Sustainable community remains an ideal rather than a practice in the modern world.
A sustainable community lives in balance with the natural context in which it is located. It recycles nearly 100 percent of wastes while minimizing the use of virgin materials. It also makes the greatest possible use of renewable energy, and the most efficient use of energy supplies. A sustainable community pays special attention to how land is used and buildings are constructed, since most stress placed on the natural world by human communities is the product of urban sprawl and wasteful buildings. Reducing the need for transportation by weaving a tighter, more diversified fabric of settlement is a hallmark of sustainable community design.