TOPICS IN SUSTAINABILITY:

Overview

Green Buildings

Green Development

Land Use Planning

Measuring Progress

Disaster Planning

Community Energy

Transportation

Sustainable Business

Financing

Rural Issues

Resource Efficiency

Air

Water

Materials

EPA Sustainability Programs

Office of Research and Development - Thinking Sustainably at EPA. This site describes the Office of Research and Development’s activities and grants aimed at fostering Sustainable Development.

Green Chemistry. This program promotes innovative chemical technologies that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances in the design, manufacture, and use of products.

Green Engineering. Green engineering is the design, commercialization, and use of processes and products that are feasible and economical while minimizing the generation of pollution at the source, and any risks to human health and the environment. The discipline embraces the concept that decisions to protect human health and the environment can have the greatest impact and cost effectiveness when applied early to the design and development phase of a process or product. In contrast to: Green engineering as the design, commercialization, and use of processes and products, which are feasible and economical while minimizing 1) generation of pollution at the source and 2) risk to human health and the environment. The alternative discipline embraces the concept that decisions to protect human health and the environment can have the greatest impact and cost effectiveness when applied early to the design and development phase of a process or product.

Product Stewardship. This Web site is designed to serve as a resource for products that support Sustainable Development. It highlights the latest developments in Product Stewardship, both in the United States and abroad, and provides numerous links to other sources of information.

Environmentally Preferred Purchasing. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) is a federal-wide program that assists executive agencies in the purchasing of environmentally preferable products and services.

Green Communities Assistance Kit. Developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a step-by-step guide for identifying and resolving community needs, and planning and implementing sustainable actions. Also identifies useful tools, case studies, and other resources.

ENERGY STAR. A government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.

The Design for the Environment (DfE). The Design for the Environment (DfE) partnership projects promotes integrating cleaner, cheaper, and smarter solutions into everyday business practices.

Green Buildings. Green or sustainable building is the practice of creating healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition.

EPA - Region III’s Center for Sustainability. This program is managed by the Chesapeake Bay Program Office out of EPA Region III's Philadelphia, Pennsylvania office. The Center's mission is to link our environmental protection efforts with larger economic and social goals. Find out what your community can do to ensure that our natural resources will be available for generations to come!

Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment Homepage. This site links to information on abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.

Sustainable Urban Environment. As urban areas grow and age, the current patterns of development and redevelopment can cause environmental degradation. Air quality is degraded through increased mobile, area, and point source emissions. Water quality is degraded through increased runoff volume, decreased infiltration, poor runoff quality, and increased discharge from point sources. Farmland and open space is converted to factories, commercial, and residential use, often leaving abandoned contaminated brownfields in the urban core. The manner in which development or redevelopment takes place can significantly increase or decrease these impacts. The Sustainable Urban Environments Regional Team aims to lessen these impacts through a range of activities.

Community-based Environmental Protection. CBEP integrates environmental management with human needs, considers long-term ecosystem health, and highlights the positive correlations between economic prosperity and environmental well-being.

Project XL. XL projects give the regulated community an opportunity to demonstrate eXcellence and Leadership... the flexibility to replace the requirements of the current system with an alternative strategy developed by a company or a community.

Sustainable Landscaping. Landscaping with native wildflowers and grasses improves the environment. Natural landscaping brings a taste of wilderness to urban, suburban, and corporate settings by attracting a variety of birds, butterflies, and other animals. Once established, native plants do not need fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, or watering, thus benefiting the environment and reducing maintenance costs. Gardeners and admirers enjoy the variety of colors, shapes, and seasonal beauty of these plants.

EPA/OPPT - Green Meetings. Green meetings help meet your meetings planning needs while minimizing negative impacts on the environment. By using this site, you can access information that can assist you in organizing your conference to be "greener."

Environmental Labeling. The term "environmental labeling" covers a broad range of activities from business-to-business transfers of product-specific environmental information to environmental labeling in retail markets. Labels, as well as other labeling program activities, serve a variety of purposes and target a number of different audiences. Environmental labels provide an opportunity to inform consumers about product characteristics that may not be readily apparent.

Environmental Accounting. EPA's Environmental Accounting Project has partnered with the Tellus Institute to maintain and further develop tools and documentation on Environmental Accounting.

U.S. State and Local Gateway: Environment/Energy: Reference Materials: Ecosystems and Sustainable Development Topics. This page provides links to information on sustainable development and ecosystems.

Sustainability Resources: