Sustainable Community
Development
- Introduction
- Lesson One - Three Systems of Sustainability
- Lesson Two - Why Plan for Sustainability
- Lesson Three - Sustainable Community Development Plans
- Lesson Four - Maryland Resources
- Lesson Five - A Process for Sustainable Community Development
- Review
- Certificate
Sustainable Community Development
An online class offered by the University of Maryland's Institute for Governmental Service and Research.
Lesson One - Three Systems of Sustainability
How the Systems Overlap
As shown in the diagram below, economic, environmental, and social systems overlap. The strength of the economy, for example, affects the ability of a community's future generations to remain local and the resources needed to protect parks and open space. The quality of the environment promotes business investment and protects people's health. And the viability of social relationships encourages shopping locally and volunteering to beautify and care for the environment. At the center of the diagram, in the area where all three systems unite, is where collective planning for sustainable community development (SCD) is focused. The core challenge of sustainable community development is to advance the resiliency of interactions among the economic, environmental, and social systems.
