How to Become an Environmentally Sustainable Community - A Primer

This document contributes to the New Jersey Department of Environment's (NJDEP) Environmentally Sustainable Communities (ESC) initiative, which aims to help municipalities plan for sustainable development, provide support for their programs, and track their progress. The guide explains the concept of sustainable communities and the global and local benefits of sustainability. It outlines the steps that need to be undertaken to establish a plan for sustainable development, and how to monitor progress. The experiences of three municipalities in New Jersey that have taken divergent paths to sustainability are detailed, to provide both general lessons for successful implementation, and more specific strategic examples that might be followed. The guide concludes with details of the assistance available from the ESC initiative, and appendices containing a list of helpful web sites and information on methods for planning and assessment of sustainability.Purpose: This document is intended to assist New Jersey?s municipalities in implementing sustainable development practices