What is GreenSteps
GreenStep Cities, a voluntary challenge, assistance, and recognition program helps cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals (Welcome to GreenStep Cities, 2020). Since 2015, the City of Hopkins has helped lead sustainability across the state as a GreenStep City (Hopkins Is a GreenStep City, 2020). But there is still opportunity for Hopkins to further its sustainability initiatives and incorporate impact evaluation. GreenStep Cities is a valuable tool for cities to assess and reach their sustainability and quality-of-life goals because it is flexible, cost-effective, and straightforward. It provides a continuous improvement pathway for cities to be more sustainable and resilient while allowing them to tailor the actions to the city’s needs, wants, and desires. Site Description As of June 2013, Hopkins is a Step 3 GreenStep city, having completed 17 of the 29 best practices and a total of 42 actions (Hopkins Is a GreenStep City, 2020). Hopkins’ comprehensive plan indicates goals aligned with GreenStep best practices that could ultimately help them advance to a Step 4 city. Hopkins’ vision is to strengthen and improve their involvement with GreenStep in the hopes of becoming a more sustainable, socially connected community (Hopkins 2030 Comprehensive Plan). |
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Research Questions 1. How is Hopkins performing on their current best management practices (BMP) and what are they currently doing that could count towards a GreenStep city BMP? 2. What actions can the City of Hopkins take to progress to a Step 4 GreenStep City? What resources will be needed to accomplish this goal? To best answer these questions, we utilized a multi-methods approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of the GreenStep Cities program and how it relates to the City of Hopkins. We answered broad questions about voluntary sustainable city programs, like GreenStep Cities, through a literature review and key informant interviews. We answered questions specific to Hopkins through case studies and comparative policy analysis. |
Our Findings
Literature Review FindingsAn analysis by Lyon and Maxwell (2007) drew attention to the benefits of voluntary sustainability programs, like the flexibility for cities to choose and pursue individual goals on a tailored timeline. Cities can cater sustainability goals to meet unique needs. Benefits specific to GreenStep Cities include a diverse range of best management practices with awards and recognition for cities upon completion. Offered at different levels, best management practices are adaptable with opportunities for improvement. The lasting and positive impact of voluntary sustainable cities programs ripple throughout the community.
Comparative Policy Analysis FindingsTo become a Step 4 city, Hopkins must record all eight CORE metrics and an additional five metrics. Currently, Hopkins is not reporting the metrics and does not mention plans to report metrics in the future. The Hopkins 2040 comprehensive plan mentions the expansion and improvement of all core metrics topics (Table 4). GreenStep Cities has provided worksheets and data sources for each metric for a city to report.
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Key Informant InterviewsA resounding theme from across the five experts was to address the resource-intensive nature of gaining step 4 status by taking advantage of the Green Corps program. Also, taking advantage of the free resources that exist, including Green Corps, B3 Benchmarking, and PIE, will drastically reduce the workload.
Case Study FindingsFindings from the four case studies of Falcon Heights, Duluth, Minnetonka, Hutchinson surfaced important themes like coordination, partnership, and upfront time investment. Primary findings include the importance of coordination across city departments and the role of outside partners and programs to build capacity in recording and reporting metrics for the GreenSteps Program. A secondary finding was that an initial investment of staff time creating a data reporting system makes it easy to collect future GreenStep core metrics data. While the initial reporting is time intensive, advancing to a Step 4 and 5 city can happen with minimal additional resources.
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Recommendations
Acknowledgements
This project would not have been possible without the support and collaboration of key thought leaders across various disciplines. We would like to thank the following people and organizations: the City of Hopkins for providing city specific information and context and for feedback on primary recommendations. Thank you to University of Minnesota faculty, Kristen Nelson and Eric North, and graduate assistant, Hannah Ramer. Finally, we would like to thank the following key informants and thought leaders for providing information and resources: Pam Hove, Kristin Mroz-Rissi, Dr. Richard Graves, Peter Lindstrom, and Diana McKeown.
References
Hopkins is a GreenStep City. (2020). Hopkins, MN. https://www.hopkinsmn.com/511/Hopkins-Is-A-GreenStep-City
Welcome to GreenStep Cities. (2020). Minnesota GreenStep Cities. https://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us
Lyon, T. P., & Maxwell, J. W. (2007). Environmental Public Voluntary Programs Reconsidered:
Lyon/Maxwell: Environmental Public Voluntary Programs. Policy Studies Journal, 35(4), 723- 750.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.15410072.2007.00245.x
- Apply for an MPCA GreenCorps member to increase internal capacity to record GreenStep Cities data requirements. This GreenCorps member can lay the groundwork needed to revamp Hopkin’s GreenStep profile and set up the monitoring and evaluation infrastructure. The GreenCorps application is currently closed, but more information on applying is available on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency website found here.
- Establish a yearly internship position to execute subsequent annual reporting. This annual position would be in replacement of a GreenCorps member if unavailable and would focus solely on Hopkins’ GreenSteps profile. A model job description that will assist the planning department in creating this position and finding interns can be found here.
- Establish an Internal Green Team to increase collaboration and communication among city staff. The committee can comprise directors and coordinators of the following departments: building and equipment services, engineering, solid waste, parks and trails, street maintenance, water and sewer, and economic development and planning. The team can meet quarterly to report on their progress with GreenStep Cities core metrics and discuss other sustainability projects taken up by the department.
- Form a Sustainability and Environment Commission to coordinate sustainability efforts across public, private, and residential sectors. Members from the City Council, city staff, local businesses, and the broader community can advise the City Council on environment related issues. Ideally, this group would meet quarterly and generate an annual report that includes metrics, such as dollars spent/saved, energy saved; any sustainability indicators measured; energy/carbon inventory data or ecological footprint data if gathered; progress in the GreenStep Cities program. This group can also host community events to engage the broader community in sustainability initiatives.
- Record building energy data for all public buildings into the B3 Benchmarking Program to begin reporting Step 4 data. The B3 Benchmarking offers complete analysis of building energy performance. Further, there is currently a GreenCorps member working on entering statewide city energy data to the B3 database. Connecting with this GreenCorps member can help download gas and electricity data for free. Email the B3 Benchmarking support at [email protected] to request information about getting their GreenCorps member to help enter more of Hopkins’ energy data.
- Use the GreenStep Step 4/5 worksheet to record the eight CORE metrics. Reporting on the eight core metrics is an important action for any city because it allows a city to compare itself over time. GreenSteps provides tools and a detailed description of each metric and its elements to complete this. A worksheet is provided to compile data in an organized way and ensure all of the necessary data is assessed.
Acknowledgements
This project would not have been possible without the support and collaboration of key thought leaders across various disciplines. We would like to thank the following people and organizations: the City of Hopkins for providing city specific information and context and for feedback on primary recommendations. Thank you to University of Minnesota faculty, Kristen Nelson and Eric North, and graduate assistant, Hannah Ramer. Finally, we would like to thank the following key informants and thought leaders for providing information and resources: Pam Hove, Kristin Mroz-Rissi, Dr. Richard Graves, Peter Lindstrom, and Diana McKeown.
References
Hopkins is a GreenStep City. (2020). Hopkins, MN. https://www.hopkinsmn.com/511/Hopkins-Is-A-GreenStep-City
Welcome to GreenStep Cities. (2020). Minnesota GreenStep Cities. https://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us
Lyon, T. P., & Maxwell, J. W. (2007). Environmental Public Voluntary Programs Reconsidered:
Lyon/Maxwell: Environmental Public Voluntary Programs. Policy Studies Journal, 35(4), 723- 750.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.15410072.2007.00245.x