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What are the economic benefits of living in a sustainable community and how do they compare to traditional communities?

Halley Lively

Living in a sustainable community comes with several economic benefits that make it worth the transition from traditional communities. Sustainable communities, by definition, are designed to meet the needs of the present generation while balancing the needs of future generations. This translates into long-term economic benefits that are simply not available in traditional communities.

One economic benefit of living in a sustainable community is energy efficiency. Sustainable communities are built using energy-efficient designs and materials. This ensures that energy costs are kept low, allowing people to save money on energy bills. The money saved on energy bills can be reinvested in other areas of the economy, such as education, health care, or entrepreneurship. Sustainable communities are also more resilient to energy price shocks. With a more energy-efficient design in place, people living in sustainable communities can weather energy price shocks more comfortably than their counterparts in traditional communities.

Another economic benefit of living in a sustainable community is water efficiency. Sustainable communities are designed to manage water in a way that conserves this precious resource. This ensures that water costs are kept low, thus allowing people to save money on water bills. The money saved on water bills can be reinvested in other areas of the economy, such as housing, food, or entertainment. Sustainable communities are also more resilient to water price shocks. With a water-efficient design in place, people living in sustainable communities can weather water price shocks more comfortably than their counterparts in traditional communities.

A third economic benefit of living in a sustainable community is waste reduction. Sustainable communities are designed to minimize waste production through a combination of recycling, composting, and waste reduction. This ensures that waste management costs are kept low, thus allowing people to save money on waste management bills. The money saved on waste management bills can be reinvested in other areas of the economy, such as infrastructure, transportation, or innovation. Sustainable communities are also more resilient to waste management price shocks. With a waste-reducing design in place, people living in sustainable communities can weather waste management price shocks more comfortably than their counterparts in traditional communities.

In conclusion, the economic benefits of living in a sustainable community are clear and compelling. Energy efficiency, water efficiency, and waste reduction are just a few of the many economic benefits that come with sustainable living. By transitioning to a sustainable community, people can achieve long-term savings, increase their resilience to price shocks, and reinvest their savings in other areas of the economy. As such, it is not a question of if people should transition to a sustainable community, but rather, when. The sooner people transition, the greater the economic benefits they will experience.