Columbus GreenSpot

Summary

Like all cities, Columbus, OH, needs to reduce waste of resources and improve air and water quality. In 2005, Columbus launched Get Green Columbus, a multifaceted initiative to coordinate sustainability efforts throughout the city.

Project Description

Like all cities, Columbus, OH, needs to reduce waste of resources and improve air and water quality. In 2005, the city government of Columbus launched Get Green Columbus, a multifaceted initiative to coordinate sustainability efforts throughout the city. One element of the initiative is ColumbusGreenSpot.org, which launched in 2008. The website provides suggestions for individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to reduce their environmental impact. The changes are intended to be meaningful but doable. A household or business that commits to making improvements is recognized as a GreenSpot, which involves a listing on the website and a window decal.

Each year, participants are asked what they have done to reduce their impact, which generates more ideas for furthering sustainability. GreenSpot also has a Facebook page for distributing local environmental news.

Project Goals

  • Reducing a city’s impact on the environment

Process and Methods

Further formalizing a commitment to sustainability, the City of Columbus has:

- Developed the Central Ohio Green Pact and recruited 27 other local communities to join in signing onto ten goals: Greener public fleets; Growing a strong green economy; Collaborating to purchase green products; Adopting sustainable land use policies; Building green facilities and reducing energy consumption; Reducing waste; Educating and engaging our communities; Reducing emissions and climate protection;
- Preserving green space and creating greenways; Improving and promoting mass transportation.
- Signed the Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 2% per year until 2030.
- Issued Executive Orders to reduce paper usage and establish an office recycling program.
- Adopted a comprehensive Bikeways Plan, Green Fleet Action Plan and an Air Quality Alert Action Plan.

Outcomes

  • Developed the GreenSpot program, a web based membership program in which residents, businesses and community groups make commitments to environmental actions. The program now has over 2000 members.
  • Hosted the Get Green Business Conference, recognized winners of the GreenSpotLight Award and a Green Business Case Competition for local graduate students.
  • Launched a $1,000,000 grant program to help local businesses offset the costs associated with LEED certification or the redevelopment of brownfield sites.

Sources

  • LikeMinded, http://likeminded.org/project/columbus-greenspot, accessed 7/28/2011
Submitted By: admin
Last Updated: July 28, 2011, 12:37 pm

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