Villa Santa Maria apartments at 1830 Bennett Ave. in East Dallas.

Villa Santa Maria apartments at 1830 Bennett Ave. in East Dallas.

While it may look unassuming and a little run down, the Villa Santa Maria apartments are cutting edge in at least one way: green practices. The complex was named the city’s first ever certified green business, a program aimed at decreasing the amount of waste that ends up in Dallas landfills. Villa Santa Maria on Bennett Avenue has 70 units and has continued to increase its request for recycling bins to meet residents’ demand.

Sign up for our newsletter

* indicates required

That may not sound like much, but in this city, it shows a lot of initiative. Building owners must request the bins at their own expense, so many don’t bother. As we reported in our April cover story: “About half of Dallas’ population lives in the city’s 2,300 apartment complexes. Only about 30 percent of those offer recycling.”

Thanks to a new city ordinance that offers small apartments 10 blue bins for $20 a month, recycling for renters is more cost effective than ever. But the Sanitation Service’s limited marketing budget has made it difficult to get the word out.

The certified green business program is one way it’s bridging that gap. The city provides a green expert who can help businesses reduce waste, giving them a chance to inform owners about the city’s various green efforts from composting to e-waste recycling. Learn more here.