Two Pierce County departments were awarded Clean Energy Grants in 2024! Facilities Management will study the feasibility of installing solar energy and battery storage systems at County-owned facilities, while Planning and Public Works will construct a large-scale solar array on the site of the closed Purdy Landfill. Both initiatives align with Pierce County's ongoing efforts to enhance sustainability and reduce its environmental footprint. Solar projects were also identified as a community priority during outreach conducted for the last Sustainability 2030 Plan update. 

The solar feasibility study will evaluate County sites using technical considerations - “Can we put solar on this building?” as well as value considerations – “Should we put solar on this building?” Help us understand which value considerations, like Resilience or Greenhouse Gas Reduction, are most important to our community by completing this brief survey. Information gathered from the technical evaluation of sites and community engagement efforts, like this survey, will help plan future solar projects at County buildings. Those who complete the survey will have the option to enter our drawing to win a solar lantern!

The Clean Energy Grant program is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The CCA supports Washington's climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving health. Information about CCA is available at Climate.Wa.Gov. 

Be Prepared for Floods and Storms

Flood and storm season is here. Find tips below from Pierce County’s Stormwater Management team to keep your home and family safe:  

Sign up for Pierce County ALERT to receive notifications about flood warnings in your area. Visit PierceCountyWa.gov/ALERT or call (253) 798-6595 to sign up.  

Report flooding issues by calling (253) 798-6000 or at PierceCountyWa.Gov/Works.  

Know your flood risk: Request a free map showing flood risk on your property or call (253) 798-2725. 

Create an emergency plan: Assemble an emergency kit for your home and car PierceCountyWa.Gov/BuildAKit.   

Buy flood insurance now to help make repairs or build up to code after a flood. It takes 30 days for a policy to take effect. A standard property insurance policy doesn’t cover flood damages. Unincorporated Pierce County residents receive up to a 40% discount on flood insurance rates. Contact your insurance agent or visit FloodSmart.Gov. 

Minimize flood damage:  

• Keep storm drains free of leaves and other debris. 
• Store or move valuables, electronics, and furniture above possible flood levels.  
• Keep hazardous chemicals out of floodwaters.  

• Look around your property and evaluate short-term flood protection measures, such as sandbags, where appropriate. Keep these materials on hand.  
• Consider long-term flood protections, like elevating your house. Review FEMA’s ‘Homeowner’s Guide to Retrofitting’ (FEMA publication 312), or call FEMA at 1-800-480-2520 to request a copy.   

Every year when decorating for the holidays, it seems like at least one string of old lights no longer works. Please do not toss old light strings into your curbside recycling. Light strings, hoses, wires, and chains cause massive problems when they get tangled in the recycling collection and sorting equipment. This creates safety issues for workers and mechanical issues for machinery. 

So, what should you do with those dead holiday light strings? Drop them off for recycling! We have a list here that includes Pierce County metal recyclers, hardware stores, and city recycling centers that accept holiday light strings for recycling, including: 

• McClendon Hardware 
• Tacoma Recovery & Transfer Center 
• University Place Refuse & Recycling 
• And more! 

If your lights still work but you just don’t want them anymore, give them to someone who can use them. Check with friends and family or post them on your local Buy Nothing site to see if anyone needs an extra set of lights to brighten their holidays. Please only donate working light strings and other gently used decorations to thrift stores. 

Do you have a recycling question? Send it to us at PCRECYCLE@PierceCountyWa.gov. We’ll send you a direct response and your question may appear in a future newsletter!

Fall & Winter Travel Safety

With daylight saving time ending on Sunday, Nov. 3, Ride Together Pierce urges people who travel around Pierce County to keep each other safe by following the rules of the road and being aware of other travelers. Travelers should give themselves a few extra minutes to get to their destination in the safest manner.

WALKERS:

Look both directions before crossing the street - left, right, then left again.

Wait for the pedestrian walk indication at crosswalks.

See and be seen. Carry or wear light colored or reflective items and carry a flashlight.

BICYCLISTS:

Be cautious of road conditions. Bike tires have less traction in wet conditions.

Wear a helmet and use a white light on the front of your bike and either a red light or red reflector on the rear, as required by law.

See and be seen. Carry or wear light colored or reflective items. More safety tips.

DRIVERS:

Make sure your windows and mirrors are clear of leaves, frost, or dirt before driving.

Turn on your headlights.

Drive for the road conditions, which means slow down, take your time or leave earlier to allow for extra time.

To learn more about classes this month and to see what we have in store for next month, check out our Sustainable Solutions class page. 

DIY WEATHERIZATION 101

6-7 p.m. via Zoom

REGISTER HERE

FUN & WASTE-FREE FESTIVITIES

6-7 p.m. via Zoom

REGISTER HERE

Read with us:

• Climate Change Solutions: Traditional Foods Are at the Center of an Indigenous Community’s Plan to Save a Landscape, Vox
• Will Carbon Tax Initiative 2117 Lower Gas Prices? That’s Debatable, Cascade PBS
• How Car Commutes Are Making Americans Sick, Streetsblog USA
• The US Government Campaigns to Reduce Food Waste at Home, Civil Eats

Listen with us:

• How Millions of Oysters Could Protect Coastlines Against Climate Change, CBC Radio
• (Re)explaining Washington’s Climate Commitment Act, Sightline Institute 

Watch with us:

• Inside Pierce County: Waste Audit, Pierce County TV 

Do with us:

• Bilingual Tree Walk: Saturday, Nov. 2, 10-11:30 a.m., Tacoma.
• Green Puyallup Day: Saturday, Nov. 2, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Puyallup. 
• Craft Supply Swap: Saturday, Nov. 9, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Key Peninsula.
• How Native Values Can Teach Resilience with John Halliday: Sunday, Nov. 10, 2-3 p.m., Parkland/Spanaway.
• ‌Remakery at Pierce County Libraries: 
• Learn to Darn: Saturday, Nov. 16, 2-3:30 p.m., University Place.
• Patch Making: Thursday, Nov. 21, 4-5:30 p.m., Eatonville.
• Healing the Sacred Circle: Saturday, Nov. 16, 2-3 p.m., Gig Harbor.
• Tacoma Tree Foundation State of the Urban Forest: Thursday, November 21, 7-9 p.m., Tacoma. 

Civic engagement opportunities:

• Submit a public comment on Metro Parks Tacoma’s Climate Action Plan by Nov. 3.
• Attend the Speaking Truth to Power Workshop on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 2-4 p.m. Climate Catastrophe Ground Zero coalition will facilitate a space where attendees can practice speaking to decision-makers, with a focus on refining their messages and receiving feedback.
• Take a Pierce Transit survey: What Would Make a Better Transit Experience? Available in English and Spanish. 
• ORCA Customer survey: Responses are used to help understand how transit riders obtain and use ORCA cards & inform priorities for improvement. The results are used for research purposes only & your input is strictly confidential. By sharing your feedback, you can also enter to win a $100 VISA gift card!
• ‌Sound Transit (ST) is considering changing the current ST Express bus fare, which would reduce the full adult fare from $3.25 to $3, aligning it with the new Link flat fare. Please let ST know what you think about this change.
• ‌The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is conducting a study of State Route (SR) 162 from SR 410 in Sumner to Williams Boulevard in Orting. Your input will help WSDOT develop recommendations to improve SR 162. The online open house is available through November 12. Take the survey. 

We welcome your feedback on this newsletter! Share your thoughts via email HERE.