From Guest Blogger Kara Masterson: Four Ways Green Cities Can Help Change the World

It is important for cities to use environmentally safe practices to avoid polluting the environment. As a public administration professional, you can change the world by taking small steps toward creating a greener environment. Use these four eco-friendly ways to help the residents of your city change the world.

Pass a No Smoking Regulation in Your City

While your state may have regulations concerning air pollution from factories, residents may continue to smoke cigarettes on a daily basis. Cigarette smoke contains carcinogens that can make smokers ill, but the secondhand smoke is also dangerous. The smoke from cigarettes seeps into materials, and it also floats into the air, polluting the environment of a city along with other regions.

Mandatory Trash Recycling in Your City

If you want to avoid filling local landfills, then you must pass a law concerning trash recycling in your city. It is possible to recycle almost everything in the trash, but it does take some time. To help your city’s residents understand how to recycle, you must have public meetings along with passing out pamphlets with written information.

Planting Trees, Flowers and Shrubs

It is essential for cities to have parks and walking paths where there are shrubs, flowers and trees. Plants help remove pollutants from the air. Throughout a city, there are often empty lots that are filled with trash, and these areas are the perfect locations for community gardens. Not only can a volunteer plant beautiful flowers and attractive shrubs, but also, she can have vegetable or fruit plants that remove pollutants from the air.

Community Cleanups

When your city is littered with trash, you must arrange community cleanups. A group of volunteers can pick up the trash that is located along streams or in parks. It is important to remember that metal cans and plastic bottles will degrade, leaching toxins into the soil and groundwater, but when volunteers collect these items, they can take the things to a recycling center to protect the environment.

Spread the Word about Protecting Your City’s Environment

Create a written plan to get your city involved in these four steps toward making your city cleaner and greener. Have meetings with the residents of your city to plan how to make the changes. Think about what is needed to remove trash such as garbage bags and grabbing devices. When you want to have community gardens throughout your city, you must find citizens who understand how to care for plants.

If you want to change your city in a different way, you could consider pursuing an online masters in civil engineering or something similar. By involving yourself in city planning and public works, you can have the opportunity to make a huge difference. Even if that isn’t the path for you, the tips listed here will still help you be as effective as you can.