GREEN COMMITTEE

The role of the Miami Beach Sustainability Committee is to identify and promote policies and practices within the City to help achieve a sustainable environment. We encourage environmental awareness among our residents, employees and business partners to help accomplish our goal of keeping Miami Beach Green.

The following accomplishments and ongoing objectives demonstrate the positive effect that the Miami Beach Sustainability Committee has made in the last two years.

Recycling

• Implemented single stream recycling program for single family homes.  Recyclables collected have tripled since the program began.
• Arranged for 100 free recycling containers to be installed in public rights of way and picked up at the expense of the commercial waste haulers. Containers will be installed this Fall.
• Arranged for cost savings to commercial and multi family buildings that recycle by requiring commercial trash haulers to reduce the number of trash pick ups as the number of recycling pickups increase.
• Working with Recycle Bank to implement rewards program for residents who recycle.

Green Building, Energy Conservation and Green Procurement

• Partnered with Ameresco to identify capital improvements that will save approximately $1.8 million each year in energy costs in City facilities.
• Miami Beach Green (LEED) Building ordinance with incentives was adopted by the Commission in May 2009.
• Encouraging City departments to use green products for cleaning, landscaping and painting at City properties

Alternative Transportation

• Shared bike rental program was adopted by the Commission in July 2009.
• Implemented changes to parking programs to encourage sustainable vehicles: install two charging stations for electric vehicles in City garages; relocate unused parking spaces dedicated to ILEV vehicles from 42nd Street to Lincoln Road (after garage opens behind City Hall); add electric cars to the list of vehicles that can purchase $100 citywide parking permit.

Environmental Education

• Organized a free seminar on the Florida Green Lodging Hotel Program at the Convention Center which was attended by approximately 275 guests
• Participated in the MiaGreen Expo and Conference, staffed booth and provided information and contacts to visitors.
• Developing a long term Sustainability Master Plan for Miami Beach.
• Creating easily accessible sustainability section on City’s web site
• Introduced Tap project to local restaurants, encouraging patrons to donate $1 for tap water, to support UNICEF efforts to bring clean water to millions of children
• Held Earth Day event for elementary school children to promote awareness of recycling