Welcome to the official Live Green in Plano page. The official page for the City of Plano's Environmental Education and Sustainability division.
To learn how to live green in Plano, subscribe to our enews at bit.ly/LGIPENews or visit livegreeninplano.com. For information about what content may be removed, visit share.plano.gov/TermsAndConditions.
Operating as usual
๐ง Looking for something fun and impactful to do during spring break? Need school service hours?
๐ Consider our family-friendly, self-led volunteer opportunities, like storm drain labeling and litter cleanups!
โก Storm drain labeling: https://www.plano.gov/681/Storm-Drain-Labeling
โก Litter cleanups: https://www.plano.gov/497/Community-Cleanup
๐ At Monday evening's City Council meeting, Mayor Muns proclaimed that March is Ask a Master Gardener Month!
๐ฑ The Collin County Master Gardeners Association is dedicated to providing the community with research-based information on sustainable horticultural practices and environmental stewardship.
โก Learn more and ask your gardening questions: https://ccmgatx.org/
๐บ Longing for a lovely, low-maintenance, Texas-tough landscape? Whether you're new to gardening or new to gardening in North Texas, we have seven simple steps for creating a water-conserving landscape you'll love!
๐ป Join us for the Smart Yards for North Texas webinar on Wednesday, March 8, at noon.
โก Register: share.plano.gov/LGIP
โ๏ธ The City of Plano partners with Solar United Neighbors (SUN) to facilitate the Plano Solar Co-op, a program that assists interested residents in obtaining competitive group pricing for solar installation.
๐ The Plano Solar Co-op recently completed its latest cycle - SUN's largest to date - in terms of the number of contracts signed and the amount of energy that can be produced. Way to go, Plano!
โก Learn more: https://coops.solarunitedneighbors.org/coops/plano-solar-co-op/
๐ Here's a friendly reminder from Plano's Steve Stoler that ALL wipes belong in the trash.
๐ฅ Watch here:
Flushable or disposable wipes don't break down. As a result, they can clog sewer pipes and damage equipment. Wipes can get stuck on the residential side of t...
๐ Meet Arlo, the AIRmadillo! Arlo is the Air North Texas mascot. His shell is unique because it changes color based on ozone conditions, alerting residents in North Texas about local air quality.
โก Learn more and sign up for air pollution alerts: https://www.airnorthtexas.org/
๐ฅฐ Thank you to the volunteers from John Paul II High School and their project sponsors, One Earth, One Chance and Texas Conservation Alliance, for planting native plants at Buckhorn Park!
๐ฅ Watch their story:
These 13 students are members of the Social Innovation Lab at John Paul II High School. Their assignment: solve a challenge in everyday life. They chose Buck...
๐ฅค Today is National Skip the Straw Day. Many straws end up as litter and often harm wildlife, especially in waterways and oceans.
โ
If you don't need to drink with a straw, commit to skipping the straw or to carrying a reusable one.
Even our water towers . โค๏ธ๐
Image: A sun ray creates the shape of a heart inside a Plano water tower. Photo courtesy of Tim Abbott, City of Plano Pumping Facilities Superintendent.
๐ฅ Mature trees shading out your lawn? Dealing with bare ground or erosion issues? Not sure which plants thrive in your low-light areas?
๐บ Join us for Shade Gardening on Wednesday, March 1, to discover plants and practices that are made for shade!
๐ป Webinar from noon - 1 p.m.
๐ซ In-person class from 7 - 9 p.m.
โก Register: share.plano.gov/LGIP
Scroll down to view all the upcoming programs. Check back often for newly listed classes and programs to inspire you towards a greener lifestyle.
๐พ Today is National Walking the Dog Day! Get some heart-healthy exercise while spending quality time with your best furry friend!
๐ฉ As you stroll on this special day and every day, please remember to "doo" the right thing. Scooping the p**p protects environmental health, water quality and your neighbors' shoes.
๐ฆ Help local wildlife thrive by turning your yard, balcony container garden, school grounds, office courtyard or roadside greenspace into a Certified Wildlife Habitat!
๐ค Support the City of Planoโs efforts to become a National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat by certifying your landscape.
