The word sustainability is tossed around a great deal: economic sustainability, sustainable business, environmental sustainability, sustainable development, sustainable food..the list goes on. The City of Edmonton defines sustainability as “the ability of human society to endure over a prolonged period as an integral part of Earth’s natural systems.” But what does that mean for most Edmontonians?
This is what SustainYEG is all about. The City is seeking feedback about what sustainability means to you and how you contribute to our sustainable city. The information we gather will help us develop messages and materials that resonate with citizens.
Along with reaching citizens via social media or the Edmonton Insight Community, Edmontonians had a chance to run into the SustainYEG street team to give their feedback. The team travelled to different parts of Edmonton and invited people to talk to us about the meaning of sustainability.
Here’s is some of the feedback we received:
“[Sustainability is] a city that is liveable, that can take care of itself, and that’s a community of people who help each other when needed.”
“Sustainability is a fancy word that means that my kids can climb the same tree that I did, ten years from now; it’s our ability to look into the future and move forward without using all the resources that we have.”
“Developing a city with a smaller ecological footprint and being a global leader rather than a global follower.”
We heard concerns about Edmonton’s urban sprawl, energy use, the need for LRT development and more bicycle infrastructure. We also heard about the need to address poverty, homelessness and other social issues.
It’s not too late to give your feedback!
- Use #sustainyeg on social media to tell us what makes Edmonton sustainable. Take a photo of something that enables your sustainability efforts, or tell us about the actions you take to be sustainable.
- Watch our social media accounts: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. Look out for Trivia Tuesdays, where we will give you a chance to win prizes by testing your knowledge of the City’s sustainability. Throughout the summer, we will also ask for your feedback on what sustainability means to you.
What does sustainability mean to you? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
For more information about SustainYEG, visit www.edmonton.ca/sustainYEG