Environmental Initiatives

8th and Harbour Bioswale Richmond Greenway 9.29.17

News & Events

Clean Cars for All Program

The City of Richmond is partnering with the non-profit solar provider GRID Alternatives and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to bring more renewable energy sources and electric vehicles to Richmond. Find out if you are eligible for an incentive of up to $9,500 from the Clean Cars for All Program to purchase or lease a low-emission vehicle.

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Celebrate Bike Month in Richmond and the East Bay!

May is National Bike Month! Here are a list of events that everyone can get involved in:

Bay Area Bike Challenge
Rally your team together and get ready to ride! Join this fun team-based bike challenge, encourage each other to ride, compete for bragging rights and enjoy riding this May. Registration is open! Join or create a team.


Wednesday Lunch Time Bike Rides
Open to everyone! Come ride to some of Richmond’s beautiful parks and learn the bike routes in Richmond. Meet in front of City Hall at noon ready to go with a bike, helmet, lunch, and water. For more information please contact Abigail Carlstad, (510) 621-1541.

Bike to Work Day- Thursday, May 9th from 7AM to 9AM


On Thursday, May 9th, the City of Richmond in collaboration with Bike East Bay, 511 Contra Costa, Richmond Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), Rich City Rides, Columbia Sportswear Company, and SunPower, will be hosting five Energizer Stations across the Richmond community. Stop by on your way to work for refreshments and a Bike to Work Day bag filled with promotional materials from local businesses.

The Energizer Stations will be located along key bicycle routes and open from 7:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M.:

  • Richmond BART (open 6:30 A.M. to 8:30 A.M.)
  • Marina Bay Park along the Bay Trail
  • Corner of Macdonald Avenue and Key Boulevard
  • Unity Park at 16th Street and Richmond Greenway
  • Richmond Ferry Terminal (NEW!)
Visit Bike East Bay's website for more information about the 140 Energizer Station locations and national Bike Month events happening in the East Bay.
BTWD Energizer Station Map

Recycling Tip of the Month!

Interested in starting recycling or compost services? Questions about what is recyclable or compostable? Please contact Republic Services at (510) 262-7100. For recycling and compost signs and outreach material visit, www.republicservices.com/municipality/wccc-ca. Please note, paper towels and napkins are not recyclable.

May- Recycling Tip of the Month
Recycling Tip of the Month April

Bulky Item Pick-up Program for Richmond Residents

Richmond residents are eligible for free bulky item pickup! Collections may be scheduled for single-family homes, duplexes, and multi-family properties with up to 19 units

Program Guidelines:

  • Serves single-family homes, duplexes, and multi-family buildings with up to 19 units
  • May substitute five E-waste items for one bulky item
  • No commercial-sized appliances, hazardous materials, or construction and demolition materials
  • Property owner or manager of multi-family properties must register with Republic Services by completing a participation form.


To schedule a pick-up contact Republic Services at (510) 262-7100.

For more information about residential bulky item pick-up programs visit www.ci.richmond.ca.us/1718/Residents

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New! Free Compost Giveaway Program for Residents



The City Manager’s Office, Community Development, Environmental and Health Initiatives Division is pleased to announce that starting February 6, 2019 and each first Wednesday of the month hereafter, West County households can pick-up for free 2 cubic yards of compost from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM at 101 Pittsburg Avenue, Richmond. Close the loop on your organics recycling by using the finished compost made right here in Richmond. This is self-service only; please bring your own bag, bin or bucket, and shovel to load the material. Valid identification is required.

For questions or additional information please call Republic Services at (510) 231-4200.

New! Free Mattress Drop-off

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Program for Residents


Byebye mattress Program

The City Manager’s Office, Community Development, Environmental and Health Initiatives Division is pleased to announce that Republic Services has teamed up with Bye Bye Mattress, a program of the Mattress Recycling Council, to provide a collection site for old unwanted mattresses and box springs.  Starting February 1, 2019, households in the cities of Richmond, Hercules, Pinole, San Pablo, El Cerrito and unincorporated communities are eligible to bring 3 items per month to be recycled at no cost. Mattresses can be dropped off Wednesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM at 101 Pittsburg Avenue, Richmond. Please bring proper identification or utility bill with address of household generating the item(s).

Items not accepted:

  • Half mattresses or box springs
  • Excessively wet, damaged, partial or soiled mattresses or mattresses with bed bugs
  • Car beds
  • Fold out sofa beds and futons
  • Waterbeds
  • Air mattresses, sleeping bags, pillows, mattress toppers or other furniture

For a fee, businesses can dispose of mattresses at the Golden Bear Transfer Station. For questions or additional information please call Republic Services at (510) 231-4200.


Richmond's Amended Food Ware Ordinance 



The Richmond City Council amended Richmond's Food Ware Ordinance in May 2018 banning the use and sale of plastic straws and stirrers. Non-plastic alternative straws will be provided to customers upon request. In addition, utensils and lids were added to the list of disposable food ware that must be recyclable or compostable. 

Please visit the Food Ware Ordinance web page for more information.

Best, Great, Not Allowed

Climate Action Plan Open Data Dashboard

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The City of Richmond Environmental and Health Initiatives Division has launched a Climate Action Plan (CAP) Open Data Dashboard to report on the City's progress towards climate action goals. For additional information, please send an email to richmondopendata@ci.richmond.ca.us.

