"Sustainable Development" has many different -- and often opposing -- definitions, depending on who you talk to. For some, it means business and economic growth as usual, with only a bit of green tinkering at the edges. For others, it means a major transformation in how we do business and view progress.
Regardless of how you define sustainable development, there is no denying that things have to change. We just need to look at the fisheries crisis to see what can happen when sustainability is ignored: several fish species have been all but wiped out, tens of thousands are out of work, and communities are struggling just to survive.
The Sustainable Communities Network of Nova Scotia thinks it's about time to develop sustainable livelihoods, and sustainable communities. We take many of our clues from nature. A healthy ecosystem is a diverse one, and so our communities should be economically, environmentally and culturally diverse as well.
A sustainable society should support co-operatives, and small and medium businesses to help create jobs and build self-reliance. A community should have more control over the decisions affecting its future. Technology should protect people and the environment. Trade should complement a strong local economy, and be based on fairness. And prices should reflect the true social and environmental costs of production.
How we get to a sustainable future -- what tools are required, what policies need to be implemented, and what actions must be taken -- is the hard but exciting part. The Sustainable Communities Network of Nova Scotia can help. The SCN has a mandate to promote a sustainable future by exchanging information, sharing tools and resources, and facilitating discussion of sustainability among groups and individuals working in areas related to sustainable communities. These include environment, business and community economics, health and social welfare, community development, and culture. We want to be the 'information & communications container' that leads to shared action.
Our first big activity is the development of the "Community Links" Database, which includes organization profiles, articles, sustainable 'success stories,' and a 'Sustainable Communities Town Hall'. There will also be a 'Members Forum' for members to debate and decide future directions for the SCN. We have been busy putting 'Community Links' together, and you can find a sample of it in this newsletter. For the full experience, take a trip into the so-called electronic information highway. But, in keeping with our vision of sustainability, we like to think of our corner of cyberspace as an information bikepath.
We hope you find the ride useful!