Building Sustainable Communities Midwest Community Development
Institute August 13, 2009 Slide 2 JERRY HEMBD State Specialist
Community and Economic Development University of
Wisconsin-Extension Associate Professor of Economics Department of
Business and Economics University of Wisconsin-Superior Slide 3
Overview Four waves of community and economic development
Sustainability and systems thinking The empty/full world systems
model Community sustainability The Natural Step framework Some
initial resources Closing comments Afternoon session examples Slide
4 Personal Context Forty years of learning and experience Extension
state specialist in the beginning and at the end in Wisconsin
UW-Extension Sustainability Team Co-leader Sustainable Management
degree (on-line, adult students) Community Development Society
(including Journal) Local/applied commitments Sustainable Twin
Ports/Early Adopter Project (The Natural Step) Northwest Wisconsin
Workforce Investment Board (green jobs) Wisconsin Arts Board
(creative economy) Green Collar Jobs Coalition (Duluth/Superior)
International perspective Slide 5 Slide 6 Slide 7 Slide 8 Slide 9
Slide 10 The Three Waves of Community Economic Development Plus One
Three Waves Portion Derived from: Blakely, Edward J., and Bradshaw,
Ted K. Planning Local Economic Development: Theory and Practice. 3d
ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2002. Drabenstott, Mark.
Rethinking Federal Policy for Regional Economic Development.
Economic Review, Vol. 91, No. 1 (First Quarter 2006). Eberts,
Randall W. Overview of State and Local Economic Development
Policies and Practice in the United States. In Local Governance for
Promoting EmploymentComparing the Performance of Japan and Seven
Countries, pp. 87-102. Edited by Sylvain Giguere, Yoshio Higuchi,
and the Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training. Tokyo,
Japan: The Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training, 2005.
Shaffer, Ron; Deller, Steve; and Marcouiller, Dave. Rethinking
Community Economic Development. Economic Development Quarterly,
February 2006. Slide 11 First Wave Industrial Recruiting 1950s to
early 1980s Driver Export base Goal Attract outside firms
Strategies Financial incentives Industrial parks Keys to success
Government funds for subsidies and tax breaks Industrial
infrastructure Slide 12 Second Wave Cost Competition Early 1980s to
early 1990s Drivers Efficiency and scale economies Goal Retention
and expansion of existing firms Strategies Reduce taxes
Deregulation Industry consolidation and cost cutting Keys to
success Health of existing firms Training programs Social and
physical resources Slide 13 Third Wave Regional Competitiveness
Early 1990s to present Drivers Innovation and entrepreneurship Goal
Enhance regional resources to promote industrial clusters
Strategies Entrepreneurship Clusters Building regional
collaboration Keys to success Distinct regional assets such as
Human capital Higher education Amenities Creative economy
Leadership and development of competitive advantage Bridging
economic and community development Slide 14 The Fork in the Path
Current trajectory Technical tinkering Incremental adjustment
Paradigm change Sustainability revolution Radical overhaul Slide 15
Fourth or New Wave Sustainability Revolution and Paradigm Change
Early 1980s and still evolving Drivers Sustainable development and
systems thinking Goal Sustainability Emerging Strategies Green
collar jobs Alternative and renewable energy sources Local food
systems Sustainable (eco) tourism Triple bottom line business
Industrial ecology Valuing ecosystem services Precautionary
principle Eco-municipality movement (The Natural Step) Slide 16
Summary Wave Points First Wave External focus, business and
industry Physical infrastructure Second Wave Internal focus,
business and industry Training and social resources Third Wave
Internal focus, human and social capital Community and economic
development Fourth Wave Holistic focus: human, social, and natural