Adopted in 2016, Richmond’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) outlines goals and strategies for reducing the city’s greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for the impacts of climate change on public health, infrastructure, ecosystems, and public spaces in our community. The dashboard serves to monitor progress towards reaching the CAP goals, inform policy decisions, and provide data to the community.

Free Home Solar Systems for Qualifying Richmond Residents

Richmond homeowners can qualify for a free solar program funded by the City of Richmond and State of California, through the non-profit GRID Alternatives. The City of Richmond and GRID Alternatives are excited to provide free solar systems to income-qualifying homes in Richmond and North Richmond, funded by the City of Richmond and State of California. GRID Alternatives is a national non-profit organization that makes solar energy accessible to homeowners who need the savings the most, while providing hands-on solar installation training. You could save 60-90% on your electric bill and help our community reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by participating in the program.

To be eligible, Richmond and North Richmond residents must live in their own home and make less than 80% of area median income (income limits are included in the flyer below).

More information about the program can be found at www.gridalternatives.org/ or by calling GRID Alternatives at (510) 731-1333. Residents may also contact the City of Richmond at (510) 621-1541.

GRID 2018

Air Pollution Complaints (BAAQMD)

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District receives over 12,000 air pollution complaints each year from members of the public. Community members are keenly aware of air pollution events and often provide the first warning of air quality problems. Satisfactory resolution of complaints is one of the most important objectives of Air District staff.

Examples of complaints include dust or chemical air pollutants emitted by industrial plants, refineries, neighborhood businesses, gas station nozzles, idling trucks, locomotives and buses; and smoke from agricultural fires, controlled burns, non-cooking backyard fires and outdoor trash burning.

To file a complaint, complete an online complaint form or call BAAQMD's 24-hour toll-free hotline at 1-800-334-ODOR (6367).

For more information, visit BAAQMD online.

BAAQMD Complaint Page

City Launches Climate-Smart Cities Tool

On Wednesday, November 8, the Trust for Public Land, City staff, and partnering  community-based organizations celebrated the launch of the new Climate-Smart Cities Tool. The tool launch event included presentations from the Technical Advisory Committee, and a hands-on training in the Emergency Operation Center at City Hall.

The online, publicly available Climate-Smart Cities Decision Support Tool integrates detailed mapping data, climate change analytics, and community input to guide park and green infrastructure investments. The Decision Support Tool seeks to democratize resiliency data and tools by making these resources available to community leaders and community-based organizations to identify and implement multi-benefit green infrastructure projects such as parks, bio-swales, and biking or pedestrian trails.

The Trust for Public Land developed Richmond’s Climate-Smart Cities Tool in collaboration with the City of Richmond and a number of community-based organizations. Richmond is California’s second Climate-Smart City with TPL and the first in Northern California.

Climate Smart City Tool

Energize Richmond: Energy Efficiency Rebates Now Available for Local Small/Medium Businesses & Multi-family Properties


Energize Richmond is the new City program aiming to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions in the Richmond community. The City is partnering with the East Bay Energy Watch Partnership (EBEW) (an energy efficiency rebate program funded by utility ratepayers at PG&E and MCE) and MCE to provide expanded rebates and services to small and medium sized Richmond businesses and multi-family properties.  These programs provide great opportunities to control energy use, decrease energy costs, and meet climate action goals.
  1. Small Business
  2. Multi-family Property
Energize Richmond will enable business owners to take control of their energy costs by offering:

  • PG&E and MCE rebates to help Richmond businesses upgrade their lighting, refrigeration, and HVAC;
  • Free no-obligation customized analysis funded by PG&E and MCE to help your business save energy and money;
  • Additional incentives from the City of Richmond to cover out of pocket costs up to $6,000.
Contact EBEW at 800-576-6405 or eastbayenergywatch@dnvgl.com. For more information, please visit:  www.californiabestprogram.com
Energize Richmond Small Business Flyer English
Energize Richmond multi family flyer English

Richmond Climate Action Plan Now Available


The Richmond Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a roadmap for how the City will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change on public health, infrastructure, ecosystems, and public spaces in our community. The CAP will support the community’s goals and policies identified in the City’s General Plan 2030. The CAP  also features health equity and climate justice as important aspects of the document framework, consistent with City’s Health in All Policies Strategy.

The Final CAP and all appendices can be accessed on the City's Climate Action webpage.

Richmond Climate Action Plan News Release


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HERO and CaliforniaFIRST - Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Programs Now Available for Richmond Homeowners

Richmond homeowners are now eligible to participate in two Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs: HERO and CaliforniaFIRST. PACE financing enables homeowners to make energy- and water-efficiency improvements and pay for them through their property tax bill. Property owners repay the assessment over 5 to 20 years and the interest is tax-deductible. Homeowners can use PACE financing to renovate projects that can increase their property values, lower their monthly utility bills, and contribute to making our community more energy independent.

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About Us
The City of Richmond Environmental Initiatives team promotes systems and policy changes that support the development of healthy and sustainable neighborhoods. The Division collaborates with the community and other city departments to implement actions identified in the Climate Action Plan, Health in All Policies Strategy Document, and the Energy and Climate Change Element and Community Health and Wellness Element of the Richmond General Plan 2030. The team aims to build the City and community's capacity to improve and promote sustainability and health equity.


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