Whether it is plastered on the side of a bus to promote public transit or peering out from the window of a locally-owned business, support for sustainability is gaining ground in Whatcom County. As one potential solution to globally diminishing natural resources, sustainability, among other things, will be studied as part of an Energy Resource Scarcity Task Force.

Cities and counties across Colorado are experimenting with new ways to minimize trash and maximize recycling, spurred on by higher landfill fees and global-warming worries.

A new Guidebook designed to help utilities systematically assess their current energy costs and practices, set measurable performance improvement goals and monitor their progress over time is now available from the PEER Center. The guide is specifically written to provide water and wastewater utility managers with a step-by-step method to improve energy efficiency and renewable opportunities.

This report provides a wide range of illustrations of how cities are tackling the need to conserve energy and other resources and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and what they are accomplishing as a result of their efforts. These best practices vary greatly in size, scope, cost, and focus. Some are well established and some are just getting underway, but all have ideas to offer on how to protect our cities today and our planet in the years ahead.

If you're struggling with how to fund the development and maintenance of environmental systems--like drinking and waste water systems--the How To Pay: Challenges and Solutions Of Environmental Protection is for you and your local government team.

Written by the chair of the LEED-Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) initiative, Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design with Nature is both an urgent call to action and a comprehensive introduction to "sustainable urbanism"--the emerging and growing design reform movement that combines the creation and enhancement of walkable and diverse places with the need to build high-performance infrastructure and buildings.

GreenGov Conference 2008 is an operations-greening conference in Washington, D.C. for government agencies at all levels. Themes like "Show me the funding," "Green purchasing," and "Green buildings" will provide information for agencies working to make their operations more efficient.

This webinar from the National Association of Counties is an introduction to the issues of "green governance" at the county level. With increasing momentum, green policies and programs have taken shape as counties hunt for the most effective targets, incentives and rewards to help affect behavioral change in their communities. Counties of all regions and compositions are helping us understand that green can be as much about doing the right thing for the environment as it is about being fiscally and socially responsible.

Amsterdam may soon join the ranks of European cities with low emission zones in their central cities. The measure, which has yet to be approved by the council, would not only ban vehicles older than 15 years, but also includes several other measures to encourage non-automotive transportation.

Japan is known for innovation, and the contents of the Japan for Sustainability newsletter don't disappoint. There's a lot going on in the field of sustainability in Japan; both social and technical advances are documented here. Read for inspiration, edification, and a global perspective.