โก Learn more: www.nwf.org/certify
Anyone can create a welcoming haven for local wildlife. Turning your yard, balcony container garden, schoolyard, work landscape, or roadside green space into a Certified Wildlife Habitatยฎ is fun, easy and makes a big difference for neighborhood wildlife.
๐ Remember the old surf tune, โWipeoutโ? Think of that tune whenever youโre tempted to flush a wipe, even one thatโs labeled โflushable."
๐ฝ Keep WIPES OUT of pipes. Flush only the three Ps: p*e, poo and paper.
โก Learn more about protecting your pipes: share.plano.gov/FOG
๐ง Are you interested in learning a new skill like vegetable gardening, backyard composting or DIY sprinkler repair?
๐ป Live Green in Plano offers many online resources to help you get started! Check out our webinar channel and our online learning modules: interactive, game-like courses on a variety of green skills.
โก Webinar channel: https://www.gotostage.com/channel/0f827b9cbc714e758a0de79a4ff36218
โก Online learning modules: share.plano.gov/LGIPmodules
๐ Mark your calendar for the Great American Cleanup on Saturday, April 15!
โ๏ธ Registration will open on Monday, March 13, at share.plano.gov/GAC.
๐ The Great American Cleanup is part of our Clean and Green Spring: a series of upcoming litter cleanups full of fun and fellowship! Stay tuned for more information.
In honor of Black History Month, we recognize and celebrate the impact the black community has made on our city.
Andy Drake was the first freed African American to settle in Plano in the 1860s. He had 13 children. Two of his sons married the daughters of Mose Stimpson. The Drakeโs and Stimpsonโs became two of the founding families of the Douglass Community and many descendants still live in Plano today.
Lee Andrew (L.A.) Davis was a successful businessman. To counter Jim Crow laws and segregation that kept black families from owning property, he purchased a large section of land in Planoโs Douglass Community and sold lots to local black families.
James (Jim) Lawrence Thomas, another pillar in the community, started as a one-man janitorial service. He later provided the first laundry delivery service in Plano and was Planoโs first black fireman. His care for his community extended beyond providing food and shelter for his children to providing for children of other families. Thomas Elementary School is named after him.
Discover more at PlanoBlackHistory.org.
๐ฐ This is the last month to take the "You've Got the Power" online learning module and enter for a chance to win energy-saving prizes!
๐ On March 1, one randomly selected grand prize winner will receive a Nest thermostat!
โ๏ธ Open to Plano residents only. One entry per household.
โก Enter: share.plano.gov/LGIPmodules
๐คฉ Wow! Check out this fabulous coverage of the Residential Food Scrap Composting pilot program by NBC DFW!
โก https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/city-of-plano-introduces-residential-composting-program/3194367/
โก Learn more and enroll: https://www.plano.gov/2106/Residential-Food-Scrap-Composting
Plano is introducing a pilot program to help residents dispose of their food waste and work towards being more green.
๐ Happy Valentine's Day!
๐ฅฐ We're grateful for the love that our volunteers bring to the community. From gardening, to litter cleanups, engaging the public at events and beyond - they're the heart of Live Green in Plano.
โก Learn more about volunteering: https://www.plano.gov/671/Volunteer-Opportunities
๐ฆ Do you have 15 minutes to spare for the birds? The annual Great Backyard Bird Count is from Friday, February 17, through Monday, February 20.
๐ค Bird and nature lovers unite to tally as many of the world's bird species as possible over these four days. Your participation helps scientists understand how best to support our feathered friends!
โก๏ธ Learn how to report your bird count:
Each year people from around the world come together to watch, learn about, count, and celebrate birds. Join us in February!
๐๐ฝ๐ง The "big flush"? Some say it's an urban legend, but water use has been known to surge during Super Bowl half-time. It's because of another kind of bowl: the toilet bowl! Thanks to our water and wastewater operators for keeping it all flowing smoothly, 24-7. Enjoy the game! Who are you rooting for?
๐ฌ It's International Day of Women and Girls in Science!
๐ Celebrate the amazing contributions to science, medicine, technology, engineering, sustainability and other fields that women and girls around the world make every day.
๐คฉ Here are a few members of the Live Green in Plano team who serve the City through their love of science and education.
๐ Our next Winter Waterway Cleanup is on Saturday, February 18!
๐ง Why focus on waterways in the winter? It's easier to access creeks and litter when vegetation dies back, and many of our nature friends are less active. Plus, it's fun and impactful!
