However, when society, economy and environment are viewed as separate, unrelated parts of a community, the community's problems are also viewed as isolated issues. Economic development councils try to create more jobs. Social needs are addressed by health care services and housing authorities. Environmental agencies try to prevent and correct pollution problems. Creating affordable housing is a good thing, but when that housing is built in areas far from workplaces, the result is increased traffic and the pollution that comes with it.
Piecemeal solutions tend to create opposing groups.
The pesticide DDT seemed like a good solution to insect pests at the time, but the long-term results were devastating. Rather than a piecemeal approach, what we need is a view of the community that takes into account the links between the economy, the environment and the society. The very questions asked about issues in a 'sustainable' community include references to these links. Understanding the three parts and their links is key to understanding sustainability, because sustainability is about more than just quality of life. It is about understanding the connections between achieving balance among the social, economic, and environmental pieces of a community.