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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017 06-19 GreenStep Cities recognized for sustainability efforts MAPLEWOOD REVIEW GreenStep Cities Recognized for sustainability efforts Submitted by admin on Mon, 06/19/2017 - 3:24pm The League of Minnesota Cities recognized 33 member cities and one tribal community at the 2017 Annual Conference June 15 for demonstrating commitment to sustainability best practices and advancing to the next step in the GreenStep Cities program. As of 2017, there are a total of 113 GreenStep Cities participants — 110 cities and three tribal communities. GreenStep Cities is a free and voluntary program designed to help Minnesota cities achieve their environmental sustainability goals through the implementation of 29 best practices. These practices can be applied in the areas of transportation, buildings and lighting, environmental management, land use and economic & community development to achieve up to five “steps.” The actions can be tailored to all types of Minnesota cities, and they focus on cost savings, energy use reduction and encouraging innovation. Oakdale was among five cities to achieve the Step Four distinction between 2016 and 2017 and Maplewood was among six cities to achieve a Step Five distinction. To see all completed actions of the 113 GreenStep Cities participants, visit greenstep.pca.state.mnus/allCities.cfm. To reach Step Four, cities track and submit metrics from a selection of categories, such as energy and water use, vehicle fleet efficiency, community, economic development and more. To reach Step Five, cities must show improvement in their Step Four metrics.