In tough economic times any reassurance is welcome, especially in the Atlanta real estate market. Therefore, people who reside or work in Atlanta should feel good knowing that the city is looking towards a brighter future. The city of Atlanta was recently selected as one of eight U.S. cities participating in the Beta phase of ICLEI USA’s Star Communities Index program. The selection means that the city will receive technical support for its sustainability efforts while serving as a test market in creating a national effort to create sustainable communities in cities nationwide.

Atlanta was chosen largely because of its pre-existing sustainability goals set forth by Mayor Kasim Reed in partnership with groups such as the Turner Foundation and Sustainable Atlanta. In October, Mayor Reed announced that he wants Atlanta to be one of the top ten most sustainable U.S. cities. Since then, the city has launched a new Sustainability Plan to help make sure that Atlanta remains viable for a very long time.

As part of the plan, Sustainable Atlanta has created the Measuring the Movement program that will help measure the city’s progress and plan for its economic and environmental well-being. The program also provides a platform for engaging stakeholders and organizations in order to create a shared vision for a sustainable Atlanta and to identify important sustainability indicators and metrics.

The Star Community Index is being developed by ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA (ICLEI USA) with help from the U.S. Green Building Council, National League of Cities and the Center for American Progress. ICLEI USA will work with the city as well as Sustainable Atlanta to measure, report and evaluate Atlanta’s sustainability progress.

For more information about Atlanta’s sustainability efforts, visit the Office of Sustainability website.