Why get certified as a Sustainable Pennsylvania community?

Working with municipal staff, elected leaders, residents, and businesses, Pennsylvania municipalities can chart a course for creating a community that offers opportunity for everyone. The Sustainable Pennsylvania municipal certification is a tool municipal and community leadership can use to assess, plan, and implement sustainability policies and practices, and foster innovation. 

• Assess your municipality’s sustainability related policies and practices, create a plan for future actions, and earn recognition in the process.
• Adopt and implement policies to improve resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and resilience to disasters.
  
• Reduce the adverse environmental impact of businesses, residents, and others within the community, by paying special attention to energy use, transportation, land use, and waste and materials management.
  
• Expand and maintain housing choices and ensure everyone has access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and other essential services. 

• Build sustainable, resilient, and energy-efficient public and private buildings that utilize local materials.
  
• Ensure everyone has access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems. Improving road safety with a focus on the needs of vulnerable populations, pedestrians, bicycles, and those using mobility aids. 

• Provide universal access to safe, inclusive, and accessible, green and public spaces, for all members of the community. 

• Support positive economic, social, and environmental links between urban, suburban, and rural areas by strengthening regional community development planning.