Painting the town green

As ecologically conscious consumers, we’re often told that by making small changes, we can make meaningful steps toward conservation. But where some of us are watching our mileage or camping with greener equipment, some Canadians and their British counterparts are a bit more ambitious — they’re aiming to turn entire towns green.

As reported by CBC.ca, a host of Canadian “mullers” (those considering joining the movement to transform their towns into conservation capitals known as “transition towns”) are weighing the possibilities of a greener future for their homes. Incorporating locally grown produce, examining green public transit and other familiar conservation techniques, a committed green town’s actions add up to an entire community moving toward a single, more sustainable pattern of living.

While the article reports only 27 Canadian “muller” cities, there’s no doubt that efforts to change consumer behaviour often begin at the community level, incorporating the collective action of thousands of locals and their individual actions. Together, especially when coordinated under the aegis of communities like Transition Towns, small changes are enough to change an entire town.