The Key to Sustainable Cities: Meeting Human Needs, Transforming Community SystemsNew Society Publishers, 2003 M09 1 - 256 pages Most of the world’s population now live in cities, but despite wide agreement on the core values of sustainable societies, municipalities are so busy solving current problems, they don’t have the time or resources to plan effective action for sustainability. The Key to Sustainable Cities uses the principles of system dynamics to demonstrate how today’s problems were yesterday’s solutions. The book points to a new approach to city planning that builds on assets as a starting point for cities to develop healthy social, governance, economic, and environmental systems. Gwendolyn Hallsmith has worked to build sustainable communities for over twenty years as a municipal manager, a regional planning director, and with the Institute for Sustainable Communities. She lives in Marshfield, Vermont. |
Contents
| 13 | |
| 27 | |
Community Capacity and Sustainability | 48 |
Systems Thinking for Communities | 65 |
Celebrating Assets and Creating a Vision | 86 |
Envisioning a Beautiful World | 99 |
The Challenge of Change | 127 |
Whole System Strategies | 146 |
Leverage Points | 169 |
Initiating Action | 185 |
Success | 204 |
Endnotes | 249 |
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The Key to Sustainable Cities: Meeting Human Needs, Transforming Community ... Gwendolyn Hallsmith No preview available - 2003 |
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action plan activities assets behavior biocapacity build Burlington businesses capacity causal loop diagrams citizens community actors community needs community systems conflict resolution create culture cycle cyclical decision Donella Meadows Earth Charter EcoBudgeting ecological ecological footprint economic effect efforts energy enhance environment environmental equity erode evaluation example feedback loops flow fossil fuels future global goals healthcare homelessness housing human needs identify impact implementation important improve increase individuals involved leaders learning Legacy Project leverage points live meet our needs meet the needs mindset municipal munity Naryn natural resources neighborhood organizations paradigm participation problems programs Randolph recreational recycle reinforcing relationships result roads Selectboard shared skateboard social spiritual stocks and flows strategies structures sustainable cities sustainable development systems dynamics systems thinking tion town understanding values Vermont vision waste well-being Young person
Popular passages
Page 129 - The servant-leader is servant first ... It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. He or she is sharply different from the person who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions.
Page 180 - I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Page 215 - The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created — created first in mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths to it are not found but made, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination.
Page 100 - We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny.
Page 15 - IT was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way — in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest...
Page 229 - Creative activities — Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
Page 111 - Support local, regional and global civil society, and promote the meaningful participation of all interested individuals and organizations in decision making. c. Protect the rights to freedom of opinion, expression, peaceful assembly, association, and dissent. d. Institute effective and efficient access to administrative and independent judicial procedures, including remedies and redress for environmental harm and the threat of such harm. e. Eliminate corruption in all public and private institutions.
Page 231 - Personal power — Young person feels he or she has control over "things that happen to me.
Page 229 - Homework — Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day. 24. Bonding to school — Young person cares about her or his school.