In September 2005, Mayor Richard T. Crotty announced that Orange County would register to become a Florida Green Local Government by 2008.  The County has not only reached that goal, but is the first municipality in Florida to achieve the green local government certification at the gold level. Terry Jennsen with the Florida Green Building Coalition presented the award Tuesday, April 22, 2008, Earth Day. 

The Florida Green Building Coalition Green Local Government designation recognizes Green Cities and Counties for outstanding environmental stewardship.  Some of Orange County's practices and accomplishments include: 

• Meeting many of the criteria in fleet management, including hybrid and alternative vehicles and conducting BMPs to prevent pollution and waste
• Partnering in a grant project with the Florida Solar Energy Center that will put a solar PV system on the Convention Center, resulting in substantial energy savings
• Being designated a USA Tree City Community 
• Purchasing and managing environmentally sensitive lands through Green PLACE, a land acquisition program
• Implementing a GIS system with sustainability indicators to assist with community and environmental planning
• Implementing a green building awards program to recognize green projects 
• Performing community outreach initiatives that offer green products to the public, such as reusable cotton bags to reduce plastic bag usage, tire pressure gauges to improve fuel efficiency, and low-flow showerheads and a toilet replacement voucher incentive program to reduce water usage.