Marketing Sustainable Planning Policies
Mary Anne G. Bowie, AICP
Contents Search Help Home

Session:Planning, Partnering and Marketing Sustainable Planning (March 14, 10:15am)

Urban planners today have a responsibility and the ability to promote a just and sustainable world. Our presentation addresses the language of sustainability and addresses the ways that planners can engage in the current sustainability movement.

We see sustainability has come of age in the United States as reflected in:

  1. current literature;
  2. Federal government contracting provisions;
  3. Smart Growth and Livable communities programs;
  4. local government sustainability planning initiatives; and
  5. the consumer marketplace.

I will discuss some of the activities in the consumer marketplace. Bill Kercher will discuss the global precedents for sustainability and sustainability indicators adopted in Orlando. Roger Blevins will discuss the federal contracting sustainability issues and then I will close this presentation with a case study in Venice Florida where one of the overall primary recommendations is "Welcome a Sustainable Venice."

A new marketing journal is now being published, titled, LOHAS, standing for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability. For more information about the LOHAS journal, please call 1 888 GO LOHAS. This publication is an outgrowth of work by social scientist Paul Ray, who has identified a market segment called the "Culture Creative." He estimates that this market segment comprises 26 percent of the American population. This market segment makes its spending decisions based upon choices that reflect values in health and sustainability. A few of the other publications specifically promoting a new sustainable lifestyle include the Utne Reader, Hope magazine, Real Life and Real Money. And of course the mail order business promoting sustainability which started with Seventh Generation and Real Goods is now alive and well with the addition and mergers of numerous companies.

I believe the most important new book that defines the significant health context for choosing a sustainable life style is Living Downstream by Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D. This book is truly the "Silent Spring" of today and unfortunately tells a bleak story of the amount of chemicals still present in our environment. Ms. Steingraber is a biologist, a poet, an ecologist, and a cancer survivor. One book reviewer, Richard Levins, Ph.D., Harvard School of Public Health, wrote, "Ms. Steingraber’s ‘upstream’ approach to cancer is imperative. It is about time someone wrote this book." Dr. Steingraber’s book provides answers to the question of what connection there is between human cancer and environmental contamination. She predicts that 40 percent of the American population will have cancer; not all of us will die from it. This is 2001, not 1964 when Rachel Carson died of breast cancer just 18 months after finishing Silent Spring. How have we, as planners, addressed chemicals in the environment? What else can we do to reduce their occurrence?

One organization, Coop America, has over 50,000 consumer members who are interested in purchasing thousands of products and services that include: organic food, ecotouristic experiences, natural body care products, recycled and tree-free paper, sustainable produced furniture, natural fiber clothing and linens and socially responsible investments.

Coop America has both the member organization and its business organization, Coop American Business Network. I am proud to report that my firm has been a member of this organization for several years.

Co-op America’s strategic approach includes:

  1. organizing individuals in their roles as consumers;
  2. encouraging more corporate responsibility;
  3. growing the marketplace for green businesses committed to social justice and environmental responsibility; and
  4. building sustainable communities.

Co-op America’s implementation actions include:

  1. reaching consumers through several publications;
  2. challenging corporations to become more responsible , stopping sweatshops, promoting wood-wise practices, etc.;
  3. promoting green businesses through the Coop America Business Network, the National Green Pages and efforts to support and promote socially responsible investing;
  4. Improving communities through community development financing and stopping predatory lending practices.

The American Planning Association has not been silent on sustainability and APA’s Policy Guide on Planning for Sustainability which was adopted in April 2000 includes four overall goals which include:

  • Reduce dependence upon non renewable resources
  • Reduce chemical substances in Nature
  • Reduce impact to life-sustaining ecosystems
  • Meet present and future human needs fairly and efficiently.

As you begin your journey into the sustainability movement, you may find many definitions and many applications. For me, simply put, sustainability considers social, environmental and economic aspects of all decisions, respecting the needs of both present and future generations. If you are serious about being a professional sustainability planner, you need literacy in at least a few of the following areas: zero waste, Natural Capitalism, Smart Growth, Livable Communities, sustainability indicators, fair trade, integrated pest management strategies, ecotourism, off the grid, LEEDS, sweat shops, recycling, solar power, resource efficiency, fair trade, community development financing, social equity, green buildings, and California’s Local Government Commission, etc.

I challenge you to create and promote sustainable planning solutions. We trust that our presentation today will inspire you to create a better tomorrow.

