Neighbourhood Progress
A GIGActions Workshop was held with over 100 community members to establish plans for community-wide conservation. As a result, GIG has detailed knowledge of conservation needs by City Ward. GIG is merging ongoing visioning, research and impact measures into neighbourhood level plans for long-term continual improvement.
GEL is striving to help every neighbourhood in Guelph become low impact! This starts with building a common vision of what a sustainable neighbourhood can be. We are encouraging every resident of Guelph to explore what our neighbourhoods could look like and to share their dreams. We have been brainstorming, researching and getting input from community members to create a local vision for a sustainable neighbourhood. Below are some of the initial ideas that have been generated from these efforts.
In a Sustainable Neighbourhood:
• individuals are aware of their environmental resources and their relationship with those resources
• there is a collective understanding of the condition of environmental resources and our relationship of people with the environment
• tools for analysis being employed regularly to measure progress
• specific goals and targets for sustainability are set by residents in the neighbourhood
• residents are regularly coming together to reflect on progress toward goals and to identify steps forward
• strong relationships between neighbours are built through collaborating to make the neighbourhood a better place to live
• food is produced and shared within neighbourhoods as much as possible
• the air, water and land are clean and healthy
• renewable energy projects are developed according to the energy needs of neighbourhood
• the majority of residents are able to walk, bike or take public transit to work and school and to run errands
• neighbours help each other to make changes to lower the impact on the environment
• organic waste is composted and used to create soil for local gardens
• resources, such as tools and vehicles, are shared within the neighbourhood to reduce the need for everyone to buy the same things
• essential amenities and services are available within the neighbourhood
• residents of all ages and backgrounds are engaged in taking steps towards the neighbourhoods’ sustainability goals
• people within the neighbourhood view themselves and each other as potential resources, not as problems
• local knowledge and skills are used in combination with those available in the wider community to build a more sustainable neighbourhood
• educational resources are provided for people to help them recognize and tap into their potential to contribute to sustainability
• the neighbourhood draws on the experiences of others and applies them to their own situation while also developing innovative solutions to challenges they face