โก Register: https://cityofplano.formstack.com/forms/february_18
๐ It's National Pizza Day! The pizza box is empty...now what?
๐ซ Please don't put it in your recycling cart. Cardboard that's contaminated with food or grease belongs in the trash.
๐ Thank you for recycling only empty, clean and dry items!
โก Learn more: share.plano.gov/recycling
๐ฅณ February 13 is "Galentine's Day," a day to celebrate your special friendships!
๐ There are many opportunities for fun, unique experiences with friends in Plano. Here are a few ideas that also support small, local businesses:
โช๏ธ Painting and pottery classes
โช๏ธ Cooking and baking classes
โช๏ธ Roller skating, laser tag and rock climbing
โช๏ธ Karaoke
๐ Gather your gals for picnics in Plano's parks, or register for recreation classes together! Check out the Plano Recreation catalog: https://issuu.com/pard2011/docs/winter-spring_2023_recreation_catalog?fr=sYTk1NjQwNDE3
๐ค Live Green in Plano will be at the State of the City event on Thursday evening! Will we see you there?
โก Learn more about the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/879945736489385
๐ง Have you seen the February edition of the Live Green in Plano e-newsletter? It features green Valentine's Day ideas to help you show your love sustainably! They include:
โค Choose a potted culinary herb or a houseplant thatโll bring joy for longer than a bouquet.
โค Buy fair-trade chocolate that also supports sustainable cocoa farming in the worldโs rainforests.
โค Start new traditions that emphasize the value of quality time spent together...and other ideas!
โก Subscribe to the monthly e-newsletter: https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001cDYOOus5TIdh3FIJLBtANAJafJyYxF_4PE_TTpbk44q-pBW6K_CH_GcH2Psp2k0FhhWGVd3s3lyX8ohpXnTwxlGohEPXCl6Iyhm-kPGg2JM%3D
๐ฅ Want to grow your own veggies? Here's an "un-beet-able" opportunity for you! "Lettuce" show you how to select your site, build your beds, prepare your soil, choose your plants and get growing!
๐ป It's our Vegetable Gardening for North Texas webinar on Wednesday, February 15, at noon.
โก Register: share.plano.gov/LGIP
โค๏ธ It's National Wear Red Day! Wear red to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke.
โ๏ธ Sun and warmer temperatures return this weekend. Spend some time caring for your heart!
โก Visit Plano's parks and trails: https://www.plano.gov/779/Parks-Trails
๐ธ Happy World Wetlands Day! Today we celebrate the importance of wetlands and the diversity of life they support.
๐คฉ Our water provider, the North Texas Municipal Water District, oversees the largest man-made wetland in the nation: the East Fork Water Reuse Project! There, 1.6 million aquatic plants help clean up to 90 million gallons of water per day.
โก Check out this incredible project: https://www.ntmwd.com/east-fork-water-reuse-project/
๐ฐ Read all about it! The launch of the Residential Food Scrap Composting pilot program has been in the news!
โญ๏ธ Community Impact: https://communityimpact.com/dallas-fort-worth/plano-south/government/2023/01/05/registration-now-open-for-residential-food-scrap-composting-pilot-program-in-plano/
โญ๏ธ Plano Star Courier: https://starlocalmedia.com/planocourier/city-of-plano-launches-program-for-more-sustainable-living/article_f77584fc-9118-11ed-b8cd-a3a76f3b21a5.html
โก Learn more and enroll: plano.gov/2106/Residential-Food-Scrap-Composting
๐ Who doesn't love that crisp "pop" of bubble wrap? As yesterday was National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, here's a friendly reminder...
๐ซ Bubble wrap and other plastic films don't belong in your curbside recycling cart.
โป๏ธ That said, they can still be recycled. Many Plano grocery stores have plastic film and plastic bag collection bins. Bring yours next time you go to your favorite grocery store!
โก Here's a list of drop-off recycling locations: https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/2d3d4d37-4f97-4f8d-af3d-284bfaaea877
โ CLOSURE: The Household Chemical Reuse Center will be closed on Wednesday, February 1, and will re-open on Saturday, February 4, at 9 am.
โ๏ธ Winter weather is coming! Are you prepared?
