What are the processes and models used to build equitable, healthy, and sustainable
communities? Provide examples of the principles and strategies of environmental
stewardship used in community engagement to build sustainable communities. What
are the challenges and benefits of community engagement?
Processes and Models Used to Build Equitable, Healthy, and Sustainable Communities
Building equitable, healthy, and sustainable communities requires the utilization of
different processes and models. As a highly used model, the health-environment-economy
model largely applies as the conceptual framework for designing initiatives towards healthy
and sustainable communities (Bennett et al., 2018). The various process used include using
compact building designs, mixing land uses, and developing a variety of housing prospects
and options. Utilizing a blend of such processes results in a range of quality housing choices
in existing and new neighborhoods while ensuring the residents’ access to public services.
They also ensure the preservation of natural beauty, farmland, open space, and critical
environmental spaces. Utilizing environmental stewardship encourages collaboration between
the stakeholders and the community in sustainability decisions.
Environmental stewardship applies in reference to various sustainable actions
including creating protected zones, reforestation trees, and limiting tree harvesting,
decreasing pollution and environmentally harmful activities, restoring degraded land, and
other sustainability efforts. Some of the principles and strategies include pollution prevention
and compliance assurance, enabling systems, public communications, industry leadership, as
well as measurement and continuous improvement. Environmental stewardship comprises of
strategies such as community-based management, conservation, and integrated development
PROCESSES AND MODELS IN SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES 2
projects (Bennett et al., 2018). Being community-focused, they ensure continued involvement
and progress in sustainability efforts.
Meaningful community engagement in sustainability efforts such as planning land
usage and decision making provides different benefits. It produces development that fulfills
the requirements of a varied collection of inhabitants, enhancing project support, and results
in more operative public processes. Inclusive public engagement provides sustainability
solutions that serve the dwellers and municipalities better (Bennett et al., 2018). The
engagement also facilitates government agencies in tailoring their projects to the community,
making them popular and more effective among residents. The major challenges include
gaining political support in the local context, establishing affordable land for sustainability
efforts, difficulties in accommodating everyone’s interests, and commitment through the
future.
PROCESSES AND MODELS IN SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES 3
Reference
Bennett, N. J., Whitty, T. S., Finkbeiner, E., Pittman, J., Bassett, H., Gelcich, S., & Allison,
E. H. (2018). Environmental stewardship: a conceptual review and analytical
framework. Environmental Management, 61(4), 597-614.