Triple Bottom Line
The path to a sustainable community will require the full participation of all residents while reasonably mitigating potential resistance. A focus on how this can be done is by selecting a group of individuals dedicated in guiding the transformation process. Local infrastructure such as building parks, bike/walkways and playgrounds will need to be transformed dramatically but the most important change will have to be in behavior – because no effect will be made if the process is not picked up by the community’s leaders and residents.Community organizations and groups are important agents of change and can serve as the catalyst for addressing these ideas. So, how can this be done?
Commitment to Action: Commitment can be shown by adopting policies and regulations that encourage low-carbon activity and carbon neutrality. Setting an example is vital to the success of carbon reduction measures. Commitment alone is not enough. Commitment needs to be translated into action and enforcement. For example, the City and County needs to start implementing and taking action by taking measures to quantify and reduce carbon in its corporate and/or community operations in order to demonstrate its commitment to action.
Integration into decision-making: Integrating low-carbon considerations into pertinent decision-making processes, such as municipal policies, plans and actions, within and across all departments, provides an important pathway towards becoming sustainable.
Funding: This is the backbone that will support and provide energy for these initiatives to succeed. Departments will be reluctant to initiate projects unless there is a clear business case especially for sustainable initiatives. Community organizations are willing to take on the cause but are often restricted by available resources. Creating an enabling environment through funding, incentives, policy, and other support could encourage action thereby driving the low-carbon agenda forward. Making the case for a solar installation payback is a good exemplary initiative to pitch.
Communication or outreach: Communicating municipal intent, commitment, actions, and policies to the public encourages support, action, and conformance. Traditional media such as print, radio, and television as well as social media are important tools to engage a variety of audiences.
Changes are important in various sectors such as Transportation, Waste Management (reduce-reuse-recycle), Gardening, Composting, Rainwater Collection, Eco-Friendly Apartment Cleaning, Local Food, and Land Use/Recreation. Other important issues to address will include energy efficiency initiatives. It’s important to note that the city or town officials, and green teams have to work closely with residents in setting a timeline within which specific milestones are included.
Referenced from my original article on Carbon Neutral Kawarthas
