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City of Columbia, MO - Office of Sustainability

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Columbia, MO
City of Columbia, MO - Office of Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is one of the most important challenges facing future generations. Investing time and funds in these issues is not a trend, but a lifestyle. We are dedicated to environmental improvements that foster a sustainable future and lead to social and economical improvements in the community which we serve. Our commitment is to work locally to improve the social, economical, and environmental well-being of our community.

09/07/2026

🌙 TURN OFF THE LIGHTS FOR MIGRATING BIRDS! 🐦

We’re entering the peak fall bird migration season, and something as simple as turning off unnecessary lights at night can make a life-saving difference.

Artificial light at night can disorient migrating birds, drawing them toward buildings where they can collide with windows or become exhausted and trapped.

And birds aren’t the only ones affected. 💡🦋 Artificial light also disrupts insects, including moths and other nocturnal insects that are essential food for birds, bats, and other wildlife. Lights can interfere with their feeding, reproduction, navigation, and ability to avoid predators.

One small action can help an incredible number of creatures:

If you don’t need the light, turn it off. 🌎💚

Close your blinds, use motion sensors when necessary, and keep outdoor lighting warm, shielded, and directed downward.

Let’s give wildlife a darker, safer night sky. ✨

09/07/2026

♻️ RECYCLE SMART! Putting trash in your blue bag can ruin the whole load.

✅ When in doubt, throw it out.

🚫 No glass, trash, or mystery items in your blue bag.

✔️ Only:
🔹Plastic bottles & jugs
🔹Aluminum cans
🔹Metal food cans

Let’s recycle right & make a real impact!

09/07/2026

Don't flush them! Flushing pills down the toilet can pollute our water and endanger public health. Wastewater treatment plants can't remove pharmaceuticals, so let's dispose of them properly.

𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗬 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪, 𝗙𝗟𝗨𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗦 𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗢𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗔𝗡 𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗘. 𝗪𝗘 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗡𝗢𝗪.

Residents are urged to visit https://ayrs.io/8plTqJ to find year-round disposal options across the state.

09/06/2026

🌿 Living Plastic Free: Water Bottles 🌿

Planning ahead and bringing a reusable water bottle when you’re on the go is a healthier, cost-effective way to stay hydrated and reduce single-use plastic waste.

💧 How to Make It Work:
Always remember your reusable bottle — keep it handy!
No fancy bottle needed — some people reuse glass jars or bottles.

If you forget, just:
• Drink from a water fountain
• Ask a café for a glass of water
• Use a clean mug or jar at work

🚀 Taking the Next Steps:
Start conversations about ditching plastic bottles at your workplace, gym, school, or events.

Advocate for more refill stations at local businesses and government spaces.

Support festivals and events that encourage BYO bottles.

Don’t forget your reusable bottle when traveling — spread the plastic-free message globally!

09/06/2026

This summer, the City of Columbia Office of Sustainability's Summer Interns visited local summer camps to bring sustainability education directly to hundreds of young learners through our Sustainability Summer Series!

Throughout the summer, campers have explored topics including:

The Water Cycle & Watersheds – Learn where our water comes from, how it moves through the environment, and why protecting our local waterways matters.

Litter Prevention – Discover how litter affects wildlife, our parks, and our streams, and how everyone can help keep Columbia clean.

Recycling – Explore what can be recycled, why recycling matters, and simple ways to reduce waste every day.

Pollinators – Meet the bees, butterflies, and other pollinators that keep our ecosystems healthy and learn how to create pollinator-friendly spaces.

Energy & Drinking Water Conservation – Find out how Columbia's utilities provide essential services and how conserving energy and water helps protect our natural resources.

By connecting these lessons to our local community, we're helping inspire the next generation of environmental stewards. Every camper leaves knowing that even small actions—like recycling, conserving water, or planting flowers for pollinators—can make a big difference for Columbia's future.

Together, we're building a more sustainable community, one camper at a time!

09/05/2026

Make sure you “plump” them up for the trip.

