Sustainability in Rural Areas

Abstract

The very infrastructure of rural America is inherently unsustainable. However, there are ways to make everyday life more sustainable in these small towns through recycling, sustainable energy sources, and community involvement. The key is that local governments have to create an incentive to make people want to lead more sustainable lives while making sustainability attainable. According to environmental sustainability experts, the goal would be to create rural areas with a zero waste system. While this may be difficult to achieve, it is not impossible. If local governments implemented accessible public transportation, encouraged sustainable waste practices such as recycling, started take-back plans, and repurposed old buildings with energy efficient utilities, it could create a whole new stream of revenue for the area while saving the local towns and citizens tax money. This all begins with a six step plan for community mobilization with six types of capital: cultural, social, human, economic, physical, and natural. The purpose would be to make improved and sustainable rural areas that benefit the environment and quality of life of those who inhabit them.