Below are County programs and initiatives that make our community and corporate operations more sustainable.
Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) program |
| ALUS provides money to agricultural landowners to produce ecosystem services on their unproductive or environmentally sensitive land. Visit ALUS program to learn more. |
Anti-idling campaign |
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According to BC Transit, 10 minutes of idling wastes one fifth of a litre of fuel. If you idle your vehicle for 10 minutes every day, you waste one litre of gas per week. Help us reach our greenhouse gas GHG reduction goals by 2020 and follow the County's anti-idling directive.
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Backyard and kitchen composter sales-SOLD OUT |
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The County Services Building (2700 48 St, Stony Plain, AB) sells backyard composters ($45-sold out), kitchen catcher bins ($15-sold out) and compost turning equipment ($20- stock still available) at the front desk (GST is already included). Composting prevents organics from reaching our landfills and provide nutrients for your garden. |
Consumer lifecycle costing calculators |
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Lifecycle costing calculators can help you make informed purchasing choices for various products. The excel spreadsheets calculate energy consumption with just a few simple inputs.
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County buildings' energy efficiency retrofits |
| In 2012, an energy audit recommended retrofits such as LED lighting, weather stripping and a building management system in the County Services Building that have lowered our annual GHG emissions by 140.31 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Learn how you can increase energy efficiency and help lower Parkland's GHG emissions. |
County Centre carpooling lot |
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Parking stalls designated for carpooling are in the northwest corner of the County Centre Parking lot at 53109A Hwy. 779, just north of Stony Plain. Carpooling lowers GHG emissions so we encourage residents to take advantage of this free parking. |
Dark sky policy |
| The County's Dark Sky policy requires LED or high pressure sodium (HPS) outdoor lighting because it uses less energy to produce the same amount of light, has longer lifecycles and reduces light pollution. |
Environmentally Significant Areas (ESA) classification |
| ESAs are vital to biological diversity, soil, water, or other natural processes and can consist of wetlands, forests, lakes and other natural areas. Find an overview of Parkland County's ESAs in our Environmental Conservation Master Plan (ECMP). |
Interactive Guide to Waterfront Living |
| The Interactive Guide to Waterfront Living explains how residents can protect Parkland County lakes and surrounding ecosystems. Residents who complete the guide receive a FREE On the Living Edge book. |
Naturalization of municipal land |
| Creating a healthy, natural environment on public land Is a priority for the County. The Municipally Managed Areas Naturalization Policy provides guidelines on how to naturalize publically owned reserve land in the County. |
Naturalized storm water ponds |
| As development increases, natural water systems (e.g., wetlands, riparian areas, etc.) are often impacted negatively. Our naturalized storm water ponds policy ensures constructed wetlands collect surface water to improve water quality by naturally filtering contaminants. |
Lake management plans |
| In the fall of 2013, Parkland County partnered with several organizations including the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance (NSWA) to develop lake land use plans for five lakes in the County including: Wabamun, Isle, Hubbles, Mayatan, and Jackfish. Keep up to date on the progress of these lake management plans or visit one of our partners' websites to get involved in lake stewardship in your area. |
Net zero house project |
| The Parkland net-zero home is a great example of green building practices and energy efficiency. Just south of Spruce Grove, the home is designed to produce as much energy as it consumes. |
Rain barrel sales campaign |
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Each Spring we sell rain barrels at a discounted price. Rain barrels collect rain water to use for outdoor activities like watering your lawn and garden or washing your car. Learn about the benefits of rain barrels in our brochure. |
Recycling at waste transfer stations |
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Recycling minimizes waste that is eventually buried in a landfill. Parkland County transfer stations accept a number of different recyclable products. In 2010, Parkland County residents diverted 21% of waste from landfills through recycling. Our diversion rate is increasing with 32% diverted in 2014 and 30% in 2015. Find out more about recycling at waste transfer stations. |
Sustainable land use planning |
| Land use planning regulates land use to secure the physical, economic, health and well-being of rural communities. Our Environmental Conservation Master Plan and Integrated Community Sustainability Plan illustrate how the County plans to incorporate sustainable land use into the future. |
Take It or Leave It- Household items recycling |
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Bring household items that are still useful to the Take it or Leave it facility at the Parkland County Transfer Station and Recycle Centre at no charge. |
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