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| Sustainable Communities During the 1960's we all read Rachael Carson's Silent Spring. During the 1970s, we suffered an energy crisis and ignored it, we expanded our oil imports excessively. At the same time we became interested in environmental issues and the environmental movement evolved. During the 1990s, we became interested in the impacts of global warming and many argued it did not exist. However, believers triumphed over disbelievers and a movement has begun. This movement has gone further in some places than others and it has grown beyond global warming to include all sustainable practices. Business leaders have grown to address the triple bottom line: economics, environment and corporate social responsibility. And, government organizations are struggling with legislation. California passed global warming legislation in 2006. They are focusing on leading the way toward unparalleled efforts to achieve energy conservation, water conservation and to define what it means to act responsibly. National and International organizations are developing green standards, global warming protocols and new building codes. Corporations have volunteered to use green energy or to purchase carbon offsets. New businesses have been created to trade these renewable energy certificates and carbon offsets. Why, because customers have become aware and corporations are struggling to be one with their stockholders, customers, suppliers and partners. My management philosophy has evolved during this period of change. It recognizes the value that this sustainable vision will have to all who join its mission. Businesses, whatever their mission, can adapt it to help achieve the vision, or goal of building sustainable communities. They can alter their values to seek to be at one with their environment, to achieve sustainable economic development and to act responsibly within the society they exist within. We all understand that education, training and employee development lead to sustainable growth. We understand that communicating a consistent set of values helps us achieve sustainable growth. Government organizations and corporations are seeking to establish an image that is consistent with their values and the values of their stakeholders. Corporate social responsibility is a mantra that includes stewardship of the environment as well as the business itself. ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, an international organization, is leading The Climate Prosperity Project, an effort to shift public opinion in the U.S., such that “Climate Prosperity” becomes the mainstream perspective on the economic opportunities of engaging in climate protection by producing significant financial benefits for individuals, families, communities, businesses, governments, and indeed each and every element of society. The principal focus is on: GREEN SAVINGS/GREEN JOBS/GREEN PROFITS. The clear message is that rather than climate action being costly and harmful to the economy, climate protection saves everyone money by spending less on energy through increased conservation and efficiency. In addition, saving money on energy not only helps consumers, but it helps businesses save energy costs, which enhances their profit margins and enables them to provide more jobs at higher wages and salaries, thus further boosting people’s incomes and promoting new investment and development. Finally, climate protection will generate significant new employment and entrepreneurial opportunities through increasing energy conversation and efficiency, expanding renewable energy production and distribution, and offering a wide range of new products, production processes, goods and services, and new technologies. In other words, what ICLEI is recommending and working toward is “the greening of” all jobs, businesses, and communities throughout the entire national and global economy, building upon but moving far beyond the idea that only some new employment opportunities will be “green.”
If you go to the Global Urban Development website, click on “Climate Prosperity Project” and scroll to the bottom of the page you will find a lot of key documents, including the draft climate prosperity strategy for the Silicon Valley and San Jose’s ‘Green Vision’ Climate Prosperity Strategy . In April 2009, the International Economic Development Council will publish The Climate Prosperity Guidebook, which will answer a lot of questions for people. Down the line, they also want to provide professional training, build a social network, and develop software to enable strategic planning decisions and ongoing metrics to measure results and show genuine economic and environmental progress. The STAR Community Index is a new framework for improving the livability and sustainability of U.S. communities. ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Center for American Progress (CAP) have established a partnership to develop STAR with the goal of launching this tool in January 2010. STAR is inspired by the success of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ developed by USGBC. The STAR Community Index will provide a national, consensus-based system with indicators and metrics that will help local governments set priorities and maximize their investments in strategic actions. They will have the opportunity to “certify” their achievements through independent, third-party verification. This new level of standardization and integrity in a rating system will give local governments more confidence in their investment decisions. | |
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