Mae DesTroismaisons
February 27, 2015
ENVS 204—Hudspeth
Community & Community Building
After typing the command, “Define: Community” into a Google search, this is what appeared on my computer screen:
February 27, 2015
ENVS 204—Hudspeth
Community & Community Building
After typing the command, “Define: Community” into a Google search, this is what appeared on my computer screen:
Now, if you perform a Google search for “sustainable community,” a more specific definition comes up:
Some of the words and phrases that jumped out to me in these definitions were “place,” “together,” “common interests,” “collectively,” “social values and responsibilities,” “partners,” “worker,” “resource,” “fellowship,” “sharing,” “identity,” “commitment,” “interdependent,” “planned,” “built,” “modified,” “living,” “environmental and economic sustainability,” and “social equity.” All of these terms represent elements that are integral to community, but the words alone do not demonstrate how to create or build a community.
In the sections to follow, I will identify and describe some overarching principles of a sustainable community, explain why they’re important, and attempt to show how people can apply them in their own communities.
Sharing and Caring
In his 17 Rules for a Sustainable Community, Wendell Berry wrote, “Always be aware of the economic value of neighbourly acts. In our time, the costs of living are greatly increased by the loss of neighbourhood, which leaves people to face their calamities alone” (Rule 15). Not every household needs its own lawnmower, chainsaw, trailer, washer/dryer, or swimming pool. Lending and borrowing these resource-intensive amenities is a great way for neighborhoods to cut consumption and build trust. Skills and services can be shared, too. For example, my mom tutors her friend’s son in exchange for voice lessons for my brother. Both parties receive a service, but neither has to spend their hard-earned money. Similarly, partnering with neighbors to share responsibilities like childcare and transportation can help save time, money, and other resources. Adopting a culture of sharing with and caring for each other at the neighborhood level is key in the creation of any sustainable community.
Civic/Community Engagement
It is every community member’s responsibility to stay tuned-in as to what is happening in their area. Attending town meetings, voting, participating in a club, joining a labor union, and volunteering are just some of the ways folks can get involved in their communities. Self-organization is a collective skill that is necessary for any sustainable community to flourish. In Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital, the author wrote: “Networks of civic engagement foster sturdy norms of generalized reciprocity and encourage the emergence of social trust. Such networks facilitate coordination and communication, amplify reputations, and thus allow dilemmas of collective action to be resolved” (4). The more people who are involved in community efforts, the stronger and more representative of its members the community becomes.
Expanding the Definition of “Wealth”
Communities can gain a better understanding of their true wealth by calculating their social and environmental capital in addition to their GDP. Putnam explains the concept of social capital as follows: “By analogy with notions of physical capital and human capital—tools and training that enhance individual productivity—‘social capital’ refers to features of social organization such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit” (4). Environmental capital includes things like clean air and water, fertile soils, forested lands, and other natural resources. As Berry said in his 11th rule, a sustainable community will “invest in itself by maintaining its properties, keeping itself clean (without dirtying some other place), caring for its old people, and teaching its children” (17 Rules for a Sustainable Community).
Keeping it Local
The importance of localization cannot be overstated, and the idea of meeting local needs via local sources is emphasized throughout Berry’s 17 rules. For communities to be sustainable, it’s crucial that they become as self-reliant as possible in terms of food, energy, labor, and waste management. Keeping money circulating within the local economy and decreasing externalized costs sounds complicated, but individuals and businesses alike can begin to take action by shopping at locally and regionally (avoiding externalization) before turning to big box stores or online retailers to meet their needs.
Diversity
Just as ecosystems with greater biodiversity tend to be more stable than those with less variety of organisms, societies with rich social diversity are more vibrant than homogenous ones. When people are exposed to ethnic, cultural, sexual, philosophical, physical, and mental diversity, they can more easily find their niche within the greater community. Diversity within communities promotes peace and tolerance while fostering creativity and free thought. Variance in the ages of community members is a type of diversity that is often overlooked, and there are apparent social gaps between generations in many communities. As Wendell Berry said in rule 13: “[A sustainable community] sees that the old and young take care of one another. The young must learn from the old, not necessarily, and not always in school” (17 Rules for a Sustainable Community).