๐ง Sprinklers should stay OFF this week.
โ๏ธ It's time to take action with the simple tips below. Protect people, pets, plants, pipes and property,
โก How to shut off your water if necessary: https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/b3fd1119-5181-4d1f-8879-b7d1e9e20ec1?scope=all
๐ New Year's Resolutions 2023
๐พ Resolve to eat more sustainably this year? Crop rotation is important for soil and ecosystem health. A diverse diet can help reduce the overwhelming demand for products like corn and wheat. Incorporating a variety of grains into your diet is a great way to be healthy and support sustainable agricultural practices. Cook with a new grain like millet, barley, rye or even a native grain like amaranth this weekend!
โก Learn more about grains in Texas: https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/guides/the-crops-of-texas/grains-fiber-and-oilseed-crops/
โป STAR, the State of Texas Alliance for Recycling, is offering several scholarships!
๐ฐ Graduating high school seniors, college students, teachers at any level of public education and collegiate student groups may apply until June 1.
โก Learn more: https://recyclingstar.org/Scholarship
๐ฆ Want to practice fine motor skills with your little one in creative, nature-inspired ways? Stop by the Nature Explore Classroom, and discover our adorable activity bins - like this one: "Feed the Baby Birds"!
๐ Plano Environmental Education Center (4116 W. Plano Parkway, 75093)
๐ฅฐ Live Green in Plano is grateful for its volunteers! Here are some of their impressive impacts from 2022:
โญ๏ธ 3,976 volunteers collected 59,583 pounds of litter.
โญ๏ธ 153 volunteers labeled 1,199 storm drains to help protect water quality.
โญ๏ธ Volunteers spent 4,365 hours in the Plano Community Garden. They grew and donated 4,689 pounds of produce to local food pantries.
โญ๏ธ Volunteers spent 1,422 hours assisting with Sustainability and Environmental Education Division programs.
โก Want to get involved? Learn more about the Live Green in Plano Volunteer Program: https://www.plano.gov/671/Volunteer-Opportunities
๐ง Looking for a group volunteer opportunity for your corporate or community group of 15 or more?
๐บ Look no further! Sign up for an Environmental Education Center garden workday. Assist with garden maintenance and special projects in a fun, welcoming and beautiful environment!
โก Complete this form: https://tx-plano-onlineforms.app.transform.civicplus.com/forms/12626
๐ The Community Cleanup Trailer has a new look!
๐ It's ready to help your group make a difference in the community! The trailer is equipped with everything your group needs to make Plano clean and green. Groups of 25+ volunteers can reserve it for free. Simply organize a group, select a date, reserve the trailer and City staff will transport it to the cleanup location.
โก Learn more and reserve the trailer: https://www.plano.gov/498/Community-Cleanup-Trailer
4200 W Plano Pkwy
Plano, TX
75093
| Monday | 8am - 5pm |
| Tuesday | 8am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 8am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 5pm |
| Friday | 8am - 5pm |
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Thank you to Keep Texas Beautiful and H-E-B for providing support through the Take Care of Texas initiative! With the $3,000 awarded to us, we were able to provide 40 recycling bins to five Plano schools a part of our Green School Program. ๐
Renters may not have the ultimate flexibility to make drastic energy conservation updates to their homes, but there is still plenty that can be done to lower energy bills! ๐ก Follow these five tips. โฌ๏ธ
Looking for ways to improve your gas mileage and make your fill-up last longer? Consider these tips for improving your fuel efficiency! ๐
It's Migratory Bird season and you can help out by turning out the lights at night. Billions of birds migrate north in the Spring and many do this at night. Lights can throw birds off and cause confusion. Do your part by following these three easy steps at night!
April is Food Waste Month! Follow these tips to prevent all that good food ending up in the trash. What are other ways youโre reducing food waste?
๐ง As promised, we're sharing more water-saving guidance for Fix-a-Leak Week! ๐ฅ In today's video segment, we learn that "the dye doesn't lie" when it comes to toilet leak detection. Try this simple test to determine whether or not your toilet is wasting water. โก Here's more on household leak detection: https://www.epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week#Checking%20for%20Leaks
The final Winter Waterways Cleanup of the season is next Saturday, March 19! Join us to clean up the creek at the Environmental Education Center and Plano Community Garden to help protect the local wildlife we have been capturing with our game cameras. Sign up: plano.gov/497/Community-Cleanup All supplies will be provided onsite. Volunteer hours will be signed for those that need them.
