A myriad of strategies and measures can provide significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions by encouraging people to drive less, creating more sustainable places to live, and promoting a healthier lifestyle.
Some examples include:
Climate:
- Integrate multi-modal transportation with urban development and activity patterns to reduce carbon and other emissions and promote global climate stability
- Develop a Climate Action Plan to outline a direction and goal for reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions
- Monitor progress annually to track the effectiveness of climate change policies and actions
Energy:
- Plan and design for minimal consumption of non-renewable energy for environmental and economic sustainability
- Different types of land-use planning (such as mixed use) may lead to less driving, less energy use and oil consumption
- Densely built communities may affect transmission losses, heating/cooling requirements and thus more efficient use of energy and lower energy bills
- Development of an Energy Master Plan can provide a framework for reducing energy usage
Health:
- Create living and travel environments that encourage physical activity and personal safety
- Support Complete Streets strategies to create enjoyable urban environments
