1. Sustainability in Florida A County Perspective
Florida Association of Counties
May 5, 2016

2. Promote. Connect. Educate.
This presentation is from Sustainable Florida – a program of the Collins Center. I’d like to take a moment and introduce you to both.
Sustainable Florida is an alliance of private and public organizations throughout Florida committed to advancing the vision of sustainability by identifying, supporting and communicating best management practices — those which protect and preserve Florida's environment while building markets for Florida's businesses by enhancing their competitive advantages today.
I encourage you to visit our website and sign up for our free newsletter Envision Florida.
Promote. Connect. Educate.

3. Newsletter – Envision Florida Executive Forums – Climate Change
Educational Alliance – public and private
Regional Roundtables – regional visioning
Training – SPaRK and SCORE
Working on the Green Conference
Best Practices Awards Program
In addition to the newsletter, Sustainable Florida:
Executive Forums to discuss the opportunities available to business, government and non-profit sectors. We hosted the first Climate Change in the state a year ago in Orlando.
We work with colleges and universities through our Educational Alliance
We are involved with Regional Visioning efforts statewide
UCF will host the 3rd Annual Campus and Community Sustainability Conference in October
The signature program is the Best Practice Awards where winners are honored by the Governor and Cabinet. Nominations are now being accepted.

4. Background: Purpose
Assess the level of sustainability across the state of Florida
Capture a snapshot of county level sustainability accomplishments to date
Enable county leaders to benchmark with their peers and identify action steps to move forward
The goal is to provide a snapshot of the state of sustainability planning and implementation at the county level in Florida. The hope is that this report will establish an information-sharing platform for counties to collaborate with one another.

5. Background: Scorecard Benchmarks
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Sustainability Report Card
Sustainable Santa Monica Report Card
Sustainable Florida’s scorecard was created after identifying other sustainability report cards as national best practices
The scorecard was created after reviewing other sustainability report cards such as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Sustainability Report Card and the Sustainable Santa Monica Report Card. The hope is for the scorecard to help promote sustainable practices throughout Florida by educating counties in this growing field, connecting county leaders with one another, and encouraging counties to get started.

6. Background: Florida Report Cards
Florida Chamber of Commerce Scorecard Six Pillars
County by county scoring has been done before
Our initiative attempts to follow their lead
There have been efforts to measure progress on issues other than sustainability on the county level. For example, the Chamber of Commerce Foundation has a FloridaScorecard.com, which provides Florida leaders the metrics they need to secure Florida’s future and give local stakeholders the power to measure progress within their own communities. The Florida Green School Network maintains a county by county dashboard. Both of these are based on metrics used to classify a county and this initiative attempts to follow their lead.
Green Schools Network Dashboard

7. Our Process: Data Collection
Each county’s website was reviewed to determine how sustainability efforts were communicated
Following the online review, county representatives were contacted directly
Counties were then given a chance to review their results and provide supplemental information
Each county’s website was reviewed to determine how sustainability efforts were communicated. Sustainability plans were reviewed and assessed in depth. If there was a comprehensive plan or other type of plan that addressed elements of sustainability, those plans were also reviewed.
Following an online review, county representatives were contacted directly by phone. Counties with sustainability departments, environmental management departments, and planning departments were primary contacts. For the smaller counties, contacts usually consisted of county managers, public works departments, economic development departments, and public information departments.
During these conversations, online information was clarified and further information, redirection, and confirmation on progress towards goals was collected. Counties that did not respond to phone calls were ed.

8. Our Process: Scorecard Checklist

9. Our Process: County Characterizations
Sustainable Florida developed a continuum of progress that can be made with sustainability planning, implementation, and reporting
Unconfirmed
These counties did not respond to calls, voic s, s, and messages.
No Plans or Programs
These counties stated they did not have any official plans or programs regarding sustainability.
Beginning
(1-6 Points)
County sustainability efforts were characterized as beginning when demonstrating informal sustainability programs and initiatives.
Emerging
(7-12 Points)
County sustainability efforts were characterized as emerging when demonstrating visionary planning and operating under sustainable principles, yet lacking in a sustainability plan specifically addressing all three pillars – economy, environment, and social.
Progressing
(13-17 Points)
County sustainability efforts were characterized as progressing when demonstrating robust planning yet lacking reporting and measuring progress against specific goals.
Mature
(18-19 Points)
County sustainability efforts were characterized as mature when demonstrating robust planning, measuring, and reporting progress against specific goals.
Sustainable Florida envisions a continuum of progress that can be made with sustainability planning and reporting. Much like climbing a mountain, a journey begins with a single step. Therefore, four characterizations are used in this report – Beginning, Emerging, Progressing, and Mature.

