If we desire long-term prosperity, we must consider which actions will preserve and enhance natural resources for current and future generations. A third dynamic of community is equity, or fairness. Ideally everyone in a community shares in its well-being. In reality, this is seldom the case. Usually some people do very well while others face severe hardship.
Equity is the fairness of relationships between people, groups of people and generations of people.
Equitable communities provide opportunities for everyone to participate in activities, benefits and decisions. They consider not only how their choices affect current residents but also how they will affect the choices available to future generations. They are closely interwoven and dependent, much like the triplet pairings that you just saw operating in our simulated ecosystem or community. When one is out of kilter, the others are affected. These three dynamics of community are the heart of a process called sustainable community development.