NLC's Sustainability Team Welcomes SCI
As one of the leading paradigms of our time, the concept of sustainability has in recent years become increasingly popular within the mainstream – from business communities, to households, and of particular note, cities. Given its nebulous charge, however -- to strategically balance economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental protection in such a manner that each enhances the other-- it is no surprise that too often, the path leading from the conceptual to the actual can quickly become a bewildering process at best (an abstract ideology, prone to misinterpretations at worst). For cities interested in learning more about the issues or implementing direct actions that will have long-term impacts on their communities, the need for practical, timely, and trusted resources is critical. The challenge therefore for city sustainability leaders often becomes not one of finding information, but rather in sorting through it to identify the tools, ideas, and strategies that they can take back to their communities.
The National League of Cities’ Sustainability Program was developed in part to help cities navigate through the important (but increasingly ‘loud’) landscape of sustainability and is thrilled to now be the home of the Sustainable Cities Institute (SCI). A dynamic online platform, SCI offers a convenient “one-stop shop” of practical and reliable resources to help cities and city leaders get started with and continually advance sustainability initiatives. The comprehensive nature of the site presents us with a unique opportunity to demonstrate important linkages across various sustainability topic areas, while also delving into greater depth on each. The SCI site and the range of carefully vetted resources on it-- including city profiles, case studies, model legislation, and reports-- offers something for all users interested in promoting locally-led sustainability, from a leader who wants a better understanding of what it means for a city to be sustainable, to a sustainability officer looking to learn from peers, address new issue areas and continually strengthen their efforts.
Since 2009, NLC has witnessed this tool develop into a carefully vetted “go- to” resource on city sustainability. Our hope is that moving forward, its reputation will only grow as an increasing number of elected leaders, city staff, and sustainability professionals turn to SCI as a means to boost the sustainability work that their own city is doing; to learn from best practices around the country; and to network with their peers.
In the coming months, NLC staff will work closely with city leaders and staff engaged in sustainability, partners that have been critical to the ongoing development of the site, and site users to conduct an in-depth assessment of current resources and identify ways to further develop this exciting resource.
As an SCI user, we value your feedback. Please email us at sustainability@nlc.org if you would like to be involved in this assessment process; if you have a sustainability story from your city that you would like to share; or if you have any questions or feedback about the site itself. We look forward to continuing this journey with you!
-NLC’s Sustainability Team


