Issue Areas

Environmental Issues: Sustainable Communities

LEED for Neighborhood Development NRDC's Citizen's Guide to LEED for Neighborhood Development helps you know when it's green Overview: A Citizen's Guide to LEED for Neighborhood Development is a hands-on introduction that NRDC developed for local environmental groups, smart growth organizations, neighborhood residents and just about anyone interested in making our communities better and greener.
Sustainable Neighborhoods Solutions for Sustainability Overview: One of the most important models of sustainable growth is the neighborhood, where increments of development actually occur and where most people connect with their cities, their environments, and each other on an everyday basis.
Picturing Smart Growth Visions for Sustainable Communities Across America Guide: Cities and towns across the country are embracing smart growth as a better solution to meet the needs of their growing populations. Smart growth principles accommodate growth and development while saving open space, revitalizing neighborhoods and helping cool the planet. See visions created through photo-editing software for how 70 communities across the country could apply smart growth principles to improve their streets and neighborhoods.

For additional policy documents, see the NRDC Document Bank.

Kaid Benfield writes about development, community and the environment on Switchboard.

Is it time for "smarter smart growth"?: posted by Kaid Benfield, 5/1/13
The case for building on a city's historic assets: posted by Kaid Benfield, 4/29/13
An amazing, entertaining vision for greening Rio's working port: posted by Kaid Benfield, 4/26/13

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