Activist Milestones
I. ESTABLISH COOL COMMUNITIES CAMPAIGN
This city/county has an established group of local citizens who are committed to reducing global warming emissions in their city/county.
Sub-steps:- Convene a Cool Communities campaign team of 3-7 activist volunteers
- Write a city profile on the Cool Communities web site
II. ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY
At this stage, the local Cool Communities campaign is building support for their mayor to sign the U.S. Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement. By working with other community groups, generating letters to the mayor, raising the issue in the media, and talking to neighbors, the local Cool Communities campaign is building support for local action.
Sub-steps:- Create a Campaign Plan
- Generate at least 5 citizen letters, Op-Ed and three letters-to-the editor
- Give a Cool Communities presentation to at least three local community groups
- Send a formal letter to Mayor/Chairman, co-signed by 2+ partner community groups requesting the mayor/chairman to sign
III. MUNICIPALITY SIGNS COMMITMENT AGREEMENT
A municipality has reached this milestone when the mayor officially signs the U.S. Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement (resolution, sign-on form), US Cool Counties Agreement (resolution, executive order) or joins the Canadian Partners for Climate Protection (resolution). This commits the municipality to significantly reducing its global warming emissions by doing a community-wide emissions inventory, action plan and ongoing monitoring.
Sub-steps:- Meet with mayor/chairman along with 1 to 3 community groups to discuss becoming a Cool Community
- Mayor/Chairman signs and submits the US Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement, Cool Counties Agreement or Canadian Partners for Climate Protection
IV. IMPLEMENTING INITIAL SOLUTION STEPS
This milestone focuses on turning the municipality's commitment into action. Here the municipality is implementing beginning steps to improve its own operations. These steps build expertise for putting in place robust solutions in the next phase.
Sub-steps:- Municipality establishes committee to create local climate action plan
- Hold a media event applauding your mayor or supervisor's commitment
- Municipality initiates early implementation actions (e.g. energy efficient light bulbs at city offices)
- Municipality performs an audit of municipal operations
- Municipality establishes action plan for municipal operations
V. IMPLEMENTING ADVANCED SMART ENERGY SOLUTIONS
The final milestone focuses on turning the municipality's commitment into action. At this stage, the municipality is adopting policies that significantly reduce global warming emissions, lower energy bills, and make the city a cleaner place to live. By investing in smart energy solutions, such as green buildings, fuel efficient city fleets, and powering homes with renewable energy, these cities are becoming Cool Communities.
Sub-steps:- Municipality performs community-wide "global warming audit"
- Municipality completes climate action plan with specific solutions to meet target reductions & timeline of Climate Agreement
- Municipality adopts energy efficiency policies (e.g. energy efficient street lights, green building standards)
- Municipality adopts green vehicles policy (e.g. purchases hybrid vehicles for city fleet)
- Municipality adopts other global warming reduction policies (e.g. no-idling, Energy Star appliance purchasing)
- Municipality adopts renewable energy policies (e.g. buys "green" power, installs solar panels or wind turbines)
- Municipality adopts transit and land-use improvements
- Municipality supports state action to reduce greenhouse gasses (e.g. net metering)
- Municipality publishes annual report tracking city's progress in meeting its climate protection goals
- Mayor or chairman champions action on global warming at state and national levels