Strategies: Climate Change

Evidence-informed strategies that help communities reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, including options for individuals to reduce their carbon footprint. These solutions address issues like transportation, energy efficiency, sustainable food options, stewardship, and waste reduction.

50 Strategies

Rain gardens & other bioretention systems

Establish bioretention systems (e.g., rain gardens, bioretention cells, green roofs, planter boxes, bioswales, etc.) to make city landscapes more permeable to help control stormwater
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Air, water and land
  • Climate

Rain barrels

Use ready-made or home constructed barrel systems to collect and store rainwater from rooftops that would otherwise flow to storm drains and streams
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Air, water and land
  • Climate

Telemental health services

Provide mental health care services (e.g., psychotherapy or counseling) via telephone or videoconference
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Clinical care
  • Climate

Societal Rules

  • Institutional practices

Healthy school lunch initiatives

Modify the school lunch food environment or school lunch schedules by increasing the convenience of healthy foods, providing healthy options, or ensuring students have enough time to eat
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Diet and exercise
  • Climate

Community supported agriculture (CSA)

Establish partnerships between farmers and consumers in which consumers purchase a share of a farm’s products in advance
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion

Community Conditions

  • Diet and exercise
  • Climate
  • Civic and community resources

Fruit & vegetable gleaning initiatives

Gather food left in fields after a primary harvest, food in fields where harvesting is not profitable, or excess produce from orchards, packing houses, urban agriculture sites, etc.
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion

Community Conditions

  • Diet and exercise
  • Climate

Healthy food initiatives in food pantries

Combine hunger relief efforts with nutrition information and healthy eating opportunities, often with on-site cooking demonstrations, recipe tastings, produce display stands, etc.
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Diet and exercise
  • Climate

Vehicle anti-idling initiatives

Implement anti-idling policies and awareness campaigns to reduce engine idling for passenger vehicles, school buses, and/or equipment and truck fleets
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Air, water and land
  • Climate

Societal Rules

  • Laws and policies

Open Streets

Allow community members to gather, socialize, walk, run, bike, skate, etc. on streets temporarily to closed to motorized traffic; also called Ciclovía programs
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion

Community Conditions

  • Diet and exercise
  • Civic and community resources
  • Climate

Electric vehicle initiatives

Replace internal combustion engine vehicles with all-electric vehicles through financial incentives, regulations, and multi-component initiatives
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Air, water and land
  • Climate

Societal Rules

  • Laws and policies
  • Budgets