Greener Successes

Greener Cities

European cities can demonstrate their progress toward diverse sustainability goals by competing for the European Green Capital and European Greenleaf awards (See: Ecocity Snapshots: Learning from Europe’s Greener Places at the Publications tab.)  Some cities in the United States are also pursuing ambitious goals. U.S. cities are still a long way from being truly sustainable. But the profiles below illustrate places that are becoming greener cities.

Alexandria, Virginia

Washington, DC Downtown Ecodistrict

Washington, DC Southwest Ecodistrict

Greener Counties

Lasting Value: Open Space Planning and Preservation Successes (American Planning Association – Planners Press, 2012) celebrates 24 communities from throughout the United States that excel at saving farmland and natural areas for future generations. Of course, there are many more cities, towns and counties that deserve recognition for noteworthy accomplishments in protecting our remaining countryside. Click on any of the following entries for thumbnail portraits of some of these communities.

Block Island, Rhode Island

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Clark County, Washington

Frederick County, Maryland

Gallatin County, Montana

Humboldt County, California

Jefferson County, Colorado

Larimer County, Colorado

Lee County, Florida

Los Angeles County, California

Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

Monterey County, California

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Orange County, California

Portland, Oregon

Riverside County, California

San Diego County, California

San Mateo County, California