ASLA’s Climate Change Recommendations

ASLA encourages Congress to adopt their strategies and pass the Safe Climate Act and America’s Climate Security Act—actions to increase energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment.
Photo courtesy of ASLA

The American Society of Landscape Architects has released policy recommendations on climate change. “The techniques landscape architects use for sustainable design can translate into effective public policy,” said Nancy Somerville, executive vice president and CEO of ASLA. “These strategies can save billions of dollars on infrastructure, create vibrant and healthy neighborhoods, preserve our natural resources and reduce global warming if Congress acts soon.” Some specific policy recommendations include:

• Encourage sustainable site planning for new communities and buildings of all types.
• Require open space and parkland preservation as a component of all public and private development, from small site-specific projects to regional land use plans.
• Encourage the research and use of native and adapted vegetation in the built environment to take full advantage of the most appropriate plants to increase air quality, conserve water resources, and sequester carbon dioxide.
• Encourage the use of sustainable stormwater management practices.
• Encourage the use of green roofs on public and private buildings of all types.
• Require comprehensive transportation and utility planning as a component of land-use planning, matching infrastructure capacity with current and proposed land uses.
• Encourage the development of smart growth communities.
• Enact policies that support design of safe transportation routes for pedestrians, bicyclists and those who use wheelchairs.

The full white paper and policy recommendations can be viewed at asla.org