chargers Coming to Orange County!

Thanks to the help of a rebate program from the Department of Environmental Quality, Orange County will be installing 5 additional EV chargers in the Eno River Parking deck in the coming months. These chargers will add additional capacity to this popular parking deck in the heart of downtown Hillsborough and convenient to major highways.

With transportation being a significant contributor to greenhouse gases in Orange County, getting as many EV chargers deployed as quickly as possible can help make the adoption of electric vehicles a more attractive option. If you're considering getting an electric vehicle and want to learn more about them, Plug In NC has a great website that covers models available, fuel savings and other benefits associated with EVs.

Climate Action Planning is Underway!

We’re excited to celebrate two events in November –-Thanksgiving and the kick-off to Orange County’s Climate Action Planning! We are thankful to get started on this process that will help us strategize and prioritize the actions we need to take in our County operations and across the community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Community input will be a key component in helping us draft and implement a community wide climate action plan. Be on the look-out for engagement opportunities and more information about the planning process as we get underway! We'll provide updates on our progress in the Climate Connection Newsletter and other avenues!

Max Feldman here. I had a blast creating this workplace sustainability video with tips on how to save energy while at work. We spend the majority of our waking hours at work so the opportunities to conserve energy here are huge! I hope you find these tips helpful at work and at home! Please share the video with folks you work with and let us know if you have additional tips to add to the list so we can share them in future editions of this newsletter!

Reclaim Your Weekends - Consider A More Sustainable Lawn

Traditional green grass lawns are time-consuming and expensive! Between the endless mowing, edging, watering, weeding, and fertilization, taking care of a lawn is a lot of hard work! What if there was a better way that could save you money, help the environment, and give you back your weekends?

While it may be tempting to conform to the traditional grass lawn, “don’t be afraid” to make your lawn look a little different, says Marabeth Carr, Orange County Landscape Architect. “People have this preconceived notion that every yard has to be a perfect green grassy yard. But that’s silly,” says Carr. According to Carr, “you can come up with a variety of combinations of mulched areas and native plant areas that are just as good looking as a traditional yard.”

There’s a lot of other benefits too! Replacing patches of grass, which are typically invasive, with native plant habitat is called xeriscaping and it’s great for biodiversity! Native plants create habitat that supports birds, insects and other wildlife. Xeriscaping also reduces the need for fertilizers which can pollute nearby water sources. Carr has first hand experience with this. “I live near a pond, and all the fertilizer runoff from lawns goes into this pond. There was an algae bloom in this pond that my dogs and I visit, and they got sick, says Carr. “After a lot of research and a lot of phone calls to the vet school, it turns out that it was the algae that actually made them sick. These algae blooms are an example of a worldwide problem called eutrophication, which happens when too many nutrients runoff into bodies of water.

Aside from keeping our water clean and healthy, xeriscaping also saves the amount of water we use. Native plants are naturally adapted to survive periods of drought and generally don’t require a lot of water to begin with. This helps not only to save water but lower water bills!

Small changes over time can add up to make a big difference. Consider reducing your lawn by planting a tree or making a small perennial bed of native plants, a rain garden, or wildflower patch. There’s lots of local inspiration and resources that can help. For tips on native plant gardening, including which plants to get, where to get them, and how to get started, check out these useful links:

Resources for Gardeners
Wildlife Friendly Landscapes

'Fall'ing for Sustainability

We’ve raked up a few sustainability tips to share now that the fall season is upon us:

1.    Leave your leaves
Like football games and pumpkin spice lattes, raking leaves is a fall tradition, but what if we stopped raking them and just let them be? Leaves provide lots of benefits! They help suppress weeds, give nutrients back to the soil, and they provide habitat (food and shelter) for so many critters like snails, worms, millipedes, and box turtles. Many butterfly and moth species overwinter in the protection of leaves too. Instead of raking leaves, try using them as a mulch to spread across your yard, or in gardens and at the base of trees to help lock in moisture. Composting leaves is another good option too!

2.    Invest in sustainable fall fashion
Try shopping at local thrift stores and markets to find your favorite fall fashions. If you still can’t find the piece you’re looking for, check out eco-conscious brands and items made of durable, quality materials that will last for many years.

3.    Plant a fall vegetable garden
Reduce the climate impacts of big agriculture by growing your own food! Plan out your garden early by prepping your plot with light, organic fertilizer.

4.    Shop locally for food and other essentials
Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough Farmers’ Markets are great places to support locally grown produce and goods.

Green Up Your Holidays with More Sustainability Tips

Help keep your holiday gatherings waste free by checking out Orange County's Fork it Over program. The county keeps over 200 sets of stainless steel utensils for any Orange County resident to borrow as long as they wash, sort, and return the items after use - contact Orange County Solid Waste Management at 919-968-2788 or email them at recycling@orangecountync.gov for more information or to make a reservation.
Try serving vegan and vegetarian options. Changing up your menu can make a big difference by reducing demand for meat, which can impact climate change through cows' emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas and by destroying forests that are converted to grazing land.

Give handcrafted gifts or buy locally made items for your family and friends. There are so many great local craft events happening in Orange County! Check out the Department of Aging's Holiday Market at the Passmore Center in Hillsborough on November 12. The Orange County Arts Commission is hosting a Makers at the Mill Holiday Bazar on Saturday, December 3.
Aim to give gifts that encourage an eco-friendly lifestyle such as reusable utensils or a sustainable cookbook. While shopping for these gifts, make sure to bring a reusable bag!
Be creative with gift wrap. Try wrapping gifts in a reusable bag, a pretty hand towel, newspaper or recycled paper bag. An added sprig of greenery from your garden adds a nice, fragrant touch.

But Wait, There's More...

For more sustainable gift ideas and how to create a sustainable holiday, check out these websites:

We hope everyone has a safe, enjoyable (and sustainable) holiday season. We'll be back again in 2023 with even more awesome sustainable news!

Contact Us:

Questions about our Sustainability Programs? Want to Volunteer? Contact us at:

Amy Eckberg
Orange County
Sustainability Programs Manager
aeckberg@orangecountync.gov
919-245-2626