The Little Towns That Could (Go Green)

As the climate crisis continues to reshape our world, small towns have emerged as unexpected beacons for sustainability. While big cities often capture headlines with their large-scale environmental goals, these five small communities are making the most of their resources to address climate change in significant ways, often unnoticed.

From being some of the earliest leaders in renewable energy projects to implementing ambitious conservation efforts and sustainable agricultural practices, they are proving that size is no barrier to meaningful climate action.

Güssing, Austria: From Fossil Fuels to Farm Waste

Nestled in eastern Austria, the small town of Güssing (population: 3,700) has transformed itself from a fossil-fuel-dependent community to a beacon of renewable energy innovation. In the early 1990s, Güssing was struggling, with high unemployment rates and a heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels they couldn't afford to keep buying. The local community decided to go green to create a better future.

Which is why today, it's a different story.

Güssing now produces significantly more energy from renewable resources than it consumes, primarily through solar and biomass plants that convert local wood and agricultural waste into heat and electricity. While biogas from biomass is not a zero-carbon solution like wind or solar, it offers benefits over fossil natural gas by utilizing existing waste and being a renewable source of energy.

This green transition has not only slashed the town's carbon footprint but also revitalized its economy. Güssing is attracting eco-tourists as well as green technology companies, creating over 1,000 local jobs and showcasing how renewables can drive economic growth in communities struggling financially.

You have to marvel at what Güssing has achieved - it's like watching a phoenix rising from the ashes only this time, her feathers are green.

Kathleen Rogers, President, EARTHDAY.ORG

Kamikatsu, Japan: A Model for (Near) Zero Waste Living

Kamikatsu, (population 1,500) in southern Japan, has gained international recognition for its ambitious zero waste goal. In 2003, the town embarked on a journey to eliminate waste entirely by 2020. While they haven't quite reached zero, their progress has been remarkable and should serve as an example for other communities.

The community's waste is sorted into a remarkable 45 separate categories, including things such as tableware, clothes, and accessories, achieving a recycling rate of over 80%. The town's innovative "kuru-kuru" (circular) shop allows residents to leave items they no longer need and take others for free, promoting reuse within the community.

Kamikatsu's commitment to waste reduction extends to its buildings. The town's Zero Waste Center, constructed primarily from upcycled materials, is a beacon to zero waste, serving as both a recycling facility and a community hub. It is a tangible inspiration for visitors and town residents alike to rethink their approach to what we use, what we need, what we buy, and what we throw away.

Ashton Hayes, England: The Grass-Roots Path to Carbon Neutral

The village of Ashton Hayes (population: 1,000) in Cheshire, England, proves that grassroots action can lead to significant, real and widespread change. In 2006, the community set an ambitious goal to become England's first carbon-neutral village, relying on volunteer efforts and government funding.

Ashton Hayes has reduced its carbon emissions by an impressive 40% to date through a combination of simple yet effective measures. Residents focus on behavioral changes, combined with technological upgrades, using clothes lines instead of dryers, installing solar panels on homes and their local elementary school.

The village's success lies in its organic, community-driven approach rather than being a traditional structured movement, showing that meaningful climate action can start with a simple conversation across a garden fence.

Ashton Hayes' model has inspired over 100 other communities to pursue similar goals with their guidance, demonstrating the power of local action in addressing global challenges.

Ashton Hayes is a testament to local people deciding to make their part of the world better, and then just finding the motivation, energy and support to do it. No wonder they have inspired so many others to follow them.

Aidan charron, associate global director, earthday.org

Wildpoldsried, Germany: Making Millions for The Community

Wildpoldsried, a Bavarian village (population 2,600) has become a renewable energy powerhouse, producing 8 times more energy than it needs and selling the surplus back to the grid. This small town's journey began in 1997 when local community leaders decided to invest in renewable energy to try to revive their small town.

Today, Wildpoldsried draws from a diverse number of renewable energy sources, including biogas, wind turbines, solar panels, and a hydropower system. The village has made community involvement a priority, allowing residents to personally invest in wind power, installing solar panels on homes, and emphasizing awareness about the environment early through initiatives like their "Energy Week" for the village's kindergarten classes.

The town has also taken steps to reduce energy consumption for existing infrastructure, converting street lamps to LED lighting which reduced energy usage by nearly 80%.

Wildpoldsried's success has not only reduced its environmental impact but also generated significant income for the community, with residents selling the surplus energy back to the electrical grid, earning the town approximately €6 million ($7.8 million) annually!

This town is generating free energy for its residents and making money in the process; it's yet more proof that renewable energy is not just a viable alternative to fossil fuels, but is also a money maker.

Tom Cosgrove, Chief Creative and Content Officer, EARTHDAY.ORG

Byron Shire, Australia: Biodiversity, Agriculture, and Renewables

While slightly larger than the other towns (population: 34,000), Byron Shire in New South Wales, Australia, stands out for its comprehensive approach to sustainability, particularly its commitment to biodiversity and regenerative agriculture.

Byron Shire has embraced agriculture that works in harmony with nature, promoting soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration, the process of the soil absorbing and holding onto carbon. According to the American University in Washington, DC, this process employs these four techniques:

"(1) reducing soil disturbance by switching to low-till or no-till practices or planting perennial crops; (2) changing planting schedules or rotations, such as by planting cover crops or double crops instead of leaving fields fallow; (3) managed grazing of livestock; and (4) applying compost or crop residues to fields. In addition to providing local environmental and economic benefits, these practices can capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and store it in soils, making them an effective form of carbon removal."

Regenerative farmers in Byron Shire implement wildlife-friendly techniques, including 'land sparing' strategies, by preserving portions of agricultural land which are allowed to return to a semi-natural state and promote native biodiversity. One example of this approach is leaving sections as wildflower meadows, which naturally attract and support pollinators. Additionally, the community supports landowners by providing guides to help them identify species, assess soil types, and prioritize critical areas, such as habitats for threatened species, to effectively revitalize local bushland and forests.

The Shire's commitment to sustainability extends to its energy policies, as of January 2022, the Shire council met its 100% renewable energy goal five years early. This milestone is part of their broader Net Zero Emissions Action Plan, which outlines multiple energy goals for the community.

Their approach offers vivid and valuable lessons for other communities aiming to address similar environmental challenges in their own communities.

Taking Big Lessons from Small Towns

These five towns demonstrate how small communities can be powerful catalysts for greening our planet at a local level. From energy independence to zero waste initiatives, from community-led carbon reduction programs to agriculture that makes room for the natural world, these towns prove that going green is achievable at any scale and not only benefits the planet but can often generate additional income too.

While people are still thinking about things at the international level, action is already being taken locally. Small communities are showing the big world how it's done.

Dr. Marcel Huber, Bavarian Environment Minister

As we face the global challenge of climate change, these small towns remind us that every community, regardless of size, can have the power to make a difference. If you have been inspired by these stories and you want your town to start discussing changes that will help a transition to greener living, please reach out to Evan Raskin, our Partnership Manager:[email protected].

In the next few months EARTHDAY.ORG is launching a new initiative, TheGlobal Day of Conversations, to mark Earth Day's 55th anniversary in 2025. We are looking to inspire town halls across the U.S. and the world, with local communities joining to discuss how their town can go green.

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