The Sustainable and Healthy Communities Research Program: The Environmental Protection Agency’s Research Approach to Assisting Community Decision-Making

A sustainable world is one in which human needs are met equitably and without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their needs on environmental, economic, and social fronts. The United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency’s Sustainable and Healthy Communities Research Progr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kevin Summers, Melissa McCullough, Elizabeth Smith, Maureen Gwinn, Fran Kremer, Mya Sjogren, Andrew Geller, Michael Slimak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2014-01-01
Series:Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/6/1/306
Description
Summary:A sustainable world is one in which human needs are met equitably and without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their needs on environmental, economic, and social fronts. The United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency’s Sustainable and Healthy Communities Research Program aims to assist communities (large and small) to make decisions for their long term sustainability with respect to the three pillars of human well-being—environmental, economic and social—and are tempered in a way that ensures social equity, environmental justice and intergenerational equity. The primary tool being developed by the Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) research program to enhance sustainable decision making is called TRIO (Total Resources Impacts and Outcomes). The conceptual development of this tool and the SHC program attributes are discussed.
ISSN:2071-1050