Committing to a Greener Future: Sustainable Actions at Prince William Public Libraries

Written by the Sustainability Work Group

From transforming unwanted plastic bags into new benches to installing water bottle filling stations so less plastic is used, Prince William Public Libraries is actively taking steps to go green. In a recent episode of "Important Library Stuff," host Emily Bickers welcomes Robin Sofge, Potomac Library Branch Manager, and Branddon Polizzi, Maintenance and Operations Supervisor, to discuss PWPL's efforts. In addition, PWPL has established a Sustainability Work Group to enhance its commitment to sustainability, providing opportunities for staff and the community to collaborate to make positive change.

Since 2022, library visitors have donated plastic bags as part of Trex’s NexTrex “Recycle Beyond the Bag” initiative. Six libraries in Prince William County have containers for visitors to drop off plastic bags, and once enough bags are collected, Trex creates benches made from 100% recycled materials. Thanks to the community’s donations, PWPL has three benches to enjoy in our outdoor spaces and a fourth on the way. Since the beginning of the program, more than 2,200 pounds of plastic bags have been collected.

Installing water bottle refill stations at all library buildings has also reduced the amount of plastic in landfills. Every time a library visitor uses the water bottle refill station, it records how many plastic bottles have been saved. As of December 1, 2023, more than 189,043 plastic water bottles have not gone into area landfills thanks to people using the refilling stations.

PWPL also collaborates with the Prince William County Public Schools on a printer ink cartridge recycling collection program. Since October 2022, more than 211 ink cartridges have been donated.

Simple yet substantial changes can also have a positive impact on sustainability and the environment. In recent years, PWPL has been switching to LED lights, which use less energy and last longer. The switch has saved PWPL more than $86,000 and a cumulative 877,414 kilowatt-hours. PWPL has also begun using “smarter chemical” cleaning supplies to eliminate hazardous chemical use at our libraries. These supplies are safer for our staff and visitors and have a lower environmental impact, reducing the amount of harmful substances released into the environment.

PWPL offers various environmental programs throughout the year for all ages to raise awareness of the environment and sustainability. PWPL provides additional resources and information with focusing on sustainability and environment-related STEAM activities. PWPL’s six pollinator gardens offer opportunities for nature to thrive and the public to enjoy. Central Green, an outdoor space at Central Library, has various features for environmental education.

Enjoy Story Trails at three of our libraries: Independent Hill Library shares a story through 16 stations around a one-mile loop just outside the library. PWPL's first Story Trail was a collaboration with Prince William County Parks and Keep Prince William Beautiful and was created and installed by Eagle Scouts. Enjoy Chinn Park Library's Story Trail along a short, paved path. In August 2024, a brand-new Story Trail was added to Haymarket Gainesville Library. Besides reading the story and enjoying the pollinator garden, find instructions for stretches for the whole family at every stop at both the Chinn Park and Haymarket Gainesville Library Story Trails. These two Story Trails were made possible by a Sentara Health grant. #SentaraCares awarded $10,000 in funding to support the "Improved Community Spaces, Literacy, and Well-being Through Story Trails" initiative at PWPL.

Learn more about being more sustainable by checking out books at the library, visiting PWPL’s Digital Library online, or participating in a program. Get started at pwcva.gov/library.

Click here to view how "PWPL Has Gone Green!" on YouTube.