Sustainability Department
The Sustainability Department was created in 2022 to implement the City's sustainability goals, which fall under the City's mission to "Protect, preserve, and enhance Bexley's natural and developed environment." The Sustainability Programs Coordinator connects sustainability projects between various City departments, the Sustainability Advisory Committee, and residents. Currently, the department is tasked with calculating greenhouse gas emissions within the city, carrying out the Cities Race to Zero Program, supporting the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee in their implementation of the Zero Waste Goal, and preparing future programs including a Climate Action Plan, Universal Recycling, restaurant composting, and energy aggregation.
In addition to government and City-wide programs, the department also works with businesses and institutions to create and strengthen environmental sustainability programming for establishments within the city.
Contact Information:
Elizabeth Ellman, Programs Coordinator
eellman@bexley.org
Bexley City Hall
2242 E. Main Street
Bexley, Ohio 43209
Phone: (614) 559-4250
Interested in learning about actions and
Bexley's resident-led sustainability efforts?
Learn more by visiting the Green Bexley website!
AGGREGATION
Bexley's Electric Aggregation Program will resume in July 2025, at a rate of $0.0949. Learn more here!
AIR QUALITY
We are excited to be part of FCPH and MORPC's Air Quality Monitoring Network! This program measures air pollution neighborhood by neighborhood in Franklin County. By gathering more data at the local level, this project will help guide the strategies that go into making the region’s air healthier and easier to breathe.
You can view our air quality measurement by clicking here and more about MORPC's program, including how to sign up for air quality alerts, here.
BEXLEY ARBORETUM
The Bexley Arboretum consists of 131 different species of trees with over 14,000 street trees. The Arboretum is maintained by the Forestry Department.
BIKE FRIENDLY BEXLEY PLAN
This plan was created in 2021 and considers Bexley’s bike infrastructure and policies while working towards creating an even bike friendlier community.
CITIES RACE TO ZERO
Bexley has joined cities around the world in a pledge to halve carbon emissions by 2030 – and reach net-zero emissions in the 2040s or sooner! Learn more here.
CURBSIDE FOOD WASTE RECYCLING/ COMPOSTING
We are proud to offer curbside food waste recycling as a service to every household in Bexley, at no additional charge. Additionally, there is a publicly available drop off at Bexley City Hall. Stop in for replacement bucket liners if needed, or purchase a 55 gallon bag for $1. Learn more and sign up here, and report a pick up miss at bexley.org/reportamiss.
Earth and Arbor Month
Electric Lawn Mowing Entrepreneurial Program
Event Waste
New for the 2026 Event Season, the City and Bexley Celebrations & Events Committee invites local clubs, teams, troops and other student groups to earn a donation for your group for volunteering at our event Trash Tent! Each event covered will earn a $250 donation. We appreciate your efforts to make our events successful and sustainable. Thank you!
The City of Bexley is proud to launch our very first freedge (free+fridge)—a free community refrigerator and freezer aimed at reducing food waste and helping our neighbors in need. Think of it like a Little Free Pantry, but with the ability to safely store fresh, perishable, and frozen foods. The Bexley Freedge is open to the public and offers a simple way for individuals and businesses to share extra food that might otherwise go to waste, while also serving as a resource for anyone in need to take what they need, no questions asked.
To help this succeed, we would appreciate volunteer assistance in the form of donations and periodic checks to ensure the facility is in clean and in good working order. Of course, unscheduled donations are always welcomed!
Thanks to the Bexley Community Foundation and No Child Goes Hungry for sponsoring this program to help those in and nearby our community requiring assistance for fresh, nutritious food.
GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY
They say what gets measured, gets managed. Accounting for our greenhouse gas emissions is an important way to track our progress towards a more sustainable community and our Race to Zero emission reduction goals. Thanks to a partership with Power A Clean Future Ohio, we were able to work with UNPREDICTABLEcity to quantify Bexley's emissions from 2024; read the report here.
HEFTY RENEW
In partnership with Rumpke, Hefty is bringing a new program to Central Ohio to collect hard-to-recycle plastic items curbside through the Hefty ReNew program. This program establishes a way to collect otherwise hard-to-recycle plastics–such as candy wrappers–curbside, and uses them as resources. Participating households purchase special orange bags, in which accepted items can be placed. Tied, filled bags can be placed in your normal recycling toter, where they will be emptied by Rumpke and sent for processing. More details can be found here.
LITTER PICKUP PROGRAM
Our litter pickup program focuses on volunteer service and education relating to quality of life, litter, recycling, and beautification. Coordinated group litter pick up events can be a fantastic service opportunity for any age–elementary, middle, high school, college, and beyond! Learn more by clicking here.
PLASTIC LEGISLATION
Single-use plastic bags are banned at the point of purchase at non-restaurant retail establishments. More information about or legislation can be found here.
RECYCLING OPPORTUNITIES IN BEXLEY
Throughout the year, Bexley hosts a variety of opportunities to recycle or otherwise discard of unique items, such as string lights and expanded polystyrene, as well as the City's Green Bexley Cleanup Day. Learn more about these events at greenbexley.org.
SOLAR PANELS IN BEXLEY
Bexley is seeking ways to encourage solar energy development in our community. For more information about the basics of solar energy, your solar options, and questions to ask solar professionals, visit bexley.org/solar.
SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN
The Sustainability Action Plan will join the City's Zero Waste Plan, Bike Friendly Bexley Plan, and other plans as part of the cannon of Master Plans, which aim to address the city's mission and vision including "Protect, preserve, and enhance Bexley's natural and developed environment" and valuing "safety and sustainability" as well as "economic and environmental health".
The plan will incorporate the traditional aspects of a Climate Action Plan, which is specifically focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the climate change impacts, as well as a broader environmental issues. It will be a comprehensive, detailed plan consisting of goals, methods for reaching them via initiatives that constitute programs and policies, priorities, and indicators for success via programs, projects, and actions. Learn more at bexley.org/sap.
Universal Recycling
Bexley instituted mandatory commercial recycling at all commercial, multi-family, and institutional properties in January, 2024. More information about this program, including resources for building owners/managers and the ordinance stipulating these requirements, can be found here.
ZERO WASTE PLAN
Bexley's Zero Waste Plan was adopted in 2017 and includes ways Green Bexley will assist the city in achieving its goal of reducing 90% of materials disposed at the landfill by 2040. Reduction will occur through engagement, education, and infrastructure enhancements. Read the plan here.
How Can I Take Action?
There are many ways individuals can take action at home, school, and work. Small habit changes add up over time and help mirror sustainable actions behaviors among friends and peers. In Bexley, residents can take action by implementing one or more of the following:
CURBSIDE FOOD WASTE RECYCLING
The City offers curbside composting as a service to every household in Bexley. Food waste is collected in a separate receptacle than trash or recycling, and is collected on a weekly basis and diverted from the landfill.
Learn More or Enroll: bexley.org/food-waste
RECYCLE RIGHT
Becoming familiar with the items that can and cannot be recycled in Franklin County helps ensure materials are processed correctly after they've been disposed of.
Learn More: bexley.org/recycling
GET INVOLVED!
Green Bexley is a community organization whose goal is to assist the City in achieving its Zero Waste Goal by 2040 and advising the City on other sustainability matters. Get involved with Green Bexley in a variety of ways – whether volunteering, organizing events, or supporting a sustainable cause within the community!
Learn More: greenbexley.org