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Upcoming Events
Holiday Grease Roundup
Nov. 18 - Jan. 10
Bring fats, cooking oils, and grease to the Environmental Collection Center or one of the City's Drop-Off Stations. Learn more online.
Diamond Hill Special Event Litter Cleanup
Saturday, December 14
8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
No registration required. Just show up and clean up! Supplies will be provided. Learn more online.
Follow Fort Worth's City News for all service changes and closures for Christmas and New Year's.
 Take Care of Texas Kids Art Contest
Jan. 7 - Mar. 8
Take Care of Texas Kids Art Contest invites K-5th grade students to create artwork showing ways to keep our air clean, like planting a tree or using eco-friendly transportation. Free to enter.
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Street sweepers have new names!
You submitted the names and voted for the finalists — now it’s time to announce the winners!
In September, residents submitted names to Environmental Services’ Name the Sweeper Contest for a chance to be displayed on the side of the City’s 12 new street sweepers. From more than 1,300 community submissions, names were narrowed down to 50. Last month, residents voted for the finalists, and now our sweepers have names.
The results are in, and our sweepers now have names!
The 12 winning names are:
- Sweep in the Heart
of Texas
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The winning names will be displayed on the side of one of the City’s new street sweepers. They will also be posted on the City’s Litter website. Winners will receive a prize pack of environmentally themed goodies.
Thank you to everyone for participating in the contest, and for helping keep Fort Worth beautiful.
Learn more about the street sweeper program and other litter-prevention efforts.
Tire Collection Event a success!
City of Fort Worth's Environmental Services Department collected 383 scrap tires during its November 16 Scrap Tire Collection Event at East Regional Library. Residents brought their used tires and rims from various passenger vehicles, and were also encouraged to check and replace other tires, such as bicycles or riding lawn mowers.
Partially funded by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), this event provided residents with a free, and proper, disposal option for used tires. It also discouraged illegal dumping while promoting reuse of materials.
The collected tires will be taken to a recycling facility where they can be transformed into useful materials for products like playground surfaces, tire swings, asphalt, landscaping materials, and tire-derived fuel.
The next collection event is scheduled for Saturday, February 22, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at East Regional Library, located at 6301 Bridge Street.
For more info, visit the City of Fort Worth Calendar. You can also follow KFWB on social media for this, and other fun, environmental news.
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Rethink winter recycling
With the holidays in full swing, we have a few simple recycling reminders to keep your festivities fun and more sustainable.
Just a few simple changes to your holiday routine can make a significant impact on the environment. Have a safer, greener, holiday season!
Rethink:
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Consider:
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- Limit the use of shiny, heavily-printed, glittery, or coated wrapping papers, as they are not accepted for recycling and must be thrown in the brown garbage cart.
- When disposing of lights, artificial trees, ornaments, or other unusable decorations, be sure to put them in the brown, garbage cart and not with recycling as they can damage recycling machinery.
- Before simply throwing items into the trash, check the Fort Worth Garbage & Recycling App or Waste Wizard to see if they are recyclable.
- If items are too contaminated, or when in doubt, throw it out in the brown, garbage cart.
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- Use recyclable paper items like newspaper or plain, Kraft paper and gift bags. Adorn them with reusable ribbons, decorations, or live sprigs and flowers.
- Save and reuse gift wrap and bags for future holiday gifts.
- Reuse holiday decorations for multiple years; or, if you need a change, donate your old decorations.
- Instead of tossing out old or broken decorations, repurpose or reuse parts to make new decorations.
- Recycle plastic bottles, cardboard, glass, and metal containers.
- Empty containers of food and liquids, clean out residue, and dry them before recycling them.
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For more holiday disposal tips and information, visit fortworthtexas.gov/solidwaste.
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Fort Worth earns SolSmart Silver for solar energy actions
The City of Fort Worth received a Silver designation from the national SolSmart program for encouraging the growth of affordable solar energy options at the local level.
As a SolSmart Silver designee, the City of Fort Worth has adopted nationally recognized best practices to advance solar market growth. The City’s Environmental Services and Development Services departments worked together with SolSmart's no-cost technical assistance team to increase local knowledge of solar energy so the entire community, including residents and businesses, could benefit.
For more information about the City of Fort Worth's new SolSmart Silver designation, visit www.fortworthtexas.gov/news/2024/12/solsmart.
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New Year, Cleaner Air: Resolutions for a healthier 2025
Cleaner air starts with small daily actions, and the new year is a great time to commit to making a positive impact. As you set your New Year’s resolutions for 2025, consider how your choices can impact air quality.
Here are some things you can try this coming year to improve personal and environmental health:
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Drive Less, Walk More: Incorporate more walking or biking into your daily routine, especially for short trips. Reducing vehicle use can lower emissions and may contribute to cleaner air quality.
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Be Energy-Conscious at Home: Simple actions like turning off lights when not in use, using energy-efficient appliances, and setting your thermostat to a lower temperature during winter, can reduce energy use and potentially improve air quality.
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Support Air Quality Programs: Get involved in local air quality initiatives. Whether you join Fort Worth or other community efforts, your actions help to support improved, regional air quality.
By adopting small, sustainable habits, your involvement can help create a healthier environment for everyone.
Learn more about air quality in Fort Worth by visiting www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/environmental-services/environmental-quality/air-quality.
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Have holiday food waste? Try composting!
The holidays leave many with an abundance of food scraps and leftovers. Instead of throwing those items away, try composting!
Composting can be an easy way of transforming food waste into rich soil. When preparing your food waste for composting, remember these tips:
- Mix food scraps with dry materials like coffee grounds to balance its nutrients.
- For added nutrients, include eggshells for calcium and coffee grounds for nitrogen.
- Consider all forms of food waste, like cooked meats. Keep in mind, additional measures may be needed to prevent bugs and rodents.
If you don't have space or time to compost yourself, join the City's Residential Food Waste Composting Program. With a one-time $20 subscription fee, residents are provided a Starter Kit and access to 21, conveniently located, collection sites across Fort Worth. Accepted food waste includes vegetable scraps, fruit rinds, coffee grounds, and yes, even cooked meats.
Join today and help reduce holiday waste while creating nutrient-rich compost for your garden.
To join our program, visit the Residential Food Scrap Composting Program webpage.
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Upcoming Holidays
Just a quick reminder, most City facilities will be closed on Wednesday, December 25, in observance of Christmas. Most City facilities will also be closed on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, in observance of New Year's Day.
Residential curbside collections will shift during these weeks. For holiday collections schedule, visit fortworthtexas.gov/solidwaste.
Follow Fort Worth's City News for all City service changes and facility closures.
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To receive updates on other volunteer news and opportunities with the City, sign up for The Cowtown Volunteer Connection - a newsletter for City of Fort Worth volunteers.
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