Love is in the air between our resident beavers at the Environmental Education Center - just in time for Valentine's Day! ๐ Beavers typically mate for life and live in family groups with their offspring. Here's hoping that we see this couple with a few kits of their own later this year! In the meantime we will be keeping the creek as clean as possible for these two. To clean up your local creek to help the wildlife in your area, go to plano.gov/497/Community-Cleanup.
Check out the visitor we had at the Environmental Education Center creek! ๐ฆ Raccoons use water to "feel" their food. Their paws have more nerve endings than human hands, and they rely on them more than their eyesight. The water helps increase the sensitivity in their paws. Litter in creeks like this can hurt our native wildlife. We cleaned up this area shortly after seeing this video so the raccoons next visit is much safer. If you would like to clean up a creek to protect local animals, visit plano.gov/497/Community-Cleanup.
Our guest star Momo teaches you how to be more green in 2022. โ Check it out!
Join us in making Plano clean and green at the January Winter Waterway Cleanup on Saturday, Jan. 15, 10 a.m. to noon along the Legacy Trail (pictured below)! All supplies are provided onsite. Register: plano.gov/497/Community-Cleanup
To celebrate National Trivia Day, check out these trivia tidbits and ways YOU can bring the numbers down! Sign up for our classes at share.plano.gov/LGIP.
๐ Here's the fourth and final episode of our Green Gift Guide Video Series. This one highlights ways to use your talents (or support others' talents) by giving handmade and homemade treats and treasures. Thanks for watching!
๐ Here's episode three of our Green Gift Guide Video Series. This one highlights the value of time spent together. When you gift local experiences, you support local businesses and organizations.
Today is Look for an Evergreen Day! Many homeowners purposefully incorporate evergreens into their landscapes for year-round interest. While we don't have a lot of true evergreen trees suitable for the Plano area, there are many evergreen shrubs from which to choose. Visit the demonstration garden at the Environmental Education Center (4116 W. Plano Pkwy.) to see some of our favorites up close! What's your favorite evergreen?
๐ Here's episode two of our Green Gift Guide Video Series. This one highlights the year-round benefits of gifting subscriptions and memberships. โก Learn more about Plano Public Library memberships: https://www.plano.gov/805/Get-a-Library-Card-Borrowing โก Learn more about Plano Recreation Center memberships: https://www.plano.gov/1485/Recreation-Center-Memberships
๐ Here's episode one of our Green Gift Guide Video Series. This one highlights alternative gift wrap ideas that help keep the festivities out of the landfill.
Have unwanted, gently used taking up space in your home? Bring them to Texas Recycles Day on Saturday, Nov. 13! โป๏ธ We have added a few new vendors this year so check them out on our website: share.plano.gov/TRD We hope to see you there!
You might remember this video from last fall's virtual WaterWise Landscape Tour. If you loved it, we have great news. The in-person WaterWise Landscape Tour is back on Saturday, Oct. 23, and we invite you to tour Dan and Candy Zechmeister's lovely landscape LIVE! In the meantime, enjoy this preview. Download the 2021 tour map: plano.gov/541/WaterWise-Landscape-Tour
Make your metal count! Steel can be recycled indefinitely, but small caps and lids placed in your recycling cart may not get properly sorted or recycled. Problem solved! Put steel caps in steel cans and pinch the can shut so nothing escapes during sorting.
Protect our animals and planet by reducing the amount of single-use plastics in your life. ๐ถโป๏ธ
Collin-Fannin County Medical Society
West 15th StreetDallas Police Department - North Central Divi
Mccallum Boulevard, DallasEast Africa Chamber of Commerce
North Dallas Parkway, DallasEast African Chamber of Commerce
North Dallas Parkway, Dallas
U.S. Probation and Pretrial Office, Eastern D
North Central Expressway
U.S. Army Recruiting Company, Plano
K Avenue
Marine Corps Recruiting Substation Plano, TX
W Parker Road
Collin County Veteran Services
E. Park Boulevard
Collin-Fannin County Medical Society
West 15th Street