10. Our Process: What is a mature characterization?
A mature characterization reflects a coordinated approach to sustainability planning including the following elements:
An office of sustainability
A sustainability plan that addresses all 3 pillars of sustainability – economic, environmental and social
An implementation plan with SMART goals
A report measuring progress against the goals
A sustainability plan is not a climate change plan, an environmental plan, or a comprehensive plan but those are important separates that can help make a sustainability plan. With that paradigm, we began looking at the counties.

11. Findings: County Characterization Distribution
Over 2/3 of Florida counties are making headway with sustainability planning
This graph shows the distribution of characterizations at the county level.
In this representation, only 2% of counties in Florida have mature sustainability efforts, 11% have progressing efforts, 31% have emerging efforts, 25% have beginning efforts, 22% have no plans or programs, and 9% are unconfirmed.

12. Findings: Characterization Distribution based on Population
95% of Florida’s population lives in a county with some degree of sustainability planning.
This graph shows the distribution of characterizations based on the populations of the counties at each level.
In this representation, 13% of Florida’s population lives in a county with mature sustainability efforts, 34% of Floridians live in counties with progressing efforts, 26% live in counties with emerging efforts, 22% live in counties with beginning efforts and only 4% live in counties with no plans or programs.

13. Florida Maps Unconfirmed No Plans or Programs Beginning Emerging
Gadsden
Franklin
Orange
Pinellas
Sumter
Highlands
Suwannee
Liberty
Osceola
Manatee
Palm
Beach
Broward
Indian
River
Gilchrist
Bay
Hardee
Leon
Washington
Nassau
Madison
Collier
Lake
Okeechobee
DeSoto
St.
Johns
Baker
Alachua
Sarasota
Hendry
Miami-Dade
Volusia
Lafayette
Charlotte
Seminole
Hillsborough
Jefferson
Gulf
Hernando
Flagler
Bradford
Union
Dixie
Holmes
Okaloosa
Brevard
Monroe
Polk
Hamilton
Lucie
Walton
Calhoun
Lee
Marion
Pasco
Citrus
Wakulla
Columbia
Putnam
Jackson
Martin
Levy
Santa
Rosa
Duval
Glades
Clay
Taylor
Escambia
Florida Maps
Unconfirmed
No Plans or Programs
Beginning
Emerging
Progressing
Mature
Overall there are 6 counties who are Unconfirmed, 15 counties with No Plans or Programs, 17 counties with sustainability initiatives that are Beginning, 21 counties with sustainability initiatives that are Emerging, 7 counties with sustainability initiatives that are Progressing, and 1 county with sustainability initiatives that are Mature.

14. Summary: Reminders
This report should be considered a baseline report providing an initial understanding of the state of sustainability in Florida
Sustainable Florida recognizes that all sustainability is local and that priorities differ from county to county, however, effective plans include:
SMART Goals
Transparency
All 3 pillars of sustainability – economic, environmental and social
Defining, measuring and reporting progress toward goals

15. Summary: Looking Ahead
This report should serve as a catalyst for counties to gain support, incorporate best practices, and improve their sustainability plans.
Ideally
Counties will benchmark with their peers to learn how they can advance their sustainability efforts
Unconfirmed counties will engage in this process to ensure a more comprehensive view of sustainability in FL

16. Summary: Our Goals
Promote sustainable actions and development throughout Florida at the county level
Educate leaders about the possibilities for sustainability initiatives
Connect counties with one another to allow for collaboration and success
Collaborate with counties to support their improvement

17.
Thank you.