Now, I would like to share with you a case study of selling sustainable planning policies inVenice, Florida. These recommended policies were included as part of a vision statement prepared for the Island of Venice. By mid April 2001, it is expected that the City Council will adopt these recommendations. Please consider how some of these sustainable policies may fit in your community. Each policy improves the social, economic and environmental aspects of the City, while building community.

The Vision established for Venice includes four specific recommendations:

  1. enhancement of the multi-modal transportation system;
  2. creatively controlling land uses;
  3. welcoming a sustainable Venice;
  4. creating Identity and encouraging economic development.

A few specific results which will ensue, if these recommendations are adopted, include:

  • developing a regional storm water management system to create beautiful waterways and habitats for wildlife.
  • providing a variety of housing choices.
  • planting edible, organic community gardens within portions of public spaces.

Prior to arriving at the Sustainable planning policies, the plan recommends:

  1. New Urbanism mixed use development and increased landscaping and pedestrian treatments,
  2. Streetscape improvements and handicapped accessibility. Respect for the pedestrian was emphasized, not just respect for the automobile;
  3. Multi-modal transportation solutions included improving facilities for vehicles, bicycles and wheelchairs, providing a ferry and continuing construction of the linear trail that is already under construction.
  4. New public/private land uses along the linear trail are recommended that will create community gathering spaces;
  5. Off the Shelf Resources were suggested. For instance one recommendation was:"The City of Venice should adopt Street Design Guidelines for Healthy Neighborhoods by Dan Burden and published by the Local Government Commission Center for Livable Communities in California."

But most importantly, looking at the current conditions, it became obvious that a new approach was appropriate. And so a specific sustainable approach was recommended.To create an improved Venice, the underlying policies must be sustainable. The following were recommended...

  • Hire a Sustainability staff Planner or Planning Consultant to develop sustainability indicators and policies for Venice and to educate the public regarding the critical concepts.
  • Primary among these sustainability concepts is to answer the question of: "How can the existing consumers and residents of the Island be best served?"
  • Consider the social, environmental and economic aspects of all government decisions.
  • Adopt and monitor implementation of sustainable policies which may:
  • Create a MIME program for publicly owned lands, including public rights of way, alleys and pocket parks. M= Mark it, I=Improve it, M=Maintain it and E= Encourage Public participation of beautifying, maintaining and using public spaces.
  • As part of the MIME program, consolidate other programs that seek to accomplish the same purpose.
  • As part of the MIME program, institute development of public organic garden spaces, using local garden clubs and other groups as sponsors.
  • Create a Green Building Program for safer, more resource efficient structures.
  • Institute a local Master Gardener Program in conjunction with the Sarasota County Extension Office that emphasizes integrated pest management practices and resource conserving landscaping.
  • Adopt Healthy Street Guidelines that promotes safer pedestrian and vehicular use.
  • Promote and support existing local US 41 Businesses especially during roadway construction.
  • Adopt a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) approach to site plan review.
  • Create a "We Welcome Green Businesses" and an Ecotourism program in conjunction with the Venice Chamber of Commerce and the Sarasota (South) County Chamber of Commerce.
  • Designate a particular district as a Sustainable Marketplace, where specific businesses will be targeted that might include: vegetarian restaurants, a community juice bar, socially responsible investment brokers, organic produce and herb vendors, and merchandisers of solar power equipment, "safe" body and home cleaning products, healthy building materials, and recycled items, etc.
  • Create a regional stormwater management system in cooperation with Sarasota County.
  • Continue to provide a variety of appropriate housing and transportation choices for all Venice residents and tourists.

Thank you for letting me share the sustainable vision for US 41 Business on the Island of Venice. It was created as part of the US 41 Business Sector Planning Process in 2001 through a joint effort of the Citizens of Venice, the City officials, City staff and the consultant firm of Mary Anne G. Bowie Associates, Inc. in association with Solinko Design Associates.

Author and Copyright Information

Copyright 2001 by Author

Mary Anne G. Bowie, AICP, has owned and operated Mary Anne G. Bowie Associates, Inc., Urban Planners, 1358 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota, FL 34236, since 1988. Ms. Bowie received her undergraduate degree in English from Florida State University and her Master of City Planning Degree from Ga. Tech in 1973. Trained as an early environmental planner, the majority of her work has been in the field of transportation impact analysis. She is the co-author, with Roger Blevins, of Estimating Planning Services, which received the National APA Divisions Special Projects award. Her planning passion is promoting sustainability and she has spoken on this subject at APA national conferences and FPD national conferences since 1995. She is past president of the American Society of Planning Consultants and initiated their Sustainability Award.