Sustainability can be the source of controversy on the national level. But at the local level, it is easier to agree on the need for clean air, clean water, less pollution and the preservation of what we cherish most.

Sustainability engages the community and generates action. When communities make sustainability a goal, they energize community groups, neighborhoods and community leaders with the promise of making a difference. The work of these groups meets sustainability goals – but just as important, it strengthens the community’s identity and creates civic pride that powers more positive change.

Sustainability is also good for the economy. As the world is turning its attention to reining in human impact on the planet, sustainability is generating substantial new opportunities for technology advance, business growth and employment in green industries.

In this report, ICF examines how six communities in the US, Canada, Australia, Vietnam and Taiwan turn the practice of sustainability into a economic development, engagement and social growth, supporting their progress toward a more prosperous future.  

 

Report Contents:

1.  The Search for Sustainability

2.  Intelligent Communities on the Path to Sustainability

• Binh Duong Province, Vietnam
• Chiayi City, Taiwan
• Hudson, Ohio, USA
• Ipswich, Queensland, Australia
• Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Sarnia-Lambton, Ontario, Canada

3.  Engaging Cities, Businesses and Institutions

• Melbourne Makes Sustainability Strategy a Community Affair
• Ipswich Establishes a Youth Sustainability Summit
• Hudson Creates Engagement Around Solar

4.  Sustainability Culture

• Binh Duong’s Industrial Culture Change
• Chiayi City Lets a Thousand Energy-Efficient Homes Bloom
• Ipswich Starts with Citizens

5.  Putting the Plan into Action

• Binh Duong Focuses on Youth
• Citizen Foresters in Melbourne

6.  Partnerships

• Ipswich Works with Landowners
• Chiayi Rehabilitates a Legacy Industry

7.  Smart Energy

• LED Streetlights in Ipswich, Chiayi City and Hudson
• Binh Duong Methane Recovery

8.  Conservation and Clean Energy

• Binh Duong Fights the Petro-Curse
• Chiayi's Low-Carbon Crusade
• Sarnia-Lambton Gets Big on Solar and Wind
• Melbourne Occupancy Crunch

9.  Clearing the Air

• Air Boxes and Smart Roads in Chiayi
• Waste Reduction in Melbourne

10.  Growing a Greener Economy

• Greener Chemistry in Sarnia-Lambton

11.  An Ethos of Sustainability

12.  A Quick Self-Test