What You Can Do To Help Develop Sustainable Communities - World Renew (2024)

The conservation of energy supplies and the utilization of renewable, clean energy is an essential part of creating sustainable communities. Through using solar power, cooling systems and wind power, the dependency of the local population on gas, coal and other fuels will be greatly decreased.

Planning and construction of infrastructure to support this should begin as early as possible as renewable energy can grow to become the most cost-effective way to incorporate energy-saving strategies in a community.

Meet Sandress, a father in Zambia who installed solar panels on the roof of his home to help his children succeed in school.

Here are some practical yet effective ways to conserve energy right from your home.

You should proactively address waste mitigation by using items produced with reusable materials and then choosing to recycle, reuse or compost as much waste as possible. Additionally, communities should facilitate recycling, use strategies to turn waste into electricity and compost organic materials for urban use.

Meet Row Shan, a farmer in Bangladesh whose community safely uses waste to create the fertilizer that helps their crops thrive.

You can learn more about what you can do to reduce waste here.

Another way to help would be to support local farmers. The support of local food production and consumption is good for the environment and is vital for the economic well-being of the community.

For a healthy lifestyle, access to fresh food is important. In addition, air pollution decreases with the reduction in transportation as the food is made available locally, giving the added benefit of supporting the local economy.

Meet Moses, a passionate farmer who received training in conservation agriculture through World Renew and now teaches other farmers in Uganda how to grow more and sell their produce at the market.

Here’s a list of 10 things you can do to promote your local food system.

To develop a sustainable community, you need to prioritize the control of pollution. There are various pollution reduction policies that communities can use to minimize traffic congestion and therefore, reduce pollution from cars.

This includes encouraging the use of public transportation or ecological vehicles, building footwalks and providing incentives for people to power their homes using renewable energy sources.

Meet Stella, a grandmother in Mozambique whose primary form of transportation for selling her produce, visiting the doctor, and running errands is a bicycle.

Though we can’t put an end to pollution, with these easy steps, we can help reduce air pollution and make our environment healthier for our children and grandchildren.

By promoting and supporting local businesses, you are directly supporting the economic development of a community. Moreover, new jobs are created for other community residents as local businesses succeed and expand.

Meet Olga, a small business owner in Honduras who is helping to transform the story of her community in Tegucigalpa.

Here are a few ways small businesses benefit from their local communities.

The parks and gardens in communities do more than beautifying the local area. They provide a healthy habitat for local wildlife and promote physical exercise for local residents. Join your local community to build gardens that promote social activity and foster community growth.

Here’s a great article that explains the importance of public space for a good community.

Sustainable development can minimize pollution, control recycling of useful resources, promote the economic well-being of a community, protect natural resources and culture, as well as bring people together.

You will contribute to the environment, the community and the future of the world by educating other members of the community and taking steps to ensure that the local government and its people understand the benefits of sustainability.