capital Economic, social, and ecological relationships Slide 17
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs. Intergenerational equity Source: World
Commission on Environment and Development. Our Common Future. The
Brundtland Report. Oxford University Press, 1987, p. 43. Defining
Sustainable Development Slide 18 It contains two key concepts: the
concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the worlds
poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and the idea of
limitations imposed by the state of technology and social
organization on the environments ability to meet present and future
needs. Intragenerational equity Environmental limits Defining
Sustainable Development Source: World Commission on Environment and
Development. Our Common Future. The Brundtland Report. Oxford
University Press, 1987, p. 43. Slide 19 Evolving Views of the
Community Unconnected or silos viewInterconnected or linkages view
Interdependent, nested, or systems view Environment Economy Society
Environment Economy Society Environment Society Economy Slide 20
Political Capital Natural Capital Cultural Capital Human Capital
Financial Capital Built Capital Social Capital Healthy Ecosystem
Vital Economy Social Well-Being Community Capitals Framework
Source: Cornelia Butler Flora, North Central Regional Development
Center, 2004 Slide 21 Natural Capital Financial Capital
Manufactured Capital Human Capital Economy Society Natural Capital
Social Capital The Five Capitals Framework Source: Forum for the
Future Slide 22 What is a system? Slide 23 Conventional Thinking
Traditionally, we try to understand complex systems by reducing the
whole and studying the individual parts. And we deal with a set of
issues in a one-off or linear way: First we fix problem A, then
problem B, then problem C Slide 24 Systems Thinking Systems consist
of individual but interrelated parts. Systems depend on the
relationships among the parts as much as the parts themselves.
These relationships make the whole greater than the sum of its
parts. When you dissect the system, you destroy the pattern of
relationships. Slide 25 We must look at the whole... and not get
stuck on details Systems Thinking Slide 26 Types of Systems A
Beginning Closed system Imports and exports energy only; matter
circulates within the system the Earth approximates such a
system... energy flows through, material cycles within... finite,
nongrowing Open system Takes in and gives out both matter and
energy the economy is such a system... it can change in size Slide
27 Solar Energy Energy Source Functions Sink Functions Resources
Finite Global Ecosystem Waste Heat Energy Resources Recycled Matter
Natural Capital (Ecosystem) Manmade Capital (Economy) Growing
Economic Subsystem Human Welfare Economic services Ecosystem
services Source: Daly, Herman. Ecological Economics. Island Press,
2004 Slide 28 Supporting Nutrient cycling Soil formation Primary
production Provisioning Food Freshwater Wood and fibre Fuel
Regulating Climate regulation Flood regulation Disease regulation
Water purification Cultural Aesthetics Spiritual Educational
Recreational Categories of Ecosystem Services Source: Millennium
Ecosystem Assessment. 2005. Washington, DC: Island Press. Slide 29
Slide 30 Ehrlich-Holdren IPAT Equation I = P * A * T I =
environmental impact of the economy P = population growing A =
average material standard of living growing rapidly (consumption) T
= throughput (resource consumption, pollution, and ecosystem
impacts) per unit of output technology term to compensate for P and
A Original Source: Ehrlich, P., and Holdren, J. 1971. Impact of
Population Growth. Science 171: 1212-19. Slide 31 World Population
Since AD 1 Billion People Slide 32 Growth Trends Summary: Past Two
Centuries Population sixfold Energy use eightyfold Economy
sixty-eight fold It took all of human history for the global
economy to reach the 1950 level of over $5 trillion; in this
decade, the world economy expanded that much in a single year.
