DON’ T STOP BELIEVING
by Kerry Symolon Karl
At the core of green practices and sustainability stands planet Earth and the natural resources Earth offers humankind, according to the National Research Council. From the air we breathe, to the water we imbibe, and the land we exist on there is an understanding that human health and well-being is tied to a high-quality environment. This is reflected in curriculum at universities like Tufts which promotes topics like“ Developing Healthy Communities”, which strives to educate city planners and policy makers about how we develop.
And for millennia, people have taken resources from around them to create the constructs of society. So it remains the same today, where we take raw land and build houses; offices to work out of; parks and trails to visit; and, roads which connect all of these structures together into a coherent“ place”.
Sustainable practices take into account how humans meet present economic development needs without depleting finite resources for future generations. The Division of Community Development within the state of Florida’ s Department of Economic Opportunity“ ensur [ es ] that new growth fosters economic development while protecting resources of state significance,” according to its website. As does the Halifax River Audobon Society, which also attempts to achieve a balance,“ Our chapter... strives to improve the quality of life for all residents of Volusia County and for the wildlife we all enjoy.”
Still, even conservative estimates by the University of Florida’ s Bureau of Economic and Business Research show continual increasing population projections through 2045 for Volusia County. Already exceeding half a million residents, in less than four years, nearly 1,800 more individuals will be added through births and migration. The Brookings Institute reports for every 1 person added to the human population, 1.2 more automotive vehicles are added to the roads. The importance of developing communities to accommodate growth will define our quality of life and the quality of life for future generations.
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