Sustainable Santa Fe with Dr. Erica Renaud and Peter Olson
City officials outlined a series of environmental initiatives and civic engagement opportunities during a recent appearance on KSWV Radio, offering listeners both practical reminders and insight into major decisions ahead.
Peter Olson, Communications Director for the City of Santa Fe, confirmed that Presidents’ Day did not impact trash and recycling collection this year. “It wasn’t affected this week because they were out on Monday collecting,” Olson said, encouraging residents to review the City’s 2026 Environmental Services Department Calendar for holiday notes and collection updates. He also pointed to the Recycle Coach app, explaining that residents can enter their address and receive reminders and alerts — particularly helpful during weeks with high winds.
With gusts forecast to reach up to 50 miles per hour, Dr. Erica Renaud, Sustainability Supervisor with the Conservation and Sustainability Division, urged residents to secure their bins. “We are anticipating high winds this week, so we have informed the residents that they should bring in their recycle bins and their garbage cans so that they’re not strewn across the roads,” Renaud said. Olson added that loose recycling can easily become neighborhood litter when carts tip over, reinforcing the need for timely retrieval.
The conversation also highlighted a new hiring opportunity within the City’s sustainability office. “I’m super excited. I’m hiring my first team member in the sustainability section of the Conservation and Sustainability Division,” Renaud said. The Sustainability Coordinator position will focus heavily on energy — including municipal energy efficiency strategies, electrification of the City fleet, and infrastructure improvements to support broader community electrification efforts.
Community involvement was another key theme. Olson emphasized that Keep Santa Fe Beautiful is seeking board members and residents with “big ideas” for improving neighborhoods citywide. “What we need people on that board is people with big ideas that can come and think about big things to do and work together with the city to make big things happen for Santa Fe to keep it beautiful,” he said. Details about serving on the board are available here:
Keep Santa Fe Beautiful Seeking Board Members
The interview also addressed the upcoming Special Governing Body Meeting on the Soldiers’ Monument Feasibility Report, scheduled for Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 4 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall. The City announced the meeting in a recent newsletter, noting that a portion will be available for public comment and that residents may participate in person, via Zoom, or watch live on YouTube. More details can be found on the City’s website:
City of Santa Fe – Meeting Information
Olson stressed during the broadcast that “no decision has been made,” describing the meeting as an opportunity for residents to hear directly from consultants and the State Office of Historic Preservation before the Governing Body moves forward. In the City’s official announcement, Mayor Michael Garcia said, “This special meeting will help inform all concerned about what the City is doing now as we work to come to a resolution regarding the Soldiers’ Monument. We are making progress, and I want people to know how we as a city are moving forward.”
The segment closed with a familiar environmental refrain. “Remember to reduce, reuse, and recycle,” Olson said — a reminder that while major civic conversations unfold at City Hall, everyday actions at home remain central to Santa Fe’s sustainability goals.
KSWV Radio sits down with Peter Olson, Communications Director for the City of Santa Fe, and Dr. Erica Renaud, Sustainability Supervisor in the Conservation and Sustainability Division, for a wide-ranging conversation on city services, sustainability efforts, and community engagement. The interview covers everything from holiday trash and recycling schedules and high-wind safety reminders to a new sustainability coordinator position focused on energy efficiency and fleet electrification. The discussion also highlights opportunities to serve on the Keep Santa Fe Beautiful board and outlines an upcoming special City Council meeting on the Soldiers’ Monument, emphasizing transparency and public input in the decision-making process.
