Sustainable Community

Introduction

Sustainable community means that community which is planned, built, or modified to promote sustainable living. Sustainable community tends to focus on environmental and economic sustainability, urban infrastructure, social equity, and municipal government. It can be said to “Green City”.

Etymologically, the term “sustainable community” grew out of the related discourses of “sustainability” and “sustainable development” that gained widespread use among local, national, and international politicians and policymakers in NGOs starting in the late 1980s.

Sustainability:

Sustainability is nowadays most popular topic in many industries such as, infrastructure development, agriculture, forestry, production, etc. It is important for project planner and developers to think about the technologies that will reduce the harmful impact of the project on the environment, society and economy. Developing sustainable communities requires planning, implementing, and promoting sustainability goals that benefit individual citizens, the community, and the planet.

Sustainability in public works is “balanced approach” between natural resources and Environmental, societal and economical needs of community.

This will be accomplished by…

1. Understanding relationship between environment, community and natural resources:
   
2. Delivering responsible infrastructures and services: For instance, projects with long-term gains should be given preference over projects with short-term gains.
   1. Best choice/Long term
   2. Short Term
3. Efficient use of energy and natural resources when designing, building and operating infrastructures. This may involve rainwater collection and storage, use of natural light to illuminate buildings during the day and planting crops on top of buildings
4. Exploring new materials and techniques that rely less on critical resources: Communities must find new techniques and materials to reduce reliance on critical resources. This includes development of innovative energy storage solutions, harnessing of tidal, geothermal and hydropower as well as using bio-fuel as opposed to fossil fuels.
   1. Energy storage
   2. Bio-fuel
   3. Hydro Power
   4. Geo-thermal
   5. Tidal Power

Developing Sustainable Community

1. Energy Conservation:
   While developing sustainable community, energy conservation is essential part. Use of solar power, geothermal heating and cooling systems, and wind energy can significantly reduce a community’s reliance on gas, coal, and other forms of energy.
2. Barrier in Project:
   There should be carried out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or Initial Environment Examination (IEE) before designing and implementation of any project/construction. It helps to regulate towards the sustainable community development. Pollution due to projects is effectively considered in EIA or IEE and helps to find the remedies.
3. Waste Reduction:
   Reuse and recycle of products/wastes produced from households can help to reduce wastes. By purchasing products packaged with recycled materials, and then electing to recycle, reuse, or compost as much waste as possible. It helps to preserve the nature from its vigorous use of non-renewable resources.
4. Promotion of local food sources:
   Supporting local farmers and encouraging the production and use of locally grown foods benefits the environment and is important for the economic well-being of the community. Access to fresh food is essential to sustainable living and overall health. Moreover, when food is available locally, air pollution decreases due to reduced travel, and the community’s economy receives a boost.
5. Development of public Spaces:
   Parks and gardens provide a safe habitat for native wildlife and encourage physical activity. Community gardens stimulate social interaction, decrease crime rates, reduce heat from parking lots and streets, and encourage continued community development.
6. Design housing so that neighbors interact:
   Encouraging individuals to build their houses creating a shared environment, can make social interaction, decrease crime rates and encourage continued community development.
7. Support for local business:
   Supporting local businesses directly increases the economic sustainability of a community. When local businesses prosper, the jobs are available to other community members.
8. Energy Efficient Building:
   Communities should offer benefits to builders who construct green buildings and incorporate LEED standards into their projects. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a rating system for eco-friendly buildings that integrate water and energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, renewable resources, and sustainability into their construction.
9. Awareness in community:
   By educating people of your community, and by taking action to ensure your local government understands the benefits of sustainability, you can help to save the environment, your community, and the future of the planet. Sustainable development can reduce crime, conserve valuable resources, reduce waste, attract viable economic development, preserve natural beauty and culture, and bring communities together.
10. Alternatives:
    Use of alternatives like renewable resources instead of non-renewable resources, cloth bags instead of polythene bags, promoting bicycles and public buses, trains instead of motorbikes and cars for reaching offices, etc. can help for being sustainable community.

Critics

References

1. Love to Know, greenliving.lovetoknow.com
2. Norwich University Online, online.norwich.edu
3. Smart Cities Dive, smartcitiesdive.com
4. Wikipedia: Sustainable Community