• Green Neighborhoods
  • Learn
  • Plan
    • Commit to Action
    • Start Fast
    • Assess the Situation
    • Set Goals
    • Plan
    • Implement
    • Measure Success
  • Act
  • Leading Actions
Start Fast
You can take immediate action on climate change without having to complete a comprehensive long-term plan.
Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia. One of the classic city parks, Rittenhouse Square provides seasonal markets and places for people to relax and socialize. Courtesy of: EPA

In order to achieve early successes, a local government can pursue many “early actions” with or without a full climate change plan.  Doing so is a chance to demonstrate leadership.  The following are good candidates for early action:

  • Green a civic project:  Explore what civic projects are being planned or undertaken, and work to make these examples of green neighborhood practices.
  • Work on the next large development: Encourage it to be a demonstration project of a green neighborhood.
  • Develop a model neighborhood pilot project:  If your local government owns a large piece of land, explore whether it can become a pilot project for a green neighborhood.  Most highly innovative green neighborhoods started on municipality-owned land and were planned in a partnership with developers and the community.  Vancouver’s model sustainable community, Southeast False Creek, the home of the 2010 Winter Olympics athlete’s village, started as a piece of derelict city-owned industrial land.  City Council mandated that it be planned as a model sustainable, green neighborhood.
  • Create a website: Highlight your government’s neighborhood-scale initiatives related to climate change.  The City of Albuquerque’s Albuquerque Green website is a good example for broad energy and climate change initiatives.
  • Engage partners: Create an advisory body of interested stakeholders and help coordinate collaboration on green projects in local neighborhoods.  An example is Seattle’s collaboration with stakeholders on its SEA Streets green streets initiative.
  • Compile a list of resources: Locate applicable incentives and assistance available from senior governments in your area and communicate these to stakeholders in local neighbourhood projects. Excellent sources for this information are listed in Organizations, especially EPA and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives is another great resource.
  • Start a lecture series: Invite professionals to speak on different aspects of green neighborhoods, and extend this to training programs for local government staff. By asking local organizations to be co-sponsors, you can also strengthen partnerships with them. Seattle’s Urban Sustainability Forum is a great example.