Dallas Does Green

Submitted by Dallas May

I have been very proud of Dallas, TX since moving here in 2006. Don't get me wrong- Dallas has a lot of problems and has a long way to go. But Dallas has made some major strides toward becoming a very green city. There have been advances in commuter rail, recycling, energy efficient buildings, electronic and chemical recycling, and many other things.

Let’s start with the most obvious. DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit). Lots of Dallasites complain about DART, mostly because it does not pick them up at their door steps exactly when they would like, and drop them off at their office doors. But I would argue that DART is one of the best public transportation systems I have ever seen. The red and blue line light rail trains pick people up at convenient train stations scattered through out northeast and south Dallas, and the busses run on schedule pretty faithfully. Next year a new green rail line is expected to open that will give daily service to Love Airport, the American Airlines Center (where the Mavericks and the Stars play), and Fair Park (home of the Cotton Bowl), and by 2012, we will have an orange Line that will provide daily trips all the way to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. Also, there is a diesel commuter train that runs from Fort Worth to Dallas. Considering the sprawl that Dallas has developed over the past century (it's still Texas after all), DART does an amazing job of covering all of the area and providing easy transportation to many of its residents.

Second is our recycling program, or the “Blue Bins.” I was amazed when I moved here how easy recycling is. I cannot imagine a more convenient way to get your citizens to recycle. For me, Recycling Day is every other Thursday. No need to wash out those mayonnaise jars any more, and no silly blue bags you have to pick up at the library. Just toss it into the huge Blue Bin, provided for free from the city, and let the trash man take care of it for you. We can recycle plastics 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 (6 is frustrating. I have to go all the way to Mesquite to recycle those\). While the program is still relatively new and no studies have been released yet, anecdotally, it seems like everyone uses the program. You see the Blue Bins everywhere, which is very encouraging. Also, the city offers free electronic and chemical recycling to its citizens. Sure you have to drive to a drop off point to recycle your wares, but it’s nice to know it’s there. Further, the State of Texas just passed a law that requires all computer manufacturers to have a free and convenient take-back and recycling program in place for all Texans by September of this year. Not bad coming from W's state.

Also, we have made great strides the past few years in a number of other areas. For example, the city is planning to have all of its municipal buildings LEED certified, and has already completed upgrading three buildings to a silver certification and two to a gold certification. The city has strict lawn-watering rules, and holds regular classes that teach and promote xeriscaping. Also, towering condos and multi-use buildings are quickly replacing single family homes to provide more density and walkability. Also, we have a very vibrant weekly farmers’ market in downtown. There you can find many farmers selling fruits, vegetables, salsa, and even milk. And if the stand is “Certified Locally Grown,” you can rest assured that you are getting local produce.

Also, the city is currently constructing a large wetland park and forest along the Trinity River. This river has traditionally been the “back alley” of Dallas, where waste and other disgusting things have been dumped. But now, we are converting it into our front yard, so to speak. It will include miles of bicycle trails, three lakes, towering bridges, and a new Trinity River Audubon Center, scheduled to open October 2008. This will also bring a much needed economic jolt to South Dallas. Yes, it will also include a toll road. Not the greenest of aspects. Sigh.

Finally, Texas is the largest producer of wind energy in the nation. My home is 100% powered by clean wind energy. I know, it is impossible to know exactly where my homes power is coming from at any given time, but the energy being put into the grid on my behalf comes from wind.

There are still many things that I would like to see Dallas improve upon. The Metroplex is known far and wide for its urban sprawl. McMansions are popping up on every street. The city is still racially scarred and segregated. Cars are still king of transportation, and residents would rather waste water on flowers in their gardens than vegetables. But over all, Dallas, Texas has made some major advances in becoming a sustainable city. And it does not get enough credit for doing so. This tree hugger is very proud of the accomplishments Dallas has made, even if there are still some things to be fixed.

Photo Caption: A red line DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) train whizzes past Dallas resident, Dallas May, as he waits for his train. (Photo by Sarah May)