Earth and Arbor Day 2024 - Rooted in Our Environment

The City's Earth and Arbor Day are combining this year for a Celebration bigger and more fun than ever Saturday April 19 starting at 10 a.m.!

• See the event page for all the fun hands-on activities for all ages for you to enjoy,
• Enter our Photo Contest with sustainable prizes leading up to the event,
• Participate in educational and hands-on activities, take nature art home with you, see animals up-close, and win prizes while learning about local efforts to increase sustainability, safety, community, resilience and more.

The Plant-Based Pantry

Step into the City’s Plant-Based Pantry with Grace. The following recipes are available on CollaborateMV and the quick video recipe can be found on the City’s YouTube shorts page.
  

• March: Light and Fluffy Brownies
• February bonus! Breakfast Casserole
• February: Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
• January: Quinoa Bowl
• December: Holiday Sugar Cookies
• November: Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
• October: Veggie and Rice Soup

Recent News & Upcoming Events

The Sustainability Division has a new Facebook page! "Like" and "Follow" us at facebook.com/MVSustainability

The City of Mountain View's Sustainability Division has a new home on Facebook! "Like" and "Follow" our page for news, events, rebates, plant-based eating tips, Sustainable Sequoia and more! (July 2023).

Electric Yard Care Equipment: A Cleaner, Quieter Choice for Residents and Businesses (Spring 2023)

By Whitney Ramos, Sustainability Outreach and Engagement

The City of Mountain View’s downtown Park Maintenance team has been using electric lawn mowers and leaf blowers to maintain the beauty and cleanliness of our downtown for years. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Eric, Andrew, and Griffin, three members of the team, who shared their experiences working with electric equipment compared to gas-powered tools.

One of the most significant advantages of electric equipment is that it is quieter and more convenient. Electric equipment produces less noise, making it ideal for use in neighborhoods and City parks. It’s quiet enough that the maintenance team can start work earlier than they could with gas-powered equipment, which is prohibited from use before 7a.m. due to noise regulations.

And here’s what makes electric equipment so convenient:

• Unlike gas-powered equipment, there is no need to bring gas or mix fuels, which not only saves time and money but also eliminates the hassle and mess of handling gas.
• Start buttons are easy for anyone, compared with pull-start equipment.
• Less maintenance required, saving the owner both time and money.
• Electric lawn mowers can also be much lighter than the alternative gas-powered versions making them easier to handle when working on hills and inclines.

Using electric equipment is not only a better choice for the maintenance team but also for residents and businesses. Electric equipment doesn’t produce local emissions that the user breathes and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to gas-powered equipment. Electric leaf blowers and lawn mowers are perfect for the small spaces commonly found around homes and in small businesses, and with incentives for both residents and businesses, now is a great time to buy!

• The California Air Resources Board is offering California CORE program (“Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project”), including $14 million in incentives left for professional landscapers (as of 4-18-23).
• As always keep an eye on our residential and professional rebates and resources pages!

Earth Day Celebration Recap- Sat. April 22, 2023

The City of Mountain View’s annual Earth Day Celebration was a successful and energetic gathering, focusing on “Building Our Brighter Future” and taking action in all areas of sustainability.

Attendees learned about the important work being done in our community and discovered ways they could get involved, by engaging with 26 community-serving organizations, including 10 City departments, divisions, and programs. The Earth Day Celebration also included:

• Electric vehicle “Ride or Drive” featuring 5 electric vehicle models, which 75 attendees tried out
• Zero-waste, plant-based lunches
• Presentations on the topics of clean energy, recycling and zero waste, sustainable food systems, and biodiversity
• Outdoor games, activities, and shade to enjoy the beautiful spring day
• Photo booth, giving an electronic keepsake photo for anyone who wanted one
• Native plant potting and seed giveaways
• 5 community members winning our raffle prizes (everyone who attended and participated was entered into the drawing)
• Bike repair or adjustment station
• Approximately 500 community members coming together to learn and be inspired to continue, “Building our Brighter Future.”

We appreciate everyone who attended, worked, volunteered, and otherwise contributed to the City’s Earth Day Celebration’s success!

Mountain View Awarded two SVCE Decarbonization Grants

The City of Mountain won grant funds from Silicon Valley Clean Energy, totaling $567,000 for two decarbonization projects!

The first grant provides $497,000 to electrify the City’s Senior Center, converting the water heaters and kitchen to all-electric systems. This project will use the City’s facility as an example electrification project, while serving the 150 seniors who utilize the facility daily.

The second grant provides $70,000 to engage the community and local organizations in the co-development of building electrification outreach and engagement strategies. The City will engage with communities that speak languages other than English, renters, and other traditionally underserved populations to advance building electrification as a community.

Planning for the two projects began in early 2023.