Sedona Plans Carbon-Neutral Future at Sept. 28 Event

Sedona is taking a major step toward cleaning up its carbon footprint, and city officials want every resident to have a say in how it happens.

The Arizona city is hosting a community open house on September 28 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Keep Sedona Beautiful's EcoHub. Residents will get firsthand looks at plans for electric vehicle chargers, solar panel installations, and other projects designed to make city buildings carbon neutral.

Carbon neutral means the city will save as much carbon as it produces. It's an ambitious goal that could make Sedona a model for other small cities tackling climate change.

The event isn't just for show. Alternative Energy Systems Consulting, the contractor handling design and engineering, will present detailed project summaries and answer questions. City planners are actively seeking feedback to ensure the projects match what residents actually want and need.

This open house represents real progress on plans the city started developing in November 2023. That's when Sedona created a roadmap for cutting greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations over five years.

The planning phase is funded by an Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant from the Arizona Governor's Office of Resiliency. Without this engineering work, the city couldn't apply for future grants, nail down accurate cost estimates, or break ground on improvements.

The Ripple Effect

When cities go carbon neutral, the benefits spread far beyond their borders. Sedona's projects will create a blueprint other Arizona communities can follow, potentially multiplying the environmental impact across the state.

Local workers will gain experience with renewable energy technology, skills that are increasingly valuable as more cities and businesses commit to sustainability. The EV chargers alone could encourage more residents to make the switch to electric vehicles, knowing they'll have reliable places to charge.

Most importantly, giving residents a voice in these decisions builds the kind of community buy-in that makes ambitious environmental projects succeed. When people help shape the solutions, they become champions for change.

Sedona residents can find more details by contacting the city's Sustainability Department at sustainability@sedonaaz.gov or calling (928) 203-5127.