3rd Annual WaterSmart Innovations Conference Registration Open
For the last three years, Audubon International has partnered with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense Program, and other partners to help deliver the world’s pre-eminent community water efficiency conference, WaterSmart Innovations (WSI). This year (October 6-8), Audubon international is presenting a session on Stormwater Management and Sustainable Communities with one of its newest Community Initiative partners (www.Ostara.com). Last year’s WSI conference and exposition drew nearly 1,200 participants from 43 states and 13 nations--featuring more than 130 professional sessions and an expo hall with 100 exhibitors. More information is available at www.WaterSmartInnovations.com.
Interview: EPA's Green Building Toolkit for Local Governments
The U.S. EPA recently released its Sustainable Design and Green Building Toolkit for Local Governments. GreenBuilingLawBlog.com sat down with Karen Bandhauer, an Environmental Scientist at EPA Region 4 who helped develop the toolkit, to speak to her about this new resource. To download the toolkit and read the full interview, click here.
Free Sustainable Communities Webinars Throughout 2010
The Sustainable Communities Webinar series by Audubon International continues throughout 2010. The next webinar, June 2nd, will cover Using Sustainability Indicators to Measure Success. Community leaders can learn the 'whats' and 'hows' of sustainable indicator selection and application in this 45-minute session.
To sign up for this introductory session or for more information Click Here.
Coconut Creek's City Green Plan
Coconut Creek, Florida, has created a City Green Plan addressing sustainability in seven key areas: Water, Waste Reduction, Transportation, Climate Change, Energy, Urban Nature, and Urban Design. The City Green Plan will be implemented through a series of action steps over a 10-year time frame with an emphasis on community involvement. The first annual status report will be available to the public in October 2010. For more information and to see a copy of the plan, click here.
ICMA's Guide to Smart Growth in Rural Communities
Many rural communities are facing challenges, including rapid growth at metropolitan edges, declining rural populations, and loss of working lands. This report from the International City/County Management Association focuses on smart growth strategies that can help guide growth in rural areas while protecting natural and working lands and preserving the rural character of existing communities. To download the report, click here.
Regional Collaboration Provides Structure for Sustainability
If U.S. cities are going to survive a global economy, they must find a way to join together with other towns and municipalities and harness the power of the sprawl, and promote sustainability regionally. The good news for Northeast Ohio is that leaders saw regionalization coming. Northeast Ohio's chambers of commerce joined to promote the region's business opportunities; area mayors and city managers started thinking how government could work together smarter and more efficiently; and area philanthropic organizations pooled resources, trying to better boost the region's economy.
