While the US government is able to mandate green initiatives, to date, these initiatives have primarily been implemented through state and local governments. Examples include the following:

• The New York City Department of City Planning launched Zone Green — a set of amendments to zoning regulations, accompanied by supporting city and state legislation, that is intended to remove impediments to the construction and retrofitting of green buildings.
• In 2022, the city of Chicago unveiled its updated Climate Action Plan (CAP), which sets a course to reduce the city's carbon emissions by 62% by 2040. The CAP focuses on economic inclusion and savings, pollution burden reduction and equitable access to critical infrastructure, and community health and resilience.
• San Francisco has launched the Green Connections project, which aims to make the city healthier and more sustainable and livable through features such as (i) pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, (ii) street trees and other landscaping, (iii) storm water management, (iv) opportunities for beautification and public art and (v) community stewardship.