Green The City | Wild Commons
In a city built on coal, unlikely leaders are rewriting the future.
In St. Louis, transformation doesn’t start in policy rooms—it starts in communities. Reverend Rodrick Burton, a pastor at New Northside Missionary Baptist Church, champions renewable energy as a pathway to equity and resilience, while Sustainability Director Catherine Werner works from within city systems to expand energy efficiency and solar workforce programs. Together, their efforts reveal how grassroots leadership and institutional change can move in parallel to reshape a city’s trajectory.
As these two worlds begin to intersect, St. Louis emerges as a case study in what’s possible when climate action is grounded in community. From church-led advocacy to citywide sustainability initiatives, the film captures a turning point—when a historically coal-powered city begins to redefine itself as an environmental leader. Green the City is a story of collaboration, persistence, and the power of local action to drive systemic change.
Why this film matters
This film reframes climate action as something deeply human—driven not just by policy, but by trust, leadership, and community engagement. It shows how meaningful change happens when solutions are built with people, not just for them.
