Environmental or ecological sustainability examines the natural resource degradation and usage as well as waste production. Environmental sustainability means not using resources faster than they can be replenished and not producing waste faster than it can be degraded. Ecology looks at the interaction of living and non-living components of a specific ecosystem. Often, humans are considered separate from the ecosystems they live in. When evaluating environmental sustainability, it's important to consider the affects humans have on the place they live in.

Case Studies & Examples

Letcher County Recycling Plant
Residents of Letcher County, Kentucky have found that their recycling center greatly reduces area waste. Obviously, an established recycling center could help an area. The interesting story behind the plant in Letch County is what makes it a wonderful example for the rest of Appalachia. With government grant money, two Letcher County residents were able to build the plant from the ground up, including the machines. Facing financial stressors, creativity was an essential tool. Instead of buying new conveyor belts for the recycling plant, they were able to use a conveyor belt that a local grocery store discarded. They used recycled steel as the major building material for the plant. Appropriately so, the recycling plant was a mix of new technology with old materials. This is also an excellent example of meeting community needs with community wastes and recycling not only paper, plastics, and glass, but other materials as well.

Links to other examples:

• Dewees Island, South Carolina (Environmental Preservation)
• Rock Hill, South Carolina (Tech Park Preservation)
• Chattanooga, Tennessee (Revitalizing Project)
• Trimble, Ohio (Rural Renewal Strategy)

Regional NGOs

• Appalachian Sustainable Development
• Energy Xchange
• Appalachian Regional Recycling Consortium
• Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition
• Appalachian Science in the Public Interest (ASPI)

National NGOs

• GrassRoots Environmental Effectiveness Network
• Environmental Defense
• National Groundwater Association
• National Wildlife Federation
• Sierra Club
  

Governmental Agencies

• Southern Appalachian Mountain Initiative
• National Center for Appropriate Technology (Sustainable Communities)
• National Environmental Justice Advisory Council
• EPA's Drinking Water Academy
• Kentucky Watersheds

Books, Magazines & Other Resources
Living in the Appalachian Forest True Tales of Sustainable Forestry by Chris Bolgiano

• Appalachian Highlands: A Field Guide to Ecology by Gene Wilhelm, Ph.D.
  (Available through ASPI)
• The Solar House: Passive Heating and Cooling by Daniel D., Ph. D. Chiras
• Wind Energy Basics by Paul Gipe
• Water Quality Assessments a Guide to the Use of Biota Sediments and Water in Environmental Monitoring by Spon, Edited by Deborah Chapman
• Solar Energy Magazine published by the International Solar Energy Society

Evaluating Your Community's Environment

Indicators are criteria used to measure sustainability. These are examples of specific indicators a community can measure over time to assess their condition and evaluate their progress:

• Monitor air quality by looking for the concentration of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and lead.
• Monitor water quality by measuring the dissolved oxygen, phosphorus concentrations, and biological oxygen demand.
• Monitor the amount of litter found along communiJune 1, 2009 1:21 PM and the amount of waste recycled.
• Monitor the diversity of area wildlife by counting the number of different species present.