GreenGov Conference 2008 is an operations-greening conference for government agencies at all levels. Themes like "Show me the funding," "Green purchasing," and "Green buildings" will provide information for agencies working to make their operations more efficient.

This webinar from the National Association of Counties is an introduction to the issues of "green governance" at the county level. With increasing momentum, green policies and programs have taken shape as counties hunt for the most effective targets, incentives and rewards to help affect behavioral change in their communities. Counties of all regions and compositions are helping us understand that green can be as much about doing the right thing for the environment as it is about being fiscally and socially responsible.

Amsterdam may soon join the ranks of European cities with low emission zones in their central cities. The measure, which has yet to be approved by the council, would not only ban vehicles older than 15 years, but also includes several other measures to encourage non-automotive transportation.

Japan is known for innovation, and the contents of the Japan for Sustainability newsletter don't disappoint. There's a lot going on in the field of sustainability in Japan; both social and technical advances are documented here. Read for inspiration, edification, and a global perspective.

Originally conceived as a workbook for students in urban and environment studies, public administration, geography, and planning, Greening Cities shows how environmental concerns can be incorporated into local government policy.

The Natural Step for Communities is a guide to applying the science- and democratic process-based Natural Step framework to achieve more sustainable towns and communities. Full of concrete examples of localities where the framework has been put to use, it is an easy and compelling read, and the Natural Step formulation is a useful tool for explaining sustainability concerns.

This touchstone book by James Howard Kunstler (author of The Geography of Nowhere)offers a vivid and uncomfortable vision of a post-oil future. As a result of artificially cheap fossil-fuel energy we have developed global models of industry, commerce, food production, and finance that are now threatened with collapse. Building on his previous work analyzing American suburban (i.e., energy-intensive) lifestyles, Kunstler sketches potential outcomes that may result from our current dysfunctional economic and cultural patterns.

Queensland, Australia's Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation talks with Global Public Media's Andi Hazelwood about departmental changes in response to climate and energy challenges, the public release of his government-commissioned report on "Queensland's Vulnerability to Oil Prices," and the importance of relocalisation in the face of oil depletion.

Efficiencies can come from exploiting waste streams; in this case, the waste heat that flows from many industrial processes can be harnessed as a source of energy. This piece looks at the potential of this process and its stumbling blocks.

Participants will hear about the major impacts that climate change is likely to have specifically on New England’s environment and economy, and we will explore tangible actions to reduce sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The focus of the discussion will be on land use, and mechanisms for helping communities and states reduce emissions and adapt to change. Actions will be explored at a variety of scales from state policy, to regional compacts, to local regulations.