Metropolitan Mayors Caucus: Greenest Region Compact 2
On Monday, May 23, 2016, Highland Park City Council approved a resolution endorsing the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus’ Greenest Region Compact. The Greenest Region Compact 2 (Compact) encourages municipalities of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to work together to achieve a consensus on sustainability goals. The Compact addresses prevalent sustainability subjects, including air quality, land use, and water resources protection. The goals are broad and do not commit the city to any specific reductions, changes, or timelines.
Actions to enhance and protect the natural environment are stronger and more effective when communities collaborate rather than work alone. The objectives outlined in the Greenest Region Compact 2 are aligned with Highland Park’s sustainability plan and its ongoing related activities, policies, and programs. This new effort could introduce Highland Park to opportunities for grants to support projects for residents, businesses, schools, parks, and other organizations.
Highland Park’s current sustainability plan addresses many of the goals proposed by the Compact. These include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by tabulating output to determine appropriate reduction goals, timeline, and actions. Furthermore, the city engages its community on sustainability issues regularly. Highland Park’s new waste hauling contract is also the first in the North Shore to enable food scrap composting. The community is an established leader in Lake County with high waste diversion rates and waste disposal options that encourage increased recycling. Finally, as the city manages its own water plant and distributes water to neighboring communities, it has established itself as a steward of water resources.
Greenest Region Compact Outline