Mayoral Executive Orders and Directives from the City Manager are often much easier and faster ways to get a new sustainability policy adopted than developing an ordinance that must be adopted by the City Council.

Executive Orders and City Manager Directives are often used to modify or create policies that affect internal City Operations.  For example, prohibiting the use of City funds for the purchase of bottled water, or mandating that all departments purchase recycled paper can be accomplished quickly by Mayoral or City Manager directive.

For most cities, if a policy is going to have a larger community wide impact, it will need to go through the full City Council or Board of Supervisors process. But when the City or County wants to adopt an internal policy and lead by example, an Executive Order or Directive can be a fast and effective way to make that happen.

Click below for examples of Executive Orders and City Manager Directives that have been successfully adopted in California and that could easily be adapted to your jurisdiction.

• Mill Valley Recycled Paper and Use Reduction – City Manager Directive
• Mill Valley Bottled Water Ban – City Manager Directive
• San Francisco Reduction of City Fleet Vehicles – Mayoral Directive
• San Francisco Promotion of Wind Power – Mayoral Directive
• San Francisco Local Carbon Offset Program – Mayoral Directive