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 .
| 24 | EVOLVE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL MAGAZINE