The natural capital of the environment is all the things that nature provides for us, such as raw materials to make clothing, buildings, and food. It also includes the amenities or services that nature provides such as air to breathe, protection from ultraviolet light, rain to water our crops, and wetlands to filter water and prevent flooding. Human and social capital include the people that make up a community and their education, skills, and health. Another important part of human capital is the connections among people, the way people work together to solve problems or run a community. It includes volunteer efforts and the community's governing structure.
Economic capital includes built structures like roads, bridges, and buildings in the community.
It also includes manufactured goods, information resources, and the net worth or monetary assets of the community and its members. A sustainable community is one that nurtures all its capital so that the community continues to improve. The community lives off the interest of its community capital instead of using up that capital. All three types of capital are equally important. They need to be balanced and managed carefully to ensure that the community does not deteriorate.