The resulting plans may turn out to be a model for sustainable design efforts in other communities. Second, many of the ideas put forward at Wingsread are making their way into Federal disaster policy. For example, the final report of the federal team charged with evaluating response to the Great Flood of '93, talks about the Valmeyer model of helping communities learn about and adopt sustainable development, and proposes that federal agencies actively sponsor this approach. Sustainable development programs may be difficult or impossible to put into place when a community is in the disarray of a flood, hurricane, fire, or earthquake. But disaster preparedness can include a much richer array of options, which are readied before they're needed, and which can help communities emerge from crisis stronger than before.
Federal agencies seem to be getting the message.
Gil Friend, a systems ecologist and business strategist, is president of Gil Friend and Associates, a consulting group specializing in strategic environmental management. Please send comments to webmaster Last Updated 29 June 2000 .