A sustainable community benefits not only the global environment, but also the citizens of the city because it creates a friendly, clean atmosphere to live and work in. Mayor Dyer began the Green Works plan in Orlando, Florida to create a more sustainable, social and economically beneficial community. It is a plan that incorporates the power of the government and the will of the citizens to promote and begin positive change. 

The plan was launched in 2007, and since then it has achieved more than one million dollars in annual energy savings. This is a prominent example of how beneficial sustainable-living is for not only preventing climate change, but also for promoting economic growth in a city. When the government takes the initiative, the citizens are more willing and motivated to make personal changes in their daily routines. 

Within the last ten years, this commitment to sustainability has already had an array of successes. The government has expanded public transportation throughout the city by completing the SunRail, which carries hundreds of Orlando citizens each day. This benefits the environment because it reduces carbon dioxide emissions from cars, and the government benefits because it receives an influx in income from the tickets. The city also launched a bike-sharing program to promote citizens to enjoy the fresh air and bike to work. This makes biking easier for citizens because there are several areas throughout the city where they can drop off or pick up bikes. There is also no threat that their bikes will get stolen or damaged because they are not their personal property. 

The Green Works plan has had significant successes with energy efficiency in both houses and larger business buildings. The government has performed over 1,200 energy efficiency retrofits to Orlando homes. It has also completed or approved  of over 19 million dollars in energy efficiency investments to buildings throughout Downtown Orlando and in other municipal buildings in the surrounding areas. 

Sustainable living with be a success only when the government and citizens find common ground and both begin working towards a shared goal. The citizens must support the need for change and promote it in their daily lives, but the government is necessary to enact and enforce plans and laws that will make lasting, widespread change.