What Does A “Sustainable Community” Look Like?
Sustainability is a powerful concept, but achieving it will not be a simple task. The challenge of sustainability is to modify our social and economic institutions and living patterns so that the way in which we go about meeting the needs of the present does not compromise — and indeed supports — the ability to meet our own future needs and those of our children. In general, sustainability requires a much longer term perspective than most political programs tend to have. It requires a focus on improved construction, preventive maintenance, reuse and recycling for the existing “built environment” — i.e. all things built or manufactured. It also requires reshaping land use and transportation systems into far more resource-efficient and less polluting patterns, as well as a stronger stewardship of the natural environment. It requires a technological base built on improved efficiency and recycling. To act within the framework of sustainability, urban governments must develop integrated
