26 Protec ting Natural Resources for All
Making Our Communities Sustainable
To be sustainable, an institution, natural resource, or community needs to
meet the daily needs of people now while planning for the needs of future
generations. All around us, and throughout this book, we can see examples of
sustainable and unsustainable systems, from community institutions such as
health clinics or recycling programs to natural resources such as forests, fields,
and springs.
One of the greatest challenges facing people today is trying to meet all of
our needs without harming the environment that feeds, houses, and clothes
us, that gives us water, energy, and medicine, and is the very source of our
survival.
Politicians and companies often speak of their commitment to “sustainable
development.” But in most cases, the word “sustainability” is only used to
increase their profits or political power. In the end, they take away our healthy
food, clean air and water, and safe livelihoods, while giving us more pollution,
deforestation, and illness.
Some principles of sustainability and methods that communities have used
are described in the following pages. We hope that this information will help
you to organize sustainable projects in your own communities.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012