ARC Recognizes DeKalb County as a 2023 Green Community

DeKalb County has recently upgraded to the Gold level under the Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) Green Communities Program, demonstrating the county’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and leadership in sustainability practices. DeKalb had previously been recognized at the Bronze level. 

ARC’s Green Communities program is a voluntary certification program that helps local governments implement measures that will reduce their environmental impact. It recognizes their commitment to environmental stewardship and their leadership in sustainability practices. 

All winners earned certification points for sustainable measures implemented in their communities. Some measures that earned Sandy Springs certification points include: 

• Adopting a resolution to achieve One Hundred Percent (100%) renewable energy for county electricity use by 2035, including at least 50% renewable energy by 2025; and One Hundred Percent (100%) renewable energy for DeKalb County community-wide electricity supply by 2045. 
• Ensuring the parking lots are shaded by requiring that a minimum of one overstory tree per eight parking spaces is planted and no parking space is more than forty feet from a shade tree. 
• Replacing over 27,000 High Intensity Discharge (HID) streetlights with LED streetlights, saving money and energy.
•  Implementing round two of its ReLeaf DeKalb program, which aspires to create a healthy tree canopy by planting new trees in residential front yards and public properties. 
• Participating in the national Municipal Measurement Program (MMP) to track and measure the effectiveness of its solid waste and recycling programs through benchmarking and performance reports. 

In metro Atlanta, 20 local governments — 14 cities and six counties – are currently certified under the ARC Green Communities program. The program was the first in the country to promote sustainability through a green certification program for local governments. 

“We are happy to highlight local governments who are greening their facilities, greening their fleets, and putting in place policies and ordinances that would make their communities more environmentally sustainable,” said Danny Johnson, ARC’s Managing Director of the Natural Resources Department. “This voluntary certification leads the way to healthy, livable, and resilient communities, which we hope inspires others across the nation.”

ARC developed the Green Communities Program in 2009 to recognize local governments that invest in programs and policies that lead to a more sustainable region. The nationally recognized program showcases the many ways that local governments can reduce their environmental footprint. 

In metro Atlanta, 20 local governments — 14 cities and six counties — are currently certified under ARC’s Green Communities Program. The program was the first in the country to promote sustainability through a green certification program for local governments.

More information about ARC’s Green Communities certification program is available at atlantaregional.org/greencommunities.