What Does Sustainable Really Mean?

Community Conversations II was inspiring. Two great things in one:

Being in the transplanted and restored All Saints Chapel.

Hearing Don Rypkema, of PlaceEconomics speak on sustainable development.

Rypkema was the keynote speaker at the 2008 Heritage Conservation conference in Ontario. PlaceEconomics is a Washington D.C. based consulting firm specializing in the economic revitalization of city centers and the development of historic properties. Rypkema is a self confessed provocateur on a mission -- to spur innovative and creative thought that results in solutions that are sustainable -- in every way.

"If you can't write it on a business card then you don't have a clear idea," he says. He summarizes these points early in the presentation:

1. Sustainable development is crucial for economic competitiveness.
   
2. Sustainable development has more elements than just environmental responsibility.
   
3. “Green buildings” and sustainable development are not synonyms.
   
4. Historic preservation is, in and of itself, sustainable development.
   
5. Development without a historic preservation component is not sustainable.
   

You can begin your exploration of his talks here.

Rypkema stated that one of the best examples of sustainable development will be Dubuque Iowa. They are adopting the sustainability model of which he spoke, shown above and here.

To quote:

Sustainability is defined by a community’s ability to meet the environmental, economic, and social equity needs of today without reducing the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Sustainable Dubuque is a holistic approach to making our community sustainable. Our model involves a three-part approach that looks at:

• Environmental and Ecological Integrity
  
• Economic Prosperity
  
• Social and Cultural Vibrancy
  

Each of these pieces is important individually and helps contribute to a sustainable community. Here is how the model works:

When you have policies and programs that address Environmental and Ecological Integrity with Economic Prosperity, you have policies and programs that are viable.

When you have policies and programs that address Environmental and Ecological Integrity with Social/Cultural Vibrancy you have policies and programs that are livable.

When you have policies and programs that address Economic Prosperity with Social/Cultural Vibrancy you have policies and programs that are equitable.

However, when a community creates polices and programs that address all three pieces, such as Sustainable Dubuque, you have a community that is viable, livable and equitable.

It was a welcome message for sore ears.