Strategy 1: County Adopts Net Zero Goals Across Departments
In pursuit of Washoe County’s Vision to be the social, economic and policy leadership force in Nevada and the western United States, the County will lead our region by example, reducing operational Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 45% from 2021 levels by 2030 across all sectors – buildings and other facilities, fleets, waste, lands and other operations:
Toward Net Zero: 5 Strategies and 48 Actions to Reduce Emissions
Strategy 1: County Adopts Net Zero Goals Across Departments
Meeting the County’s goal of net zero GHG emissions by 2050 will take coordinated effort among all County departments and staff. The following actions will integrate the County’s net zero goal into the regular work and planning for all departments:
Actions
1. Adopt County Operations Climate Action Plan*
The coordination between Washoe County’s Sustainability Program and all other departments captures emissions-reductions actions and best practices to guide our work toward net zero emissions. This draft plan must be adopted by the Board of County Commissioners to be a formal County plan. Expected date of Board consideration is early 2025.
2. Adopt Community Wide Climate Action Plan*
Informed by a community-wide greenhouse gas inventory of all emissions in Washoe County (based on 2021 levels), the Community Wide Climate Action Plan guides emissions-reductions strategies and actions across all sectors: Land Use, Buildings, Transportation and Renewable Energy. This Plan will also be considered for adoptions the Board of County Commissioners, expected in early 2025
3. Measure Community GHG emissions every 5 years*
Regular measurement and monitoring will make sure our community is on track for climate resilience.
4. Adopt a Facility Decarbonization Plan
(Not numbered because it’s included below in Facility Decarbonization Plan). Sustainability, Facilities, Operations and related departments are coordinating to develop formalized best practices into building analysis and maintenance to improve the energy efficiency of all County buildings and facilities.
5. Annual review process and metrics for all measures in all departments
Climate Action Planning is a process, not a product. The County will incorporate energy efficiency and sustainability reviews into all departmental, building and operational planning processes to continually evolve better practices toward the County’s net zero goal.
6. Adopt Sustainable Procurement Policy.
The County has a responsibility for the indirect emissions we create with everything we buy, every service we contract and everything we throw away. The County will draft and adopt guidelines to reduce the emissions from these purchases.
7. Develop Financial Strategy for Implementation
The many efficiencies and cost savings available through energy efficiency best practices often require up-front capital investment. The County is researching the various financing strategies available to reach our net zero goals while ensuring our financial sustainability as well. Read more here [link to Financial section].
Inform, Educate and Engage Staff Around Net Zero Goals
It’s one thing to have policies and goals articulated in planning documents and procedural guidance for departments, but it’s individual staff members pursuing these goals in their daily activities that will help the County meet our goals. Trainings, webinars, lunch ‘n’ learns and other activities can inform employees and engage them to make a difference.
8. Launch Energy-Efficiency Education campaign for all staff
The County will enlist, educate, celebrate and reward employees to help us reduce our energy use and GHG emissions. Simple, conscious acts like powering down work stations at the end of the day can reduce building energy use by 10%. In Fiscal Year 2025, the County will launch Energy Efficiency training for all employees.
9. Activate sector teams (gardens, recycling, bikes, zero waste, energy efficiency, meatless mondays)
Washoe County’s Green Team is perfectly suited to engage employees to self-organize to advance these and other sustainability projects. Investing in their success will advance emissions reductions across all departments.
10. Offer Trainings, Webinars & Events on sustainability topics.
Formal and informal trainings and presentations will offer opportunities for all staff to learn and take part in various sustainability topics and projects
11. Launch public dashboard to track County Sustainability Goals and progress
Publicly accessible dashboards allow both County leaders and members of the public to track the County’s progress toward the various goals listed in these actions and elsewhere.
12. Launch sustainability communications plans to advance Net Zero and Sustainability Goals for County.
Conversations and feedback sessions with both County employees and community members identified education and awareness as needs to help people make better choices to reduce emissions in their departments and personal lives (Overlaps with Community CAP Communications Plan).
The Washoe County Green Team
Washoe County's Green Team is a virtual department made up of volunteer County employees from various departments interested in and committed to contributing to make the County operations more sustainable. All employees are welcome. Our monthly virtual meetings include interesting discussions abut various sustainability topics. Projects the Green Team pursues include gardens at County facilities, recycling projects, installing water stations, encouraging more bicycle commuting among employees, Meatless Mondays, volunteering in the community, and topical Lunch 'n' Learns about favorite topics.