OneSTL (a regional plan for sustainable development)
OneSTL is a collaboration to encourage and support greater sustainability within the eight-county St. Louis region. The effort began in 2010 when eleven organizations partnered on a grant to create a regional plan for sustainable development. To learn more click on the following link Background. The plan was completed in 2013 and laid out a vision for a prosperous, healthy, and vibrant region. In 2014, the OneSTL Network was established to give organizations and individuals the opportunity to share ideas, expertise, and resources to meet our regional sustainability goals.
As a result of a regional sustainability summit held in 2017, members of the OneSTL Network self-organized into six Working Groups focusing on specific targets:
- Biodiversity
- Energy and Emissions
- Food Access
- Materials and Recycling
- Transit-Oriented Development
- Water and Green Infrastructure
Everyone is invited to join the OneSTL Network. Simply click here and register. If you are interested in joining a Working Group, let us know via the email listed below.
For more information or questions, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Overview
What is OneSTL?
OneSTL is a collaboration of individuals and organizations from across the St. Louis region working together to create a more sustainable future. The intent of the effort is to build the capacity of local and regional leaders to implement sustainable practices by sharing knowledge, best practices, and resources; connecting local, regional, state and federal planning efforts; and making federal and local investments more effective and efficient.
What is "sustainable development"?
Sustainable development often defined as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Through the planning process, the St. Louis region specific that "sustainable development" means developing and maintaining a strong economy while supporting the physical amenities of a healthy community, including clean water and air, attractive and accessible recreation, good education opportunities, safe streets and neighborhoods, and effective transportation services.
How was OneSTL developed?
Recognizing the diversity and variety of planning challenges in the region, OneSTL is a flexible guide inclusive of a variety of options to enhance sustainability. The Plan was developed through a three-year collaborative process led by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments. It provided a regional framework for sustainable development for citizens, non-profit organizations, businesses, and local governments to use to inform better use of resources and better meet the aspirations and needs of residents.
OneSTL was created through a Sustainable Communities Initiative regional planning grant. Eleven partner organizations collaborated on the effort and employed input from seven committees that involved over 200 members. Additionally, 75 public meetings were held across the region to gather input from residents. For more information, please click on the link to visit the project Background page.
What happened after the Plan?
In April 2017, OneSTL partners held a regional Sustainability Summit at the Eric P. Newman Educational Center at Washington University in St. Louis. An outcome of the Summit was the recommendation of six sustainability targets to be used to guide the future of the many organizations collaborating on OneSTL Plan implementation and generally working on sustainability. Following the Summit, Working Groups formed to help achieve the sustainability targets.
Following the Summit OneSTL started to host monthly Sustainability Labs @ T-Rex in Downtown St. Louis. The Sustainability Labs are hubs of collaboration for people working on, learning about, and advocating for sustainability. the Sustainability Lab provides space for innovation, creativity, and collaboration; merges the often independent efforts of public and private sectors; and strives to achieve shared goals for the region, for organizations, four our communities and for ourselves to positively impact equity, the environment, and the economy.
