During the summer of 2009 GCBL surveyed Northeast Ohio communities to find out what they've been doing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to try to uncover the most common barriers to action.

Not surprisingly, many cities reported that having more information available, for both city officials and residents, would be one of the best ways to inspire more action. In fact, 28% of surveyed communities reported that more information about reducing emissions for city officials would be most helpful, and another 26% reported that more information for the public would be most helpful.

Due to this high demand for information, GCBL assembled this Climate Toolkit for Local Communities to guide you through the process of addressing climate change in your community and government operations. Since every community is different, this toolkit is meant to serve as a guide, not a step-by-step "how-to" manual. 

Understanding the basic science of climate change, the projected impacts, and the benefits of mitigation and adaptation is a critical first step in having a meaningful impact on reducing your community's greenhouse gas emissions and climate impact. The first few sections of this toolkit provide a brief overview of the basic science behind climate change and the impacts it is having on the Midwest and Northeast Ohio.

The following section addresses committing to climate action, understanding the carbon footprints of your community and government operations, developing a plan, and tracking the savings.

During our survey we discovered that nearly every city or village in Northeast Ohio is doing something to respond to climate change. We've provided a few local examples of activities and best practices for each area of climate action. Let other cities' actions inspire you to implement similar initiatives in your own community. Contact and learn from those communities on how to best implement a similar program.

If your neighboring cities can make these efforts, you can too! And with every community in the region making efforts in every sector, Northeast Ohio will be well on its way to regional climate action.

Climate action is a process, not an event. Your action plan can (and should!) be improved and refined over time, so don’t worry if your city’s plan is not perfect right away.