Sustainability Committee

The Sustainability Committee consists of twelve members and up to two member seats for current students from Portsmouth High School. In addition, one staff liaison from the Planning and Sustainability Department, one City Councilor and one School Board member hold seats on the Committee. The Committee regularly meets on the fourth Thursday of the month, unless otherwise noticed. Click here for the Sustainability Committee Rules and Procedures and please see below for previous meeting recordings and for upcoming meeting details.

Purpose

Following the roles outlined in the 2023 City Ordinance, the Sustainability Committee will provide guidance to the City Council, the City Manager, and City Boards & Committees about: 

• Implementing the City’s climate action plan, Portsmouth's Climate Future.

• Achieving Portsmouth's Renewable Energy Policy and reaching net zero.

• Increasing energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and taking measures to build resilience against climate change.

• Increasing awareness of sustainable practices among residents, businesses, visitors, municipal staff, and other stakeholders.

• Standing for environmental justice while protecting our eco-systems.

Accomplishments

• The Committee made a request to the City Council to undertake a climate action plan (CAP). This plan would aim to reduce the use of non-renewable energy citywide, reducing greenhouse gases, and to increase the City’s resilience to adapt to the effects of climate change such as storm surges, flooding, and extreme heat. The CAP was completed and approved by the Council in August, 2024, and is now referred to as Portsmouth’s Climate Future.

• Each year, the Committee proposes items for the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) in a phased approach to implementing the CAP

• In 2023, the Portsmouth City Council adopted the Portsmouth Community Power Plan, which gave residents and businesses renewable energy choices. This work was spearheaded by the Energy Advisory Committee, with advocacy from the Sustainability Committee.

• The Committee continues to work closely with various groups such as Portsmouth Climate Action, Seacoast Area Bicycle Riders, and Seacoast Climate Action NOW to hold events such as community climate conversations, an annual sustainability fair, and other community outreach.

• Recommendations from the Committee’s Green Buildings Workgroup were adopted by the City and increase the use of energy efficient technology and more sustainable practices for all new municipal construction as well as substantial renovations.

How to get involved

Everyone is welcome to attend Sustainability Committee meetings. Subscribe to the city newsletter for meeting announcements. Or you could join a community group such as Seacoast CAN.

All members of the community — individuals, families, and businesses — are asked to do their part to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The biggest impacts come from:

• Making the switch from fossil fuel based transportation to alternatives such as public transit, cycling, scootering, walking, and driving electric.

• Reducing energy usage in the home through efficiency improvements such as increased insulation and weatherstripping, converting to heat pumps, and switching to LED lighting.

• Composting food waste. 

• Reducing single use plastics.

• Replacing some meals with plant based alternatives.

• Promoting climate friendly practices in organizations that you participate in.

For more guidance, sign up for Bright Action, a free tool provided by the city. It allows you to adopt actions and then track the impact that those actions are making. Also read about the city’s Think Blue initiative for sustainable water management tips.