What is Sustainability?

Sustainability = The results of your project continue when you have finished your project.

How does this happen?

• Your project implements a change that continues when you are done.
• You partner with a group that continues the project when you are done.

What are some examples?

• Implement a change which has sustainability built in.
  • Having your community pass a law / ordinance.
  • Having your school or other organization make a change in actions.
    • Recycling programs
    • Environmental programs
• When you build something, sustainability is easier, but you still need to plan for maintenance and upkeep.
  • Painting, pulling weeds, mowing, and other maintenance need to happen for building projects.
  • Some of these may be covered by the organization that agrees to continue the project.
• Creating a program and training a group on the process which the group continues.
  • There isn’t a group that would be interested in your project?  Create one! 
  • Make the creation of the group a component of your project.
  • Have the group involved during your project as part of your team.
  • Some councils like a letter from the organization documenting their agreement to continue the project in the future.
• Partnering with an organization to create educational material which they will continue to update and distribute in the future.
  • Instead of creating your own website, which requires maintenance, partner with an organization that already exists and ask if the will add a page to their website for your project.
  • Are you creating a specialized camp or other activity?  Write a manual to share.
    • The manual should include how you identified your project, team members, and goals.
    • The manual should also include the details of planning – what meetings occurred, who needed to participate when.
    • If there is an event involved, make sure to include a timeline for the days activities, who does what, what supplies are needed, etc.

      When thinking about groups you can partner with think big!  You can build global impact into your project along with sustainability.

Looking for additional tools to identify sustainability?  Download the resource below!

Next week: Global Impact