This toolbox contains 79 actions already taken by cities, counties, and regional governments which can mitigate the deterioration of the Earth’s climate. Feel free to adapt them to your region.
For details about the Actions offered by the Toolbox see the Overview
Use this filter to find local actions by region, sector, or state
Page 1 of 4
Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) – a cost effective way to reduce peak demand and stimulate deployment of distributed energy resources
Energy / April 09, 2025Description: In many locations, the cost of electricity is increasing at alarming rates. This results not only from increased demand but […]
State and Local GHG Emission Reduction Programs
Air Pollution Agencies, Energy, Transportation & Land Use / February 28, 2025Description: The global scientific community and many governments worldwide agree that global warming is caused by increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon […]
Extended Producer Responsibility Laws to Reduce Waste and GHG Emissions
Industry, Materials, Waste / January 29, 2025Description: Reducing waste is an essential component of strategies and policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) […]
LEED Certification for Zoning Requirements
Buildings, Energy, Equity, Transportation & Land Use, Waste, Water / January 22, 2025Description: Zoning ordinances are frequently used to advance the goals of General Plans for development in cities or counties. Zoning that […]
Prohibiting Natural Gas (methane) Infrastructure in New Buildings (update)
Buildings, Energy / September 04, 2024Description: Across the country, many cities and states are taking steps to address the harms of natural gas emissions within […]
Promote lowest feasible carbon emissions
Community Choice Aggregation, Energy / May 04, 2024Description: Cities and communities around the country are reducing their climate disrupting emissions by cleaning up their electricity supply. In […]
Reduce heat island effect
Parks & Cool Streets / May 02, 2024Description: As the effects of climate change become apparent around the world, extreme temperatures are becoming an increasingly urgent concern. […]
Multi-Building Geothermal Heat Pump Systems
Buildings, Energy / March 29, 2024Description: The implementation of networked geothermal, also referred to as community geothermal and geothermal districts, began in the United States […]
Zoning Changes Facilitate Development of Arizona’s Car-Free Community
Transportation & Land Use / February 06, 2024Description: Cities around the country are reducing or eliminating requirements for off-street parking in new developments, saving developers and residents […]
Use General Plans to Guide Renewables Development and Reduce Climate Emissions from Fossil Fuel Use
Equity, Natural & Working Lands, Transportation & Land Use / July 30, 2023Description: City and county Comprehensive Plans, also known as General Plans or Master Plans, are long-range plans that guide decision-making; […]
E-bike vouchers to reduce VMT
Equity, Transportation & Land Use / July 26, 2023Description: Denver residents are receiving instant rebates to buy e-bikes (battery powered bikes) following the city’s implementation of a new […]
Restrict fossil fuel infrastructure development – industrial scale facilities
Energy, Industry, Transportation & Land Use / June 28, 2023Description: Los Angeles, California; Baltimore, Maryland; Portland, Oregon; Vancouver, Washington; and other cities across America are passing ordinances that prevent […]
Fossil Fuel Divestment
Community Education & Action / April 22, 2023Description: Students, retirees, faith-based organizations, and others are acting to stop or withdraw investment in the fossil fuel industry. Activists […]
Creating Solar Microgrids for Clean Energy and Resilience
Buildings, Energy / April 22, 2023Description: Creating a local microgrid improved resilience, expanded local clean energy production, and reduced dependence on transmission lines and remote […]
Community Solar Projects
Energy, Equity / March 26, 2023Description: Communities around the country are benefiting from access to community solar projects, a distributed solar energy deployment model that […]
Regional air district adopts rule phasing out gas-fired heating appliances
Air Pollution Agencies, Buildings / March 23, 2023Description: In March of 2023 the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) adopted first-in-nation rules to phase out and […]
Reduce VMT by Zoning – Urban Agriculture
Transportation & Land Use / November 29, 2022Description: Urban agriculture refers to the growing and raising of crops and livestock within a municipality’s boundaries for local consumption. […]
Year-Round Community Garden
Community Education & Action, Transportation & Land Use / November 27, 2022Description: The Skidmore College Student Garden is an extension of the College’s Food System Initiative where food grown in the […]
Climate Parking Fee
Equity, Transportation & Land Use / September 30, 2022Description: The Department of Transportation of Portland, Oregon has increased the cost of parking at city parking meters by $0.20 […]
Restrict fossil fuel infrastructure development – retail facilities
Energy, Industry, Transportation & Land Use / August 12, 2022Description: In 2019, the City of Petaluma, CA adopted an “Urgency Ordinance” imposing a temporary moratorium on new fueling station […]
Page 1 of 4