In 2007, the City of Roanoke partnered with Virginia Tech’s Green Engineering Program to study the City’s carbon footprint and develop a carbon reduction plan. Because the study found that the City’s carbon emissions only accounted for 1.9 percent of Roanoke’s carbon emissions, the Council focused on community sustainability. The Council also created a Clean and Green committee and it developed a mission statement, as well as a community action plan to reduce carbon emissions. The community sustainability initiative included expanding the City’s recycling program, informing the public about environmental issues, and assisting businesses with quantifying and reducing their carbon emissions.