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This Chapter's...

introduction

strategy

indicators

drafting group


Sustainability Plan / Public Information and Education / Strategy

 goal 1   To educate and motivate everyone in San Francisco to choose to live more sustainably.
     
 goal 2   To impart a sense of responsibility and accountability, and an understanding of interrelationships in nature, including human culture.
   
     
 goal 3   To make sustainability planning, implementation and evaluation an ongoing process in San Francisco that is adequately funded.
   
     
 goal 4   To educate San Francisco consumers on options available to promote sustainability.
   
     
 goal 5   To foster community investment and participation in sustainability efforts, including discussion groups, community forums, and volunteer activities.
   







 goals

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1. To educate and motivate everyone in San Francisco to choose to live more sustainably.

2. To impart a sense of responsibility and accountability, and an understanding of interrelationships in nature, including human culture.

3. To make sustainability planning, implementation and evaluation an ongoing process in San Francisco that is adequately funded.

4. To educate San Francisco consumers on options available to promote sustainability.

5. To foster community investment and participation in sustainability efforts, including discussion groups, community forums, and volunteer activities.
   
   long-term objectives
   
  A. A comprehensive public education plan provides information about living sustainably.

B. An outreach program brings the “Green City” model(s) (a representation of and information on an environmentally sound, socially just city) into all communities, libraries and schools throughout San Francisco.

C. Sustainability is a household word.

D. All environmental programs and activities are coordinated through a centralized telephone number and facility, providing not only access to government programs, but facilitating networking between organizations and individuals.

E. All San Francisco schools give students skills and experience related to sustainability.
     
     5-year objective
     
   

1. A plan to achieve the public education goals in all other sections of San Francisco’s sustainability plan has been developed.

2. Outreach programs that are multi-lingual and multi-culturally sensitive have been developed.

3. A highly visible “Green City” model with supporting outreach information that illustrates sustainable living and its short- and long-term benefits has been developed.

4. An integrated environmental curriculum is in use in all public elementary schools in San Francisco.

5. Evaluation tools to measure progress and promote programs have been developed.

6. An accessible clearinghouse of environmental information promotes volunteer networking among organizations and individuals.

7. Hands-on volunteerism has increased.

8. Guidelines and policies for public- and private-sector purchasing that reflect sustainable practices have been developed and distributed.

9. Guidelines and policies for individuals’ purchasing that reflect sustainable practices have been developed and distributed.

       
       actions
       
     

a. Conduct an outreach campaign that:

  • Explains what sustainability is in a simple and celebratory way,

  • Makes informational materials widely accessible,

  • Collaborates with the media to develop educational strategies, and

  • Includes art, culture, and innovative educational strategies.

b. Conduct workshops on all topics in the sustainability plan for individuals, teachers, businesses, and other sectors of the community.

c. Make all materials and activities available to all communities.

d. Meet with community representatives to ensure that the sustainability plan and educational materials are culturally appropriate.

e. Seek out community venues to set up information tables and booths, including community fairs, meetings, religious institutions, PTA meetings, farmers’ markets, and festivals.

f. Engage the media through community and civic meetings, press conferences, press releases, and ongoing sustainability features on news programs.

g. Gather, make accessible, and publicize environmental information and curricula.

h. Adopt an integrated environmental curriculum in the San Francisco schools that includes classroom-based and service components.

i. Create a working model sustainable school within the San Francisco public school system, converting an existing school building and involving students in the process.

j. Promote responsibility among members of the civic and business communities.

  • Invite the civic and business communities to educational meetings, workshops, round-tables, and summits that provide resources for conducting business sustainably and illustrate examples of businesses’ successful sustainability efforts.

  • Hold a series of “executive briefings” for the civic and business communities on steps to achieving sustainability, for employees and employers.

  • Meet with business representatives to encourage their participation, including corporate sponsorships, in outreach efforts.

  • Conduct workplace-based workshops on sustainability, for employees.

k. Develop incentives for everyone to live more sustainably, including awards and recognition programs for businesses, schools, and individuals.

l. Promote sustainability in existing and new public and private development projects (both housing and commercial), especially during the preliminary planning stages.

m. Promote environmental service through volunteerism.

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