The City of Tucson is transforming the Los Reales Landfill to the Los Reales Sustainability Campus (LRSC). The LRSC will be the physical catalyst in driving and implementing various programs and initiatives of the Climate Emergency for the City of Tucson. As Tucson develops a Zero Waste Plan for the community, the LRSC will be the foundational element to transform how we view waste from a liability to an asset. Treating waste as an asset will support the development of new industries, jobs and alternative disposal technologies to capture reusable materials that can be made available to sustainable entrepreneurs. LRSC will provide the physical infrastructure to foster and entice an equitable regional collaboration in the areas of climate, environment and sustainability, by providing an integrated and cutting edge solid waste and resource management. The session will present the steps and thought processes that led to this action and plans for implementation. The LRSC is located in a fast-growing part of the city where landfills are a detraction from the neighborhood. As the Sustainability Campus is developed, a tree nursery will be established to provide low-cost, drought tolerant trees to help the city achieve its One Million Trees Initiative. The trees will also be used to provide a buffer to minimize negative impacts to neighbors along the perimeter. Additionally, building pads will be constructed to provide space for local entrepreneurs who incorporate reused materials into their products. By providing work space and (eventually) retail space, the LRSC can become a vibrant hub that residents will want to visit. The campus will also add storage space to make usable discards available to residents. An education center will be developed that can be used to provide demonstrations and workshops with a focus on sustainability. Compost demonstrations and repair workshops will provide residents with knowledge and tools to help them reduce their waste at home.

Link to presentation: https://prezi.com/view/WWBQ1SBJxk8izzQtwjbE/