Source: Dumanoski, Diane. The End of the Long Summer. New York:
Crown Publishers, 2009. Slide 33 Growth Trends Summary: 1950 to
2000 Population more than 2X Energy use 4X Economy 7X Food
consumption 3X Water use 3X Slide 34 Societal Pressure on Earth
Systems Source: International Geosphere- Biosphere Programme, 2004
Slide 35 Societal Pressure on Earth Systems Source: International
Geosphere- Biosphere Programme, 2004 Slide 36 Solar Energy Growing
Economic Subsystem Energy Source Functions Sink Functions Resources
Finite Global Ecosystem Waste Heat Recycled Matter Natural Capital
(Ecosystem) Manmade Capital (Economy) Human Welfare Economic
services Ecosystem services Source: Daly, Herman. Ecological
Economics. Island Press, 2004 Slide 37 Natural Capital (Ecosystem)
Manmade Capital (Economy) Source: Daly, Herman. Ecological
Economics. Island Press, 2004 Finite Global Ecosystem Slide 38 Key
Science-based Analyses Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)
two-thirds of ecosystems and their services are degraded or being
used unsustainably Fourth Assessment Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2007) the Earth is
warming humans play a significant role Slide 39 Conceptual Reform
in Economics: Seven Big Ideas Adjust economic scale Shift from
growth to development Make prices tell the ecological truth Account
for natures contributions Apply the precautionary principle
Revitalize commons management Value women Source: Gardner, Gary,
and Prugh, Thomas, Project Directors. State of the World 2008:
Innovations for a Sustainable Economy. New York: W.W. Norton &
Company, 2008. Slide 40 Community Development a group of people in
a locality initiating a social action process (i.e., planned
intervention) to change their economic, social, cultural, and/or
environmental situation Slide 41 Wisconsin Eco-municipalities Town
of La Pointe City of Washburn City of Ashland City of Madison City
of Bayfield Town of Bayfield Douglas County Village of Johnson
Creek City of Marshfield City of Manitowoc City of Neenah City of
Menasha Town of Menasha City of Eau Claire Town of Cottage Grove
City of La Crosse La Crosse County City of Stevens Point City of
Wausau City of Beloit City of Baraboo City of Sheboygan Dunn County
Village of Spring Green Village of Colfax Slide 42 A Growing
Movement Community stories Slide 43 An eco-municipality aspires to
develop an ecologically, economically, and socially healthy
community for the long term, using The Natural Step Framework for
sustainability as a guide, and a democratic, highly participative
development process as the method. Swedish Eco-municipalities Slide
44 2008 The Natural Step The Natural Step is an international
non-profit research, education and advisory organization that uses
a science-based, systems framework to help organizations,
individuals and communities take meaningful steps toward
sustainability. The Natural Step: What Is It? Slide 45 The Natural
Step Framework 1.A shared science- and systems-based definition for
sustainability 2.A decision-making framework and process to help
organizations and communities plan for sustainability 3.A compass
to help us know if were moving in the right direction Source
material from TNS Canada Slide 46 Dr. Karl-Henrik Robrt Find
fundamental principles of indisputable relevance, and thereafter
ask the advice of others on how to apply them. Slide 47 Who Uses
It? Swedish Eco- municipalities City of Madision, WI Source
material from TNS Canada Slide 48 Understanding the Sustainability
Challenge The Funnel as a Metaphor Slide 49 Resource Funnel
Resource Availability and Ecosystem Ability to Provide Vital
Services Raw materials, ecosystem services, declining integrity and
capacity of natural systems Sustainability Margin for Action
Societal Demand for Resources Growth in population, resource
requirements as affluence increases, increased demands as
technology spreads Source: Nattrass, Brian, and Altomare, Mary. The
Natural Step for Business. New Society Publishers, 1999. Slide 50
TNS Canada The Sustainability Challenge Slide 51 A Systems
Perspective The Earth as a system Slide 52 2008 The Natural Step
Systems Thinking Systems thinking is a discipline for seeing
wholes, recognizing patterns and interrelationships, and learning
how to structure those interrelationships in more effective,
efficient ways. Peter Senge Slide 53 Cycles of Nature Slow
geological cycles (volcano eruptions and weathering) Slow
geological cycles (sedimentation and mineralization) Closed system
