When striving to create a sustainable community it is important to remember that sustainability is more than just protecting the environment. It includes the social and economic aspects as well. This model fits perfectly when designing a sustainable community that is self-sustaining and meets all of these needs.
Past efforts have shown that large scale attempts at creating sustainable solutions have often been ineffective and rejected by the audience. This is probably because when the government tries to put in legislation to encourage sustainable living, it is often seen as a negative externality by the people. For example the carbon tax on gasoline in BC, it is meant to reduce emissions caused by vehicles on the roads, while the tax money goes towards green objectives. It is difficult for civilians to see tangible benefits from implementing the new legislation. Many times people think of it as “just another tax.” Also the money collected from the carbon tax is not used visibly within the community to correct environmental issues caused by driving. This makes it difficult to justify the legislation and its purpose when people do not understand what it is used for. Also creating new legislation for sustainable initiatives at the provincial level is impossible to cater and meet the specific needs of each individual community.
By addressing larger issues in a smaller, local community, concerns can be catered at a more detailed level than if they were generalized for larger diverse areas. (Think Vancouver size issues compared to what Comox may feel is important) Communities have the capacity to address limits of consumption, social equity, and the balance of social, economic and environmental values. By encouraging community involvement and creating priorities and goals people are inclined to become more involved in the planning and implementation of something they believe to have “real,” tangible benefits.
Problem areas such as transportation can be moulded to fit the shape and needs of the community. Instead of designing traditional infrastructure designed for an automobile driven society, they can build walk able pedestrian friendly community. This allows for easier access to goods and services for everyone regardless of wealth, more social contact and feeling of well-being for the people. This also allows for more freedom when designing efficient transit with easier access and less interruption due to excess cars using roads.
http://walkable-communities.blogspot.com/
One way of addressing transportation issues is to move away from the suburbia lifestyle we have come accustomed to and live closer to work and school. This in part will reduce vehicle dependency, traffic congestion and the need for infrastructure to be centered on vehicles. Once citizens start spending less time isolated in their cars and more time interacting and spending time in their community they begin to feel a sense of community and identity as being part of something bigger than work and commercial lifestyles. The following video is one persons vision of a sustainable design comparing suburbinism to urbanism and addresses some important issues regarding transportation.
When a community becomes sustainable by supplying the communities own food and energy they create their own independent economy that will keep the wealth local, and have less of an impact on the environment. Foods are farmed and produced locally which reduces the need for long distance transport which reduces resources required and costs. People will have a greater interest in the health of the soil producing the food, therefore better farming practices will be put in place to protect and invest in the future.
Energy can be produced locally through means such as solar panels, wind generation, geothermal heating, and distributed by district heating to capitalize the best efficiency. It has been noted in places like the T’Souke nation that once alternative energy methods have been put in place, energy consumption awareness begins to take hold. T’Souke nation is presently home to the largest solar producing energy sites in BC. They have installed solar thermal hot water systems on their homes and have also introduced photovoltaic panels to produce electricity. Once they installed the alternative energy means the heightened awareness throughout the community around the amount of energy produced by solar increased, and energy consumption dropped by 10%. Now on days that are weather permitting, they are selling power back to B.C. hydro. If the power by BC hydro goes out and weather conditions are not good, they have enough reserved back up power in solar charged batteries to last them a full day.
By developing more locally sustainable communities we can meet our basic needs while reducing our ecological footprint, increasing citizens’ sense of empowerment, developing more sustainable practices and consumption.
