Sustainability : Features

As D.C. continues to grow, balancing growth with sustainability isn't always easy. Here are three ways the city is working toward that goal.

Everywhere you look in D.C., there are #foodheroes. People helping D.C. residents grow more food, eat healthier, and care for the environment with their eating choices.

Chef Ryan Gordon at the Queen Vic has started a new partnership with the farmers who provide the fresh, sustainably-grown food for his pub, and he welcomes other chefs to join in the venture.

To grow the city’s tree canopy to 40 percent by 2032, Casey Trees bought the farm (or, rather, was given one). 

The newest Circulator buses are greener and more comfortable--and you can even charge your phone while on board.

Last Tuesday some of the city’s green building experts met to discuss how new building codes are changing the way the city lives and works.  The event was produced by ElevationDC and sponsored by the law firm of Nixon Peabody. 

Starting this summer, parents can host birthday parties among the fish, crabs and turtles at the Aquatic Resources Education Center in Anacostia Park.    

DC, a leader in the green building movement, is getting more than just energy savings and good vibes from its green buildings.

In early January, Tommy Wells was appointed Acting Director of the District Department of the Environment (DDOE).  A few weeks after he took over, Elevation DC sat down to talk with him about his vision for his department and his priorities for the coming years.  

What does the future hold for the District? Elevation D.C. looks forward for our last issue of the year.

Our Dec. 2 event, discussing the elements that make neighborhoods great, is full, but you can sign up for the waitlist.

D.C. wouldn't be where it is without its passionate, engaged citizens. Get to know four of them.

Not many people know the Anacostia the way that Jorge Bogantes Montero does. As a natural resources specialist with the Anacostia Watershed Society, Montero is aware of the places where legacy pollutants form a troubled mix of dirty water.  But he has also found places along the shores where wild persimmon and pawpaw fruits can still be found dangling from the limbs of native trees each fall. 

The nationwide competiton to design an elevated park over the Anacostia has reached its home stretch, with four finalists unveiling their designs Thursday. Any would be a welcome addition to D.C.

Fueled by collaboration, the Mile High City is investing in transit-oriented development while also preserving its historic neighborhoods. Denver has gained 50,000 new residents in the past four years, outpacing its suburbs and most other metro areas.