Net Zero Parks: White Oak Solar Canopy The county is installing solar panel arrays in Deer Lakes and White Oak Parks, with the White Oak system becoming operational in early August 2023. The parking lot near the Chestnut Shelter in White Oak now has a solar panel canopy that generates roughly 156,000 kilowatt hours of power each year while providing shade to the lot. In Deer Lakes Park, a small demonstration solar array was installed on the Spray Park pumphouse roof, and a larger system was installed near the park Office and Maintenance Barn, generating roughly 180,000 kilowatts hours of electricity per year. These systems will become operational once the utility companies approve connection to the electric grid. Together these solar systems will offset all the energy consumed in White Oak and Deer Lakes Parks, which is the same amount of electricity consumed by 28 homes each year.
Hard to Recycle Resource Guide The Sustainability Department partnered with the Health Department’s Bureau of Environmental Health to create an online resource guide that provides residents with information about where to take hard-to-recycle items in Allegheny County. Launched in September 2023 as the new Recycling Drop-off Finder, the guide includes information on how to recycle items such as TVs, computers, and batteries. The guide is interactive, allowing users to sort by type of item and find places that take them for disposal. The goal was to turn the annual Recycling Resources Guide on the county website into a more user-friendly resource. Sustainability Initiatives Story Map (https://arcg.is/zn4aL) The Department of Sustainability created a story map in 2023 to showcase Allegheny County’s sustainability initiatives and projects over the years. The projects focus on several important areas such as water and energy use, sustainable development, and waste management. An interactive map further details these initiatives to help keep residents informed and educated on sustainability efforts in their communities.
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