09/05/2026

🌍 How well do you know the Waste Reduction Hierarchy? ♻️ Most of us know the "Three Rs," but true sustainability goes much deeper! To make a real impact on our planet, we need to think about waste in a specific order of priority.

Check out the hierarchy below to see how you can level up your eco-friendly habits:

REDUCE: Buy only what you need. Choose durable goods over "fast" products, limit packaging, and support on-demand production.

REUSE: Swap disposables for keepers! Think reusable coffee cups, tote bags, and metal utensils.

RECYCLE: If you can't reuse it, recycle it! Remember to rinse your items and sort them correctly.

RECOVER: When recycling isn't an option, we can still extract value through composting or waste-to-energy processes.

DISPOSE: This is the last resort. Landfills are expensive and the least sustainable option for our Earth. 🚛

Which step are you working on this week? Let’s move up the hierarchy together! 👇

09/04/2026

City of Columbia Utilities has partnered with Ripple Glass to offer a free glass recycling option for residents, helping divert waste from the landfill.

The City continues to explore additional glass recycling opportunities for the community. Depending on how well this trial works, other locations could be considered. The landfill accepts drop-off material 7 am-3 pm Monday through Friday and 8 am-1 pm on Saturday.

Residents can now drop off glass food and beverage containers in Ripple’s signature purple bin located at the landfill (5700 Peabody Road) for free. Please enter through the scalehouse ramp. While the vehicle will be weighed, there will be no charge for dropping off glass for recycling. Note that opaque glass, porcelain, and window glass are not allowed.

For glass recycling, there is a porthole-style opening on the bin. Residents will have to slide in bottles and jars one at a time. For customer and worker safety, items too large to fit in the porthole should not be left on top of or sitting outside the bin.

No boxes or plastic bags should be thrown into the glass-only bin. Solid Waste staff asks that bottles and jars be empty and free of food or liquid waste.

Glass can be of any color; however, it must be transparent. Customers do not need to remove labels, but lids and bottle caps should be discarded.

Glass will not be accepted in curbside collections and should not be placed inside blue recycling bags.

09/04/2026

🌎 One Piece of Litter. One Big Difference! 🗑️ Did you know it’s estimated that millions of pieces of litter end up on the ground every day across the U.S.? From cigarette butts and food wrappers to bottles and cans, litter can quickly make its way from our streets and parks into our local waterways. 💧

The good news? We can all help! 🙌

♻️ Don’t litter. Keep a small bag in your car for trash and recyclables.
🚮 Use a trash or recycling container when one is available.
🌳 Pick up ONE piece of litter every day.

That’s 365 fewer pieces of litter in our streets, parks, neighborhoods and around our schools each year—just from one person!

Now imagine if everyone in our community picked up just ONE piece a day. ❤️

Small actions add up to a cleaner, healthier Columbia!

Take the challenge: Pick up one piece today! 💪🌱

09/03/2026

💡🌙 Lighting the Way—Without Lighting Up the Sky - Not all outdoor lighting is created equal. By using dark sky-friendly lighting, the City of Columbia is helping reduce light pollution while keeping public spaces safe and welcoming.

Excessive or poorly directed artificial light can disrupt wildlife, interfere with our sleep, and make it harder to enjoy the beauty of the night sky. That's why the City installs lighting with shielded fixtures, warm-colored LEDs, and smart controls that direct light only where—and when—it’s needed.

At Gans Creek Recreation Area, the lighting goes even further with motion-activated fixtures that automatically turn on when people are present and switch off when they're not. This reduces energy use, glare, and unnecessary skyglow while maintaining safe lighting for visitors.

🌱 These upgrades are part of Columbia's ongoing commitment to improving energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and expanding sustainable infrastructure as outlined in the City's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.

Learn more about Columbia's climate goals at www.comoclimateaction.org.

Address

701 E Broadway
Columbia, MO
65201

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+15738742489

Website

http://CoMo.gov/Sustainability

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