'Blue City' Non-Profit Certification Given To Santa Cruz

Press release from the City of Santa Cruz:

SANTA CRUZ, CA— The non-profit organization Project O is proud to certify the City of Santa Cruz as a “Blue City” through the Blue City Network (BCN), a certification process using a data-driven approach to assessing communities’ efforts towards protecting our world’s oceans. Upon certification, participants become part of the Blue City Network, a coalition of communities from around the world that collaborate in their ongoing quest to become true champions of the environment.

Santa Cruz completed a thorough assessment of the city’s current environmental initiatives and programs, resulting in a rating based on the total cumulative score of points achieved. The city scored an impressive 405 points out of a possible 500, placing them in the Ocean Hero Tier.

“We’re honored to welcome Santa Cruz as the newest member of the Blue City Network. This certification proves that their city has taken measurable action through policy and conservancy to protect the ocean & waterways” said Evelina Marchetti, Executive Director.

“Santa Cruz has a long history of environmental leadership, policy, and stewardship, both as a community and as a city government. This Blue City certification recognizes our commitment to healthy waterways and oceans, and gives us the opportunity to collaborate with other jurisdictions to build upon our success and identify best practices in future environmental policy initiatives,” stated Sonja Brunner, Mayor of Santa Cruz.

The Blue City Network Certification allows communities to credibly and transparently track progress toward overall sustainability objectives. The assessment focuses on four solution areas: Waste Minimization; Climate Protection and Community Resilience; Water Quality and Efficiency; and Healthy Ecosystems. Participants also gain access to proven resources and blueprints provided by top environmental nonprofits, cities, and governmental agencies working with BCN. Santa Cruz will be joining our fellow certified Blue Cities which includes Manhattan Beach, Santa Monica, Malibu, Solana Beach, Imperial Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Alameda.

The Blue City Network is supported by Project O, a non-profit, 501c3 organization founded by noted entrepreneur Rich German and based in the coastal town of Laguna Beach, California. By restoring, protecting, and sustaining the ocean and all that lives in it, Project O ensures the wellbeing of humankind now and for generations to come through various programs and projects, such as developing and supporting innovative partner programs for ocean conservation, and educating the next generation to protect the ocean and make cleaning up plastic pollution a priority. Find out more at https://project-o.org/.

Santa Cruz City Council will recognize the City’s achievement of Blue City certification at a City Council meeting on April 12, 2022. Santa Cruz’s Blue City certification was led by the City’s Climate Action Program.

For more information, please contact Tiffany Wise-West at twise-west@cityofsantacruz.com or Evelina Marchetti at evelina@project-o.org.

This press release was produced by the City of Santa Cruz. The views expressed here are the author’s own.