What's Sustainable, DC?

Sustainable living is about living within our means as a community.  Community members actively partipate in the community and in turn reap the benefits of living in said community; this is how the community sustains itself--member participation and investment. When everyone plays their role, taking part in a community has many individual and community-wide benefits. The relationship between an individual and his/her community is a symbiotic one--both depend equally on the other. Part of what a community needs to be sustainable is resources--resources to get from place to place, to eat and be sheltered, to grow and learn, and to feel safe and protected.

Here are a few ways DC is working on sustainability:

Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-ward 6) is working on revitalizing DC's metrobus service. Wells wants to revamp the system so that it runs more often and reliably. He hopes to attract new riders and for DC residents to see it as a way to connect the community--not just a way to get in and out of the city as a means of commuting to work. He is quoted in DCist as saying "[The bus] should provide reliable and attractive alternatives to move about our neighborhoods, support our local businesses, and connect us to all the amenities throughout the city" (Wells, DCist). The bus as a regular part of transportation within DC is sustainable in two main ways. First, it helps ease and cut back on citizen's reliance on cars and individual methods of transportation. This in turn eases the congestion of the city. Second, it connects community members to all parts of the city and allows mobility and access. This creates a feeling of community, and aids in desegregating neighborhoods. For more information, check out @TommyWells on Twitter, or the WMATA website.

SHARE Food Network is a community supported agriculture movement in DC. They promote wellness and proper nutrition as well as provide an outlet to give back and volunteer in the community. SHARE (Self Help and Resource Exchange) provides a monthly box of nutritious food and fresh produce at a low price. The baskets are valued at $45 but cost only $20 with an additional commitment of 2 hours of service work per month. In addition, you can use SNAP benefits (food stamps) on the boxes, making the SHARE product available to a wider economic demographic. Because of the community involvement and the buying power behind ordering so much, SHARE is able to offer these significant discounts. SHARE empowers people "to stretch their family's food budget, access information on health and nutrition, and develop partnerships to prevent hunger in communities" (SHARE).

An alternative, Arganica Farm Club, offers farm-fresh and artisan foods from local, small farms. By getting foods from these farms, Arganica is empowering local small business as well as reducing much of the carbon footprint that goes with growing, harvesting, shipping, and transporting the food we eat. Arganica is different from your typical CSA (community supported agriculture) because it allows its members to pick the food that comes in the weekly delivery. This eliminates much of the waste that comes with a typical CSA program.  When buying local, you are sustaining your community both by supporting local business and by protecting the environment-- bypassing the unnatural way that foods are developed at mass-scale farms.

Living in a sustainable community helps citizens become part of something big. Through volunteering, supporting local businesses, and riding public transit, we can pull together to make DC a place of value. By giving options to our lower-income or at-risk community members, the community is made whole and balanced.

What do you think is sustainable? How can we make DC more sustainable? Comment us!

--Megan