The Earth Day Network will be promoting its Green Cities campaign on 22 April 2014.
Launched in 2013, the Green Cities campaign aims to help cities around the world become more sustainable and reduce their carbon footprint. Focused on three key elements – buildings, energy, and transportation – the campaign aims to help cities accelerate their transition to a cleaner, healthier, and more economically viable future through improvements in efficiency, investments in renewable technology, and regulation reform.
Energy
Most of the world currently relies on outdated electric generation structures that are extremely inefficient and dirty. To help cities become more sustainable, we need to redesign the current system, transition to renewable energy sources, and implement 21st century solutions.
Green Buildings
Buildings account for nearly one third of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Through simple efficiency and design improvements to buildings we can reduce those emissions drastically. To realize that vision, cities need to update ordinances, switch to performance based building codes, and improve financing options.
Transportation
Transportation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, three quarters of which comes directly from road vehicles. To reduce these emissions and the resulting smog, we need to improve standards, increase public transportation options, invest in alternative transportation, and improve city walkability and bikeability.
Through an informative website and a series of in-depth toolkits, the campaign aims to educate the public about each element of green cities and spur individuals to take civic action by signing petitions, sending letters, and organizing events.
To find out how you can get involved in the Green Cities campaign visit www.earthday.org/greencities or email: [email protected]
