What is a Green Map?
A Green Map is a locally-made map that uses the universal Green Map® Icons to highlight the social, cultural, and sustainable resources of a particular geographic area. Since virtually all decisions about each Green Map are made locally by the Mapmakers in the community being charted, the mapmaking process and final products vary widely in terms of goals, content, and design.
Some Green Maps focus only on beneficial natural and sustainability sites, while others include problems impacting community well-being, such as toxic hot spots and other sources of blight. Many Green Maps include narrative text, photos, and background information about the sites identified by the Icons. Printed, interactive, mural, and kiosk Green Maps can be thematic or connected to a specific event or season.
Each map has its own unique style, validity, and audience, and many Green Mapmakers work in multiple formats over time, charting specific themes, piloting new concepts and continually creating compelling new perspectives on familiar places (from www.greenmap.org).