Local governments provide a range of services, including public education, health care, social services, libraries, and recreational facilities. In a sustainable community these services are enhanced and function as effectively and efficiently as possible for all community members. This section explores innovative approaches and citizen involvement in these areas.
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Businesses for an Environmentally Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST), City of Portland, OR, Energy Office, The Portland Building, Room 1030, 1120 SW 5th Avenue, Portland, OR 97204, Tel: 503.823.7418, Fax: 503.823.5370, Email: pdxenergy@ci.portland.or.us, Website: http://www.ci.portland.or.us/energy/bestmain.html. The BEST program facilitates environmentally sustainable private sector business practices that increase efficiency and profitability and recognizes their accomplishments
City of Philadelphia: Neighborhoods Online, Website: http://www.libertynet.org/community/phila. This site provides links to local government agencies and neighborhood organizations, as well as federal agencies and national organizations involved in neighborhood issues, project descriptions and issue papers.
International City/County Management Association (ICMA), 777 North Capitol Street NE, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20002-4201, Tel: 202.289.4262, Fax: 202.962.3500, Website: http://www.icma.org. ICMA is the professional and educational organization representing appointed managers and administrators in local governments throughout the world. It sponsors, develops and implements a number of programs that provide local government managers and administrators with expertise on a variety of topic areas.
Local Government Environmental Assistance Network (LGEAN), c/o ICMA, 777 North Capitol Street NE, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20002, Tel: 877.TO-LGEAN, Website: http://lgean.org. LGEAN provides environmental management, planning, and regulatory information for local government elected and appointed officials, managers and staff. Its web site contains an online toolbox and a database of environmental consultants.
Municipal Energy Database, Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development, U.S. Department of Energy, Website: http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/business/buintro.shtml. This section of the Center's Sustainable Development Resource database site provides information and resources to help communities get started with a municipal energy plan that will manage energy costs as well as reduce the production of harmful carbon dioxide emissions.
Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO), University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension Service, Middlesex County Extension Center, 1066 Saybrook Road, Box 70, Haddam, CT 06438-0070, Tel: 860.345.4511, Fax: 860.345.3357, Email: carnold@canr.uconn.edu, Website: http://www.canr.uconn.edu/ces/nemo/index.html. The NEMO project uses innovative techniques to teach local officials about the sources and impacts of nonpoint source pollution, how different land uses affect water quality, and what towns can do to protect water quality. It uses geographic information system (GIS) technology to simplify and explain the complex relationship between land use and water quality.
Portland Metro, Tel: 503.797.1700, Website: http://www.metro-region.org. Metro is the regional government in Portland, Oregon, that provides a broad range of services to residents in 3 counties and 24 cities.
Resource Efficiency Database, Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development, U.S. Department of Energy, Website: http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/efficiency/reintro.shtml. This section of the Center's Sustainable Development Resource database site provides information for communities and local governments on community energy efficiency, materials efficiency, water efficiency, and air quality protection to help them realize the multiple benefits of Resource Efficiency.
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Stark, Nancy and Hamilton Brown. Harvesting Hometown Jobs: The New Small Town Guide to Economic Development, 2nd ed. (Washington, DC: National Center for Small Communities, 1997). This local economic development guide offers assessment and advice for small town leaders on issues such as strategic planning, fostering enterprises, industrial recruitment, tourism, growth management, and forging partnerships. To obtain this resource contact NCSC, 444 N. Capitol Street, NW, Suite 208, Washington, DC 20001; Tel: 202.624.3550; Fax: 202.624.3554; Email: natat@sso.org .
Iowa Energy Programs, DesMoines, Iowa--A state natural resources agency is providing financial and technical assistance and working with communities to conserve energy and promote the use of alternative energy sources.
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Sustainable Communities Network (SCN) Revised July 10, 2001