About Us
Sustainