Chapter Home | Cool Cities
Cool Cities Campaign
The North Carolina Sierra Club’s successful Cool Cities program presently includes over 50 governments across the state taking action in the fight against global warming. Based on the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, cities and counties are committing to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions levels 7% by 2012 from their 1990 levels.
The Cool Cities program is inherently local. While it commits cities to specific goals, it does not commit them to specific actions. That means that every individual community can come up with initiatives most appropriate to their size and location. The many Cool Cities currently in North Carolina range in population from Highlands, with just over 900 residents, to Raleigh, with more than 350,000. Counties can get involved too! Orange County and Mecklenburg have both joined.
The Cool Cities program consists of three phases. Phase I entails public awareness of and Mayor involvement in the national Climate Protection Agreement. Phase II engages each town in taking their unique steps to becoming more energy efficient. Phase III involves measuring the outcomes from Phase II actions to determine progress and effectiveness.
A Cool City could increase their use of hybrid cars and renewable energy. Another Cool City might choose to connect greenways to bus routes and implement energy efficient building codes. You can join the Cool City or Cool County campaign. Contact Kara Craig at kara.craig@sierraclub.org or 919-833-8467 to get started.
Click here for Cool City Resources
Click here for a list of all our Cool Cities
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