Green plans are comprehensive and integrated national, state, and local programs that solve environmental problems in systematic, rather than piecemeal ways. Unlike conventional approaches, green plans treat the environment as it really exists— as a single, interconnected system.

WELL Network is partnering with the Resource Renewal Institute to complete an update of its "Green Plans in Action" website, which describes green plans in The Netherlands, New Zealand, and Singapore, and recent gains in the European Union (EU).

WELL Network produced Being WELL, an 8-minute film that includes interviews with our members and leading international spokespeople for environmental health and green planning. In addition, WELL is working with award-winning filmmaker John deGraaf on a website for his documentary, Green Plans.

WELL Network hosted a panel on the opening day of the UN World Environment Day in San Francisco featuring Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown; Rachel Richman, chief of staff for California Assembly member Wilma Chan; Jaime Lerner, former mayor of Curitiba and governor of the state of Parana, Brazil; and Bianca Oudshoff, a senior analyst with The Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs. The discussion included an overview of the Dutch green plan, EU chemical policy, and the need for a comprehensive chemical policy for California.

WELL Network hosted a policy tour of The Netherlands for our members, members of Rachel's Network, and Resource Renewal Institute to learn first hand about The Netherlands' 25-year green plan.

WELL Network hosted a presentation by Dr. Tom Fookes, commissioner of the New Zealand Environment Court; an architect of New Zealand's green plan (Resource Management Act); and professor emeritus in Planning at the University of Auckland.

WELL Network hosted a presentation by Dr. Heddy Riss, project manager for the California-EU Regulatory Cooperation Project at the Institute of Governmental Studies, UC Berkeley. The project's goal is to create a California-EU Task Force to explore the relationship between the regulatory policies of California and the EU, focusing on health, safety, and the environment.