Communities of all sizes, whether cities, towns, counties, or villages all are in a constant state of activity in three areas: environmental, economic and social. All three areas impact each other and ultimately determine whether the community is thriving, barely surviving, or declining. For better or for worse, the people in existing communities have been, and will continue to make, decisions that affect the long term and short term strength of all three of these areas. In order to nurture and sustain the overall quality of life and long term viability of a community, citizens and leaders need to make informed decisions, establish positions and set policies that are not only sustainable, but allow for positive environmental, economic, and social outcomes.
With the above as a basis, GreeningUSA, has identified “The 12 Traits© of Sustainability Communities” as a guide for any existing community to use to help establish positions and policy statements. The traits are listed below for reference.