with respect to matter 1) Nothing disappears 2) Everything
disperses Open system with respect to energy Photosynthesis pays
the bills Sustainability is about the ability of our own human
society to continue indefinitely within these natural cycles Slide
54 How We Influence Cycles Relatively large flows of materials from
the Earths crust Introduce persistent compounds foreign to nature
Physically inhibit natures ability to run cycles Barriers to people
meeting their basic needs worldwide Slide 55 Four Sustainability
Principles...concentrations of substances extracted from the Earths
crust,...concentrations of substances produced by
society,...degradation by physical means,...people are not subject
to conditions that systematically undermine their capacity to meet
their needs. In a sustainable society, nature is not subject to
systematically increasing... and, in that society... Slide 56
Fundamental Human Needs SubsistenceProtectionParticipation
IdlenessAffection Understanding CreativityIdentityFreedom Slide 57
Ways We Are Un-sustainable we dig stuff (like heavy metals and
fossil fuels) out of the Earths crust and allow it to build up
faster than nature can cope with it we create man-made compounds
and chemicals (like pesticides and fire retardants in carpets,
etc.) and allow them to build up faster than nature can cope with
them we continuously damage natural systems and the free services
they provide (including climate regulation and water filtration) by
physical means (for example, overharvesting and paving wetlands)
And... we live in and create societies in which many people cannot
meet their basic needs (for example, to find affordable housing) 4
3 2 1 Slide 58 Knowing where we want to go will help us get there
Slide 59 Backcasting from Principles and the ABCD Methodology Slide
60 Backcasting...looking back to the present and designing
strategic, step-wise actions... current reality time Slide 61
Backcasting from Sustainability Principles...looking back to the
present and designing strategic, step-wise solutions... current
reality time Slide 62 Generic Planning Framework D Step Right
direction? Flexible Platform? Return on investment? time Slide 63
ABCD Awareness Baseline Creative Solutions Decide on Priorities
Present Future Does it move us in the right direction? Is it a
flexible platform? Is it a good return on investment? Slide 64
Review - Key Concepts The Funnel Backcasting Principles of
Sustainability Slide 65 2008 The Natural Step 1. System 2. Success
3. Strategy 4. Action 5. Tools Many individual actions and
investments (e.g. energy efficiency measures, pesticide bylaw,
green building, fair trade town policy, education programs) (e.g.
Vital Signs, Genuine Progress Indicators, Life Cycle Analysis,
LEED, Ecological Footprint, ISO 14001, Local Agenda 21, etc) time
Slide 66 Authors: Sherrie Gruder, UW-Extension, Madison, Solid and
Hazardous Waste Education Center Anna Haines, UW-Stevens Point,
Center for Land Use Education Jerry Hembd, UW-Superior, Northern
Center for Community and Economic Development Lisa MacKinnon, 1000
Friends of Wisconsin Jane Silberstein, UW-Extension, Ashland County
Direct link: www.shwec.uwm.edu/sustk www.shwec.uwm.edu/sustk Slide
67 Intent and Content of Toolkit Premise Local government can lead
by example Focus on the internal workings of local government
Energy Buildings Procurement Transportation Human resources
Investment Provide ideas and specific actions Local government
transformation Model of sustainable practices Slide 68
www.capacitycenter.org [email protected] Slide 69 Slide 70
Four Challenges Posed by the Transition to Sustainability We need
more accurate models, metaphors, and measures to describe the human
enterprise relative to the biosphere. It will require a marked
improvement and creativity in the arts of citizenship and
governance. The publics discretion will need to be informed through
greatly improved education. It will require learning how to
recognize and solve divergent problems, which is to say a higher
level of spiritual awareness. Source: David Orr. The Last Refuge:
Patriotism, Politics, and the Environment in an Age of Terror.
Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004. Slide 71 Some things have to be
believed to be seen. Slide 72 Comments? Questions? Slide 73
Northern Center for Community and Economic Development Jerry Hembd,
Director University of Wisconsin-Superior Belknap & Catlin, PO
Box 2000 Superior, Wisconsin 54880 Phone: 715-394-8208 Fax:
715-394-8592 E-mail: [email protected] Website:
http://www.uwsuper.edu/ncced
