Planning and zoning officials have powerful influence over the future shape and land use of our communities.
Making sure we leave our children and grandchildren livable communities and a livable environment is reason to consider planning and zoning approaches that move toward sustainability.
The benefits of sustainability have re-echoed during our nation’s history. Oftentimes, however, sustainability has been overshadowed by countervailing forces, including large-scale manufacturing and mass production of goods, and a heavy dependence on non-renewable resources.
Many people are looking to improve their community food systems, in which food is grown, processed, distributed, and consumed locally. A look at the use of food assessments and food councils.
The food we consume literally travels the globe. We can now get just about any food we want, at any time of year, if we are willing to pay the costs — financial and environmental — of transporting it. A look at how food moves.
Trends in human activity, both at global and local levels, are still headed in directions that are largely unsustainable. Yet a growing number of cities and towns are incorporating sustainable development principles in their planning and zoning efforts.
Local farmers’ markets provide one of the best ways of increasing downtown activity, while offering a valuable outlet for area farmers. Author and lecturer Roberta Brandes Gratz takes a closer look at the role farmers’ markets can play — and why they’ve become so popular.
