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Sustainable Communities

How to Make a Community Green

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What's Hot
  • If you are a New York City resident, Million TreesNYC teemed up with local nurseries on a coupon program to encourage residents to plant trees. You can receive a
    $20 discount on trees purchased at participating nurseries. Click here for more information.
  • The Conservation Fund in partnership with Eastman Kodak and the National Geographic Society provides small grants to stimulate the planning and design of greenways. Grants can be used to complete, expand, or improve a greenway project. Click here for more information.
  • Be part of the (water bottle) solution -- Take the FilterForGood pledge and receive discounts from Brita on filter systems.

More and more community leaders and citizens are re-thinking how local systems operate and realizing the environmental, financial and community health benefits of creating a more sustainable future for their citizens. Considering the ways electricity, water, sewage treatment, trash removal and other basic services are provided in your community is the first step when assessing the impact your community has on the environment.

See listings of upcoming Sustainable Communities Webinars.

What You Can Do

Cover of EPA's Planning for a Sustainable Future Guide

Planning for a Sustainable Future - A Guide for Local Governments [PDF 4.9 MB, 58 pp]

  1. Introduction to Sustainability Planning
  2. Getting Started
  3. Areas of Opportunity
  4. Conclusion: Moving Beyond Planning to Action
  5. Preparing the Guide

No matter who you are, you can help make your community more sustainable. If your community is ready to start building toward sustainability, EPA’s Green Communities program is a five-step planning process that provides tools and goals to help our neighborhoods and municipalities move towards a more sustainable future.  If you want to find out how to green your school, check out our Green Schools page.

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