Westport Honored with Sustainable CT Certification

Westport is one of the first Connecticut municipalities to achieve certification as a Sustainable CT community. The town met high standards in a broad range of sustainability accomplishments to qualify for the prestigious bronze certification.

Connecticut Conference of Municipalities 10/30/2018

(Pictured L-R Sara Harris, Matthew Mandell, Pippa Bell Ader, Dawn Henry, Jim Marpe, Christine Meiers Schatz, Ralph Chetcuti)

Sustainable CT, a statewide initiative that supports and recognizes sustainability action by Connecticut communities, was launched in 2017. In its application for Sustainable CT certification, the Town of Westport demonstrated significant achievements in actions in nine sustainable impact areas ranging from thriving local economies and vibrant arts and culture to clean transportation and diverse housing. Westport successfully completed actions included implementation of resources to support local businesses, arts and creative culture, transportation systems from zero emission vehicle chargers at Town Hall to our public transit system, benchmarking and tracking energy usage, the Greenday sustainability event, and the voluntary registry for people with disabilities.

First Selectman, Jim Marpe stated, “So much of what we do here in Westport is about being a sustainable community that is proactive to outside factors. My office and the RTM has committed to being Net Zero by 2050. As the first Connecticut town to pass a legislative resolution to this commitment, I am pleased that Westport can be recognized for all that we do to be prepared for the next generation. Congratulations to our Green Task Force for completing the application and to the many town staff, non-profit organizations and other volunteers who have worked diligently to implement the policies and procedures that made this award possible.”

Westport is the first town in CT to pass a resolution to attain Net Zero by 2050 through its administrative and legislative bodies: 

"Be it resolved that the Town of Westport shall commit to using its best efforts to continue to support climate action to meet the Paris Agreement and become a Net Zero community by the year 2050, where the community has reduced its impacts across energy, water, and waste so that they are sustainably managed, using approaches that are economically viable, of social benefit, and environmentally responsible."

About Sustainable CT

Sustainable CT also provides opportunities for grant funding to help communities promote economic well-being and enhance equity, all while respecting the finite capacity of the natural environment. The program is designed to support all Connecticut municipalities, regardless of size, geography or resources. Sustainable CT empowers municipalities to create high collective impact for current and future residents a new program that recognizes CT towns for sustainability measures.

What is Net Zero?

• Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions means reducing the community's energy consumption through energy efficiency and conservation measures; and producing or buying enough clean energy to meet those needs.

• Net Zero water means preserving and protecting the quality and availability of water to sustain our community.

• Net Zero waste means reducing our waste to a minimum, reusing what we can, recycling the rest, and sending zero waste to landfill.