EcoDistricts: Midtown Sustainable Neighborhood Developments

In 2012, Midtown became the Metro-Atlanta pilot of a new model for sustainable neighborhood development called an EcoDistrict. Now Sustainable Atlanta has named the communities of Atlanta University Center, Lakewood Heights, and Lithonia as the metro area’s newest EcoDistricts. The organization defines an EcoDistrict as “a self-defined area that is committed to achieving ambitious sustainability performance goals, implementing both large-scale and household-level projects, and tracking the results over time.”As new EcoDistricts, the three selected neighborhoods will receive guidance and support in pursuing their sustainability goals. Sustainable Atlanta will help connect them to a variety of local resources and funding opportunities, and will provide training on issues such as land-use, project prioritization, and inclusivity. The three new EcoDistricts are hoped to show that the program is a good fit for any of the Atlanta area’s diverse types of communities from suburbs to university neighborhoods to urban residential communities, and to provide a basis for expanding the model to other neighborhoods. (To find out when applications are open for neighborhoods wanting to join 2015’s new batch of EcoDistricts, sign up for Sustainable Atlanta’s waiting list.)Melonie J. Tharpe, Sustainable Atlanta’s EcoDistricts coordinator, emphasizes the importance of this type of sustainable development work in all types of communities. “Too often neighborhoods that are not central business areas or new developments are left out of the sustainability discussion. We find that quite unfortunate as sustainability isn’t just about things like green roofs or new parks. It is a key part of our future- about our ability to be resilient, our ability to attract and retain people we want to live among, and our ability to provide for the next generation,” she says.Sustainable development entails ensuring present needs are met while avoiding environmental damage and planning for future needs through good stewardship of natural resources. The thing that sets the EcoDistricts initiative apart from some other sustainable development models is its focus on local communities and civic engagement. Sustainable Atlanta describes the program’s neighborhood-size scale as “small enough to innovate quickly and big enough to have a meaningful impact.”The program uses a process called “Civic Ecology” to identify the physical and cultural resources, challenges, and vision of a community and to create a plan to achieve this vision. “Civic Ecology is a really unique way to approach community planning. It doesn’t just focus on one type of planning such as transportation or green space. It looks at the systems within a community and helps identify how things like cars, people, electricity and even waste are moving into and through the area. It can be very helpful to identify missed opportunities for better practices that are more sustainable but also may save time or money for community members,” says Tharpe. Faith communities like all those we work with at GIPL are integral parts of the cultural landscape of their neighborhoods, bringing to the table abundant social resources and moral vision. This makes them key stakeholders in these conversations around Civic Ecology.  As people of faith, we share the vision of a world in which all people’s needs are met and the Earth is cared for. By coming together with our neighbors in a program like the EcoDistricts, each sharing his or her resources and vision, we can do much more to achieve this world than we could alone.To volunteer or get involved with an EcoDistrict near you, respond to this volunteer survey or call Sustainable Atlanta at 404-230-9201.