Brookings Institute
The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. The mission is to conduct high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations that strengthen American democracy; foster the economic and social welfare, security and opportunity of all Americans and secure a more open, safe, prosperous and cooperative international system.
Brookings Institute is consistently ranked as the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tank.
Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities
• Complete Streets: Teaches communities how to set investment priorities, draft policies, and implement changes to make their streets safe and appealing to all users, including drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders.
• Creating a Green Streets Strategy: Leads communities through actions to manage stormwater while developing streets that serve all users.
• Green Building Toolkit: Assists local governments in identifying and removing barriers to sustainable design and green building in their permitting processes.
• Linking Land Use to Water Quality: Helps local governments protect water quality through innovative approaches to land use and development that will also save money, help spur economic growth, and improve the community’s quality of life.
• Preferred Growth Areas: Offers a process for communities to review values, opportunities, tools, and constraints to determine the most environmentally beneficial locations for growth.
• Smart Growth Guidelines for Sustainable Design and Development: Helps the community understand the key principles and decisions at the location, site, and building levels that can result in a more sustainable plan or development proposal.
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City of Flagstaff 2010 Annual Report
This year’s Annual Report on Sustainability celebrates the City of Flagstaff’s efforts toward sustainability made within the municipal organization and throughout the community. Sustainability requires an integrated commitment from every part of the organization, from Public Works to Community Enrichment to Information Technology. The 2010 Annual Report is an illustration of how every City Division contributes to improving municipal efficiencies (and effectiveness) and community well-being. The 2010 report highlights achievements such as the revitalization of San Francisco and Beaver Streets and the expansion of the Community Agriculture Project to include an additional garden in Sunnyside. It celebrates the City’s success in providing over 50 miles of FUTS trails and the selection of Flagstaff as one of eight “Inaugural Adaptation Communities” to participate in the first comprehensive climate adaptation program for local governments. The City of Flagstaff is dedicated to utilizing public resources efficiently while promoting a healthy, livable Flagstaff. This report provides the opportunity to reflect on the City’s successes and ensure that they keep raising the bar for Flagstaff as a vibrant, prosperous community.
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Clean Water America Alliance
Clean Water America Alliance is a nonprofit working today to explore the complex issue of water sustainability and plan for the future by improving public awareness that advances holistic, watershed-based approaches to water quality and quantity challenges. A broad cross-section of interests have come together through the Alliance to begin an important dialogue on the future – focusing on exploring and analyzing issues of critical importance to the nation’s ability to provide clean and safe waters to future generations, offering information and education to citizens and policy-makers on key issues, and recognizing organizations and individuals for innovation and outstanding achievements in the water quality and quantity arena.
IBM Center for The Business of Government
Connects public management research with practice. The Business of Government helps public sector executives improve the effectiveness of government with practical ideas and original thinking. Sponsoring independent research by top minds in academe and the non-profit sector, and create opportunities for dialogue on a broad range of public management topics.
Breaking New Ground: Promoting Environmental and Energy Programs in Local Governments
SCOTie – Highlighting Best Practices from Peer Communities in the West.
The Successful Communities Online Toolkit information exchange (SCOTie) is a database of active model smart growth and resource protection plans and policies from rural, amenity, and urban communities across the West. The information contained within the toolkit is designed to inform planners of best practices from peer western communities to preserve local identity, stimulate a healthy economy, and safeguard natural and cultural resources; empowering communities to craft policies that fit their local circumstances. SCOTie is designed to equip western communities with the tools to become more successful in preserving community character and quality of life.
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Sustainable Cities Collective
Sustainable Cities Collective is a social media community. It provides a forum where users can contribute to the site as well as research and network with other urban future thinkers.
Sustainable Tourism Report
The Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) contracted with the Arizona Hospitality Research & Resource
Center (AHRRC) to conduct a survey of sustainable tourism practices in Arizona, the purpose to collect
baseline data on current progress by the industry and establish benchmarks for future research. The
Research Division of AOT and the AHRRC created an E‐survey which was sent to thousands of
practitioners across industry sectors – lodging, restaurants/bars, attractions, travel and tour providers,
and destination marketing organizations. In general, the study found that Arizona’s tourism industry is
doing a great deal to build a more sustainable future. Large percentages are knowledgeable about
sustainability issues, and are responding to community and customer concerns. The majority of
organizations are recycling, reducing waste, conserving water and energy, and are celebrating local
cultures and sourcing local products. View the Report»
Sustainable Tucson
Sustainable Tucson is a non-profit, grass-roots organization that builds regional resilience and sustainability through awareness raising, community engagement and public/private partnerships. Our members focus their action, advocacy and research through working groups addressing the unprecedented challenges of our time, economic meltdown, population pressures, climate change, and resource depletion. The Mission of Sustainable Tucson is to create a community-wide network of people and organizations facilitating and accelerating Tucson’s transition to sustainability through education and collaborative action.
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CLIMAS
The mission of the Climate Assessment for the Southwest (CLIMAS) program is to improve the region’s ability to respond sufficiently and appropriately to climatic events and climate changes. The program promotes participatory, iterative research involving scientists, decision makers, resource users, educators, and others who need more and better information about climate and its impacts. CLIMAS investigators conduct research on the nature, causes, and consequences of climate change and variability in the southwestern United States. The program also supports efforts to improve climate forecasting in the region.
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