The Father of Earth Day: Gaylord Nelson

Governor, Wisconsin 1959 - 1963 U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson 1963-1981

CONCLUSION Kevin Struck, U.W. Extension: The Earth is volatile, unpredictable, temporary, and unsustainable and we keep hoping to make it stable, predictable, permanent, and sustainable.
QUOTATIONS from Aldo Leopold
We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive. "That the situation appears hopeless should not prevent us from doing our best."

SUSTAINABLE vs. RESPONSIBLE Taking proper care of my yard is being responsible, that I can guarantee. But nothing I do will guarantee my yard is still going to be around 50 years from now.

A land ethic, then, reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land.

Not All Quality of Life Issues are Related to the Environment and are Not the Focus of Sustainable Development Initiatives

Growth vs. Development

We want jobs and more jobs

We want balanced growth

We want quality of life We want economic security

We want tax base

Any growth is good

Ron Shaffer, Founder of the Center for Community & Economic Development

Economic development is sustained, progressive change to attain individual and group interests. I will define economic development as: The process of retaining, expanding, and attracting jobs, income and wealth in a manner that improves individual economic opportunities and the quality of human life.

My How Youve Grown

If GDP is relatively easy to measure, how are we going to measure quality of life?

World Bank Economist Mahbub ul Haq (1970s): Existing measures of human progress failed to account for the true purpose of developmentto improve peoples lives and expand individual human choices.
http://hdr.undp.org/en/humandev/reports/

Discussions over the well being of communities are not limited to the United Nations.

Mission: Growing the region's economy in ways that preserve and enhance the quality of life.
http://www.thrivehere.org/

Think Global, Act Local

The original phrase "Think Global, Act Local" first appears in the book "The Evolution of Cities" (1905) by Scots Planner and social activist Patrick Geddes. The first use of the phrase in an environmental context is disputed but most of these disputes date back to the late 60s and 70s.

 Quality of Life Committee Reviewed and compiled a list of more than 120 quality of life indicators organized into 10 categories. The initial list was prioritized and reduced down to 3-4 indicators in each of the QOL categories

Final Dashboard of Indicators:

Life at Work: Reliable Energy Income Business Growth Employment Growth Life at Leisure: Reliable Energy Income Business Growth Employment Growth

Life at School: Adult Lifelong Learning opportunities Health of the Wisconsin Idea Post-Secondary Education Graduation Rate

Living a Healthy Life: Health Insurance Coverage Childhood Immunizations Prenatal Care Exercise Opportunities and Participation

Final Dashboard of Indicators:

Life in our Natural Environment: Land Use Planning Preservation of Agricultural Lands Surface Water Quality Access to Public Spaces Life at Home - Housing: The Cost of a Home Shelter for the Homeless Affordable Access to High Speed Internet Life at Home: Healthcare Availability Residents Living in Poverty Subsidized Child Care

Life Together Public Safety: Perception of Public Safety Violent Crimes Emergency Preparedness

Final Dashboard of Indicators:

Life Together Civics & Diversity: Local Government Performance Voter Participation Volunteerism Neighborhoods Life on the Road: Walkability Transportation Investment Mass Transit Options Bike Ped Options Commute Time to Work

Objective Data

Objective Data

Subjective Data

Perception vs. Reality?

Quality of Life Indicators

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/communities/QualityofLif eDataIndicatorsDataSources.cfm

The Final Report

http://www.thrivehere.org/articlemanager/rsrchqoflsurvey.aspx

Who Takes Responsibility for the Less Than Positive Indicators?

Center for Community & Economic Development

Professor Andy Lewis Center for Community and Economic Development University of Wisconsin Extension 610 Langdon Street, Room 328 Madison, WI 53703 E-mail: andy.lewis@uwex.edu Ph: 608-263-1432 FAX: 608-263-4999 Copy of Presentation:

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/andylewis.cfm