Education
There is an old proverb that says, “It takes and entire village to raise a child.” Parents and teachers play the lead role in the education of children, but there are many other supporting roles that the community can play. Programs geared toward youth can help provide what they may not be getting enough of in school, like arts and music, athletics, and outdoor recreation. Additionally, community members can organize workshops that teach people of all ages things like environmental stewardship, gardening techniques, media literacy, and self-reliance skills such as sewing, shoe repair, bike repair, etc.
Environmentally Sustainable Energy and Development
Communities should be built to foster sustainable transportation, energy independence, localized food production, and localized waste management. Negative impacts on other communities should be minimized or eliminated. The planning and infrastructure of a town or city can certainly affect the fresh food availability, walkability, bikeability, and public transport efficiency of a community, but less obvious are the social norms that must change in order for many communities to take steps toward sustainability. To name a few:
· Walking, biking, public transportation, and carpooling should become the norm, with 1:1 car-person ratios the exception.
· Lawns should be voluntarily replaced with gardens or native vegetation. Restrictions on fertilization and watering of lawns should be strictly enforced.
· “Trash” should commonly be repurposed, or upcycled whenever possible. (This reduces waste and consumption while fostering creativity.) Anything that is compostable should be composted. Extended Producer Responsibility laws should be implemented and enforced.
· Fossil fuel consumption should not be the standard, and renewable energy should be utilized whenever possible.
Robert Putnam notes in Bowling Alone that there is a lack of social connectedness in America today, and we must restore civic engagement and trust if we want to stabilize our communities (9). In my experience, people today feel overwhelmed by the state of the world, and find it hard to believe that individual changes can make a difference. I oftentimes have found myself feeling this way too. We must constantly remind ourselves that collective actions begin with individual actions. If small groups of individuals within a community can connect and spark a sustainability paradigm-shift, the whole community may begin to change, and then other communities might follow suit. When enough communities all over the world move toward sustainability, there will be a global sustainability renaissance.
In the sections to follow, I will identify and describe some overarching principles of a sustainable community, explain why they’re important, and attempt to show how people can apply them in their own communities.
Sharing and Caring
In his 17 Rules for a Sustainable Community, Wendell Berry wrote, “Always be aware of the economic value of neighbourly acts. In our time, the costs of living are greatly increased by the loss of neighbourhood, which leaves people to face their calamities alone” (Rule 15). Not every household needs its own lawnmower, chainsaw, trailer, washer/dryer, or swimming pool. Lending and borrowing these resource-intensive amenities is a great way for neighborhoods to cut consumption and build trust. Skills and services can be shared, too. For example, my mom tutors her friend’s son in exchange for voice lessons for my brother. Both parties receive a service, but neither has to spend their hard-earned money. Similarly, partnering with neighbors to share responsibilities like childcare and transportation can help save time, money, and other resources. Adopting a culture of sharing with and caring for each other at the neighborhood level is key in the creation of any sustainable community.
Civic/Community Engagement
It is every community member’s responsibility to stay tuned-in as to what is happening in their area. Attending town meetings, voting, participating in a club, joining a labor union, and volunteering are just some of the ways folks can get involved in their communities. Self-organization is a collective skill that is necessary for any sustainable community to flourish. In Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital, the author wrote: “Networks of civic engagement foster sturdy norms of generalized reciprocity and encourage the emergence of social trust. Such networks facilitate coordination and communication, amplify reputations, and thus allow dilemmas of collective action to be resolved” (4). The more people who are involved in community efforts, the stronger and more representative of its members the community becomes.
Expanding the Definition of “Wealth”
Communities can gain a better understanding of their true wealth by calculating their social and environmental capital in addition to their GDP. Putnam explains the concept of social capital as follows: “By analogy with notions of physical capital and human capital—tools and training that enhance individual productivity—‘social capital’ refers to features of social organization such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit” (4). Environmental capital includes things like clean air and water, fertile soils, forested lands, and other natural resources. As Berry said in his 11th rule, a sustainable community will “invest in itself by maintaining its properties, keeping itself clean (without dirtying some other place), caring for its old people, and teaching its children” (17 Rules for a Sustainable Community).
