University of Wisconsin
- Extension
Sustainability Team
Capacity Center
Featured News Item
for March
UW Colleges/Extension will be hosting the third in a continuing
series of biannual “Wisconsin Idea” Public Policy Forums to be
held March 25-26 at UW-Fox Valley. The theme of this forum is
Sustainable Communities. The first day of the forum
includes invited plenary speakers on community sustainability
and community case study presentations featuring both in-state
and out-of-state examples. The second day of the forum will be a
hands-on, participatory session focused on public policy
opportunities and recommendations. A series of regional
Sustainable Communities Roundtables are underway to provide
input for the March forum. The Roundtables are identifying ways
that communities can engage in sustainability—based on
compelling examples from around the state—and gaining input from
participants regarding both opportunities and challenges. The
findings and recommendations from the regional Sustainable
Communities Roundtables and the Public Policy Forum on
Sustainable Communities will be summarized in a post-forum
publication. It will capture and document the broad movement
across the state toward sustainability and help translate this
grassroots interest into action through practical steps and
solutions. For additional information on the roundtables and
forum and to register for the forum, go to
Sustainable Communities Public Policy Forum.
Archived News Items
Sustainable
development is defined in the “Brundtland Report” as development
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs. Recently, emphasis has
shifted to the science of sustainability and a focus on the core
principles of ecological limits. Regardless of the definition or
approach, there is a broadly shared sense that sustainable development
explicitly recognizes the interconnections and relationships between the
economy, society, and the environment. Concepts of sustainability can
guide improved programming in Extension and better planning and
development in society at all levels from individual business plans to
international policy.
