Flagstaff is a city located in the high desert, ponderosa pine forest of Northern Arizona and is the gateway to the Grand Canyon. It is a 2.5 hour drive from Phoenix to the south and to the north are the Navajo and Hopi reservations. Visible from almost any point in the area, even a hundred miles away, are the San Francisco Peaks, a landmark sacred to several Native tribes in the region.

Flagstaff has been relatively well protected from over-development, but it has been growing quickly in recent years. Many community members are concerned that this growth should be reasonable and well-planned—we are all interested in preserving Flagstaff’s unique natural and cultural environment. We have some government level support for these efforts: one is the Coconino County’s Sustainable Economic Development Initiative and the other is the City of Flagstaff which has signed onto the US Mayors Climate Initiative, focuses on protection of open space, urban trails and more.

In addition to plotting the 2-3 greenest businesses in each industry, the map will highlight the importance of water in the desert - where we get it from and where the wastewater goes. We would like the map to be an educational tool for local residents demonstrating where the natural resources that support their lifestyle come from as well as where the waste eventually ends up.

Once complete and the map is distributed throughout the town, we will also create lesson plans for K-12 and work with local teachers to implement the lesson.