Keeping it Local
The importance of localization cannot be overstated, and the idea of meeting local needs via local sources is emphasized throughout Berry’s 17 rules. For communities to be sustainable, it’s crucial that they become as self-reliant as possible in terms of food, energy, labor, and waste management. Keeping money circulating within the local economy and decreasing externalized costs sounds complicated, but individuals and businesses alike can begin to take action by shopping at locally and regionally (avoiding externalization) before turning to big box stores or online retailers to meet their needs.
Diversity
Just as ecosystems with greater biodiversity tend to be more stable than those with less variety of organisms, societies with rich social diversity are more vibrant than homogenous ones. When people are exposed to ethnic, cultural, sexual, philosophical, physical, and mental diversity, they can more easily find their niche within the greater community. Diversity within communities promotes peace and tolerance while fostering creativity and free thought. Variance in the ages of community members is a type of diversity that is often overlooked, and there are apparent social gaps between generations in many communities. As Wendell Berry said in rule 13: “[A sustainable community] sees that the old and young take care of one another. The young must learn from the old, not necessarily, and not always in school” (17 Rules for a Sustainable Community).
Education
There is an old proverb that says, “It takes and entire village to raise a child.” Parents and teachers play the lead role in the education of children, but there are many other supporting roles that the community can play. Programs geared toward youth can help provide what they may not be getting enough of in school, like arts and music, athletics, and outdoor recreation. Additionally, community members can organize workshops that teach people of all ages things like environmental stewardship, gardening techniques, media literacy, and self-reliance skills such as sewing, shoe repair, bike repair, etc.
Environmentally Sustainable Energy and Development
Communities should be built to foster sustainable transportation, energy independence, localized food production, and localized waste management. Negative impacts on other communities should be minimized or eliminated. The planning and infrastructure of a town or city can certainly affect the fresh food availability, walkability, bikeability, and public transport efficiency of a community, but less obvious are the social norms that must change in order for many communities to take steps toward sustainability. To name a few:
· Walking, biking, public transportation, and carpooling should become the norm, with 1:1 car-person ratios the exception.
· Lawns should be voluntarily replaced with gardens or native vegetation. Restrictions on fertilization and watering of lawns should be strictly enforced.
· “Trash” should commonly be repurposed, or upcycled whenever possible. (This reduces waste and consumption while fostering creativity.) Anything that is compostable should be composted. Extended Producer Responsibility laws should be implemented and enforced.
· Fossil fuel consumption should not be the standard, and renewable energy should be utilized whenever possible.
Robert Putnam notes in Bowling Alone that there is a lack of social connectedness in America today, and we must restore civic engagement and trust if we want to stabilize our communities (9). In my experience, people today feel overwhelmed by the state of the world, and find it hard to believe that individual changes can make a difference. I oftentimes have found myself feeling this way too. We must constantly remind ourselves that collective actions begin with individual actions. If small groups of individuals within a community can connect and spark a sustainability paradigm-shift, the whole community may begin to change, and then other communities might follow suit. When enough communities all over the world move toward sustainability, there will be a global sustainability renaissance.
Works Cited
Berry, Wendell. Wendell Berry’s 17 Rules for a Sustainable Community. Digital image. Https://store.yesmagazine.org/images/products/posters/large/17-rules-for-a-sustainable-community-poster.jpg. Web.
Putnam, Robert D. "Bowling Alone." Current 373 (1995): 3-9. Web. 1 Feb. 2015. <https://bb.uvm.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1518155-dt-content-rid-Environmentally-Sustainable Communities ENVS 204 Readings Putnam, Bowling Alone/BowlingAlone.pdf>.
Berry, Wendell. Wendell Berry’s 17 Rules for a Sustainable Community. Digital image. Https://store.yesmagazine.org/images/products/posters/large/17-rules-for-a-sustainable-community-poster.jpg. Web.
Putnam, Robert D. "Bowling Alone." Current 373 (1995): 3-9. Web. 1 Feb. 2015. <https://bb.uvm.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1518155-dt-content-rid-Environmentally-Sustainable Communities ENVS 204 Readings Putnam, Bowling Alone/BowlingAlone.pdf>.