Community The Power to Change

The Connection between Community and a Sense of Place Social communities that connect people based on an emotional relationship and identification may be created according to shared world views and practices, similar social or ethnic background or a sense of connection to the place where people share a common socio-geographical space. This is an emotional and cognitive connection to a place where people feel ‘at home’ – they are familiar with the surroundings and know how to instinctively conduct themselves as it relates to accepted worldview, spoken language, moral values, etc. Generally, a sense of place is created when the person lives for many years in one location. At times, he may even have been born there and he considers himself a member of this place both in the past and in the future. There is a connection between a strong local affiliation and the adoption of a concept of sustainability. It is reasonable to assume that a person who feels a connection to the area in which he resides and wants to continue to live, will strive and take steps to preserve his natural environment. Thus, in places where people tend to feel ‘at home’, sustainable communities that promote an environmental agenda are likely to be formed. On the local level, community activity is a wonderful opportunity for people from a variety of populations to feel affiliation and to work toward social and environmental change. Concern for the environment combines social values, and both ethical and ecological issues which together strengthen the relationship to the place and improve the quality of life of the communities that share common environmental resources.

Sustainability is attained with love (for the place) or (apparently…) it is not achieved at all

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