For centuries Savannah has been known as one of the greenest cities around…if you’re talking about the canopy of live oak trees in the Historic District, or the beer on St. Patty’s Day. In truth, Savannah has come late to the green movement, some might even say kicking and screaming. Although the city has yet to instate a curbside recycling program, a brand new recycling facility at 14 Interchange Court off West Gwinnett Street is luring urbanites to drop off such bulky items as #1 and 2 plastics; aluminum and tin cans; even appliances. While there you can dump your junk and learn a thing or two: the city gives out educational materials for kids and adults alike looking to learn more about how their waste affects Savannah and the planet.

Savannah is clearly making up for lost enviro time. The Southside of town now features the country’s first LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) shopping mall, Abercorn Common, boasting such sustainable features as a cistern to catch 5,000,000 gallons of rainwater per year; a highly-reflective white roof to reflect heat and keep the entire center cooler; and a porous parking lot to allow stormwater to drain naturally. The developer, Melaver-Mouchet, is also slated to build Georgia’s first LEED-certified private school building in Savannah, so soon area children will have a chance to study in a cutting-edge, and far healthier, environment.

Walking and biking are easy in Savannah, where the flat landscape and grid pattern makes for leisurely strolls and fascinating rides. From Starland it’s just a half-mile to Forsyth Park, site of Savannah’s annual Earth Day celebration on April 22^nd, where this past year city residents brought their used batteries, house paint, motor oil, even cell phones and eyeglasses to get recycled or refurbished. Between the Frisbee Dogs and 80 other exhibitors, you can go green and have a blast to boot.

Several environmental organizations make Savannah their home, so if you’re feeling like you’ve got extra cash to donate or want to volunteer, the Sierra Club, Georgia Conservancy, Surfrider Foundation and Tybee Island Sea Turtle Project are always looking for help with various initiatives and programs. You can try fundraising, making phone calls during political campaigns, or how about helping with a beach clean-up or be on hand to aid nesting sea turtles?

If you’re looking for green real estate, several companies now specialize in properties that are both sustainably built and energy-efficient. Melaver-Mouchet, creator of Abercorn Common, focuses on commercial properties in and around Savannah. Judge Realty, is creating several environmentally conscious residential projects. On the edge of the Historic District, Urban Realty offers the Starland Condos and the Frogtown Complex, the first LEED-certified residential development in Savannah. Agents at Keller Williams Realty—Savannah Downtown, are not only recycling newspaper and junk mail and using recycled paper products in their offices; they’re also partnering with several companies to make the entire home buying and selling process greener. How about a mortgage to help you purchase an older condo and retrofit it with energy-efficient windows and appliances, low-flow toilets, and low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints and varnishes? Both First Coast Mortgage Company and Olde Savannah Mortgage Company offer green loan products. Want to know how green your current condo is in order to market it to green-conscious buyers? Talk with the consultants at www.GreenLifeSpace.com to get a thorough eco-analysis of your condo to see where you're an enviro-star--and where your place could use some help.

If all this greenspeak has merely whetted your appetite, then get more involved. Attend the monthly meeting of the US Green Building Council's Savannah Chapter, which gets together on the fourth Tuesday of each month to promote sustainable design and green building throughout the Creative Coast. These folks will help set Savannah's green policy for the next 50 to 100 years, and they have the skill, know-how and ambition to make it happen.

Yes, little old Savannah, the country’s first planned city, is now on a path to become one of the country’s greenest cities. By living, working and playing downtown in one of Savannah’s new or historic condos, you are already part of a more sustainable way of life. So celebrate Savannah’s green movement—and remember to recycle!