Using the Internet to communicate with citizens about pressing environmental problems is absolutely essential if we are to make any progress on these issues on a local level. More people now get their information from the web than any other single source.

Many of the municipal web sites we visited for this project were extremely comprehensive, but vital information about environmental issues was sometimes difficult to find. We recommend the creation of a distinct site dedicated to environmental issues where local governments, businesses, educators, students and citizens can easily access information and become active participants in local programs.

Resources:

The City of Charlottesville, VA has developed a model user-friendly website covering stormwater management, alternative fuels, rain gardens, stream clean-up, recycling, sustainable buildings, water quality and more.

The City of Pasadena, California has developed a Green City program based on the United Nations Green Cities Declaration and the U. S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. They've created a very complete website to communicate environmental progress and policies to citizens.