Building a more Sustainable, Resilient and Equitable Waco

JUNE 2023

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Tackling the Climate Crisis

Carbon Reduction Grant to Fund Electric Transit Van and $1 Million in New Trees

The Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization is recommending that more than $1 million of federal funding be used by the City of Waco's Public Works to plant trees in the Waco area to help sequester carbon emissions and provide shade from increasing heat along sidewalks. They are also recommending several other funding proposals, including an electric passenger van for Waco Transit. You can read more about it in this article by the Waco Trib or dig into the details on the MPO website.

MPO Website

Last Chance to Apply to Speak at the Green Communities Conference

The next Green Communities Conference will be September 18-19. If you're interested in speaking or know someone who would be a great speaker, the deadline to apply is just around the corner. Our major themes are environmental justice & climate change, food & waste systems, energy & tech, and water.

The deadline to submit a proposal to speak is June 12.

Apply Here

Preventing Waste and Pollution

Schedule an Educational Tour to Learn about Recycling

Do you have a class or group that would be interested in taking a tour of the Cobbs Recycling Center or the Landfill? It's important for people to see where their waste ends up going and how much of it can actually be recycled and reused. Reach out to Ashley Millerd Crownover to schedule your tour.

Schedule a Tour

In The Community

Waco is One of Ten U.S. Communities to Receive National Partners for Places Grant

A group of organizations including Mission Waco (Urban REAP), World Hunger Relief Institute, Global Revive, Da'Shack Farmers Market and Nursery, Family of Faith Worship Center, Baylor University, and the City of Waco have been awarded a grant of $150,000 by The Funders Network to work collaboratively on growing a healthy, equitable food system in Waco to address issues of food waste, food insecurity, and climate resilience. This funding matches the previous award of $150,000 by local funder, the Cooper Foundation. The group is calling themselves the SCRAP (Sustainable Community and Regenerative Agriculture Project) Collective.

Learn More

Upcoming Events

Waco Downtown Farmers Market

Saturday Mornings, 9am to 1pm, in front of the McLennan County Courthouse

Support our local farmers and artisans by buying locally grown and produced goods. Come by and see McLennan County Master Gardeners to learn about "Vermicomposting" JUNE 10 at the Farmers Market.

Also be sure to check out the new Wednesday evening Bridge Street Farmers Market in East Waco from 5-8pm.

June Discovery Activity: Cloud Spotter

JUNE 8-10, During open hours at Urban REAP

Come join Urban REAP this June to create a fun and educational activity! Clouds tell us so much about what weather we may experience. This family-friendly activity is a quick, easy, and fun way to learn more about them!

Lunch with the Masters: Highway Landscaping & Architecture"

June 21, noon-2pm, 7601 Steinbeck Bend Rd.

Pete Krause, TXDOT Landscape Architect, Design Division, Landscape Architecture Section, and Hilary Garnish, division representative for the Waco District, are going to be guest speakers for the June Lunch with the Masters.

Sustainable Resource Practices Advisory Board Meeting

JUNE 22, 3pm, Fire Station 6

The general public is welcome to attend this monthly meeting of the citizen board that makes policy recommendations to the Waco City Council. Consider becoming a member of the board. New members start October 1.

Community Workshop: Propagating Succulents

JUNE 24, 11am-12pm, Urban REAP

Attend this free workshop to learn from our Program Coordinator Marisela Cruz Arredondo how we propagate succulents here at Urban REAP. Hear some tips and tricks, and then have the chance to take home your own!

Heads up coming this fall:

Waco Friends of the Climate will hold its Fall Carbon Sink Distribution at the Waco Downtown Farmers' Market, Sat., October 21, 9 am until 1pm. Seedlings of the Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana) will be given away free of charge on a first-come first-served basis. The Mexican Plum is a Texas native, small, deciduous, drought tolerant tree, with bright white flowers and edible fruit. Trees combat planetary warming by serving as a carbon sink, provide shade, decrease the urban heat island effect, lessen erosion, and improve biodiversity. Planting and care instructions will be distributed with the trees. More information: [email protected]

What We're Reading and Listening To

ARTICLES

Texas battery rush: Oil state's power woes fuel energy storage boom

By Reuters

Clean energy dodges a bullet in the Texas legislature

By Canary Media

PODCASTS

A rosy future for agrivoltaics (and without the thorns)

From Factor This!

Please send us your suggestions for articles, books, podcasts, or videos so that we can share them with our community.

STEMfest is Coming July 15

The Region 12 EcosySTEM Design Team is excited to host a FREE community event in Waco at the Mayborn Museum! Geared towards attendees of all ages, take part in this event to find out what STEM is all about through fun, interactive and engaging activities, demonstrations, and explorations from a number of our partners. #R12STEM

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City of Waco | P.O. Box 2570, Waco, TX 76702-2570