Saturday, February 24, 2007

What is a Sustainable Community?

According to the Austin Sustainable Communities Initiative, a sustainable community is one whose prospects for long-term health are good. Its residents do not deplete the resources that they depend on faster than those resources are replenished. Specific characteristics include:

  • respect for basic rights and recognition of basic responsibilities
  • living within ecological carrying capacity
  • equal opportunities for individual development
  • a diverse economic base
  • a vibrant democracy - with an informed, involved citizenry
  • protection of natural diversity
  • improving the minimum standard of living
  • maximizing the use of people's abilities while minimizing the use of natural resources.

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