|
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT by Kipchoge Spencer |
1. The Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development.
The Web's most comprehensive and thoroughly linked sustainable development (a.k.a. sus-dev) site. Impressive in its own right and more so considering the author. Overheard: "The US government put this together???" Anyone who has lost faith (or was born without any) in Uncle Sam should browse this site for an inspirational shot in the arm. Highlights include "Fast Breaking News in Sustainable Development" and multitudinous sustainable community development (a.k.a. sus-com-dev) case studies.
2. The Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems.
When this guy (Pliny Fisk) says "system," he means it. If he were king for a day, your life would change. The site's not broad, well-linked, or fancy--but it's important. Lest you think he only works on buildings, take note of Fisk's latest project: moving 52 towns damaged by Mississippi flood waters to more sustainable ground. He thinks big.
3. Sustainable Communities Network (SCN).
As the name suggests, this site aims to be a central clearing house for community networking. It will have to better facilitate interactivity among users before that dream is realized. Currently, however, it's a great source of who's doing what where and how it's working. Sus-dev com issues addressed include: creating communities, smart growth, growing a sustainable economy, protecting natural resources, living sustainably, and governing community. Check out the case studies, thoughtfully indexed by state.
Don't feel left out during deep sus-com-dev conversations. Seattle (at least part of it) has its act together, and this is the case everyone's heard about and you'd better be familiar with. More officially, this site "encourages the exchange of information to help make communities more livable and increases the visibility of successful community projects."
5. Renew America.
Blinking icons, awards, searchable index of 1600 case studies. This organization claims to "search for success," and their Web site shows you where they found it. Looking for examples of programs focusing on helping low-income communities, managed by city government, with a concentration on affordable housing? Go no further. Interested in a business-managed forestry project that benefits rural communities? This is the place. Neat info on kids programs and environmental awards (you can nominate your program) round out this fancy site.
Kipchoge Spencer is a Researcher, Economic Renewal, at the Rocky Mountain Institute in Snowmass, Colorado.