Strategy to Become America’s Green Region
Vision Statement:
We will create and support a sustainable region that increases the vitality of our society, economy, and environment for current residents and future generations.
Strategy 1: COMMIT — Make a public commitment to sustainability
Goal I. Actively seek signatures from the leadership of companies, organizations, and governments to enter into formal agreements committing to sustainability
Goal II. Actively seek commitments from the citizens of the region to incorporate sustainability practices in their daily lives
Strategy 2: COLLABORATE — Involve regional stakeholders to guide and evaluate progress
Goal III. Establish an America’s Green Region coordinating council to help guide the region’s agenda, monitor progress on the strategy, and oversee integration of activities
Goal IV. Establish target measures for improvements in the region’s sustainability performance; regional carbon footprint benchmarks; and mechanisms to evaluate progress on selected measures
Goal V. Establish accessible systems to collect, track, and update sustainability commitments and activities from companies, organizations, governments and individuals
Strategy 3: COMMUNICATE — Increase awareness of, educational opportunities for and engagement in sustainability
Goal VI. Increase public awareness about sustainability issues and solutions through broad and creative communications
Goal VII. Establish education-based opportunities to develop leadership and build technical skills around sustainability policies and practices
Goal VIII. Develop marketing plan to create national awareness of the Kansas City region as America’s Green Region
Strategy 4: CONSERVE — Reduce the region’s consumption of natural resources
Goal IX. Increase energy efficiency for the region’s buildings, transportation and industry
Goal X. Achieve a zero-waste economy by reducing solid waste generated and disposed
Goal XI. Secure legislation that supports sustainability policies and conservation measures
Goal XII. Promote water, air, land and other natural resource conservation programs
Strategy 5: CREATE — Develop new regional systems and other capacities for sustainability
Goal XIII. Expand and enhance regional transit system
Goal XIV. Protect and expand the region’s green infrastructure
Goal XV. Increase sustainable community design practices and policies
Goal XVI. Transform the region’s economy and increase the employment base by investing in innovative technologies and sustainable economic development
Goal XVII. Create an equitable and sustainable economy based on people and resources available in this region
Under each of these five strategies, activities will take place at the Policy Level, the Program Level, and the Individual Level. Actions that would be taken to achieve the Vision include the following:
- Develop a clear and coherent strategy that allows us to better articulate the region’s goals and directions
- Identify who has the lead responsibility by organization for actions
- Understand the opportunities for coordination and cooperation and avoid duplication
- Create a mechanism that allows entities to plug into activities and understand how each activity relates to the larger regional agenda
- Create a mechanism that allows reporting, evaluating and assessing individual activities
- Identify gaps in what the region is doing
- Create new resources to support activities that move the region toward sustainability
- Embrace new technologies
This is a document in process, which we hope will be strengthened by additional partners as they embrace this strategy to become America’s Green Region.
