Sarasota Ranks No. 4 on List of
“Smarter Cities”
Posted September 26, 2009
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has decided to rank Sarasota Florida at the Number 4 spot on its list of small
“Smarter Cities.” Sarasota was recognized for the quality of its air and water as well as its environmental standards and participation in programs like green buildings, green space and recycling. Its transportation network and standard of living are also part of the evaluation of a city's rank.
"Smarter cities" are considered to be more efficient, more livable and cleaner communities to live in.
Sarasota was scored by www.smartercities.nrdc.org, a website affiliated with the Natural Resources Defense Council. The city of Sarasota ranked 4th after Bellingham, WA, Mountain View, CA and Norwalk, CT in that order among cities with populations between 50,000 and 100,000.
No other Florida small city made the top 10 list of "Smarter Small Cities."
The SmarterCities.nrdc.org website said the following about Sarasota:
“... Sarasota has involved its residents through environmental education at schools, community groups including the local women’s
club and Boys & Girls Club, and outreach programs like Sustainability Advocacy Volunteer Educators, which provides green internships for high school and college students.
“To increase public awareness of the need for water conservation and protection, Sarasota started a water quality program in 1989. The city’s water system now reclaims 70% of waste water annually.
Conservation-pricing encourages consumers and businesses to use less water. Watering of lawns is limited to
just one day per week. Sarasota has even started a "rain-barrel demonstration" project at City Hall for watering flower beds without
sprinklers, and created a how-to guide for residents to use at home. To protect local landscapes and irrigate efficiently as well as to promote native growth and wildlife, the city encourages
Florida-friendly landscaping through websites like floridayards.org.
“The city’s Environmental Management Task Force, formed in 2007, is drafting a Local Climate Action Plan. In April 2008, the city created a
full-time Environmental Services position. The city government expedites permits for Green Development and Green Building.”
A few examples exhibit the dedication of the community and its residents to environmental quality. Since initiating a "tree-planting" program in 2000, over 100,000 trees have been planted in City right-of-ways.
Sarasota has committed $1.5 million in the next 10 years to the "Green Canopy Partnership" tree-planting program. The North Sarasota Public Library was only the second library structure in the nation to be certified as a "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" LEED Gold structure for its use of low-VOC paint and carpeting, water-wise landscaping, and
use of recycled building materials.
The city helped found the "Sarasota Bay Estuary Program," dedicated
to protecting Sarasota Bay and its connecting waterways. And, Sarasota has a "Green Business Directory" giving visibility to those businesses which provide green products and services.
There is a lot to like about Sarasota Florida including its warm balmy climate, abundant sunshine, golf courses of every type and level of difficulty, soft white beaches, and a vibrant assortment of recreational and cultural activities for every taste and budget.
Sarasota offers big-city amenities with a small-town way of life, but its also refreshing to live in a community
so actively involved in assuring that the quality of life currently enjoyed by residents stays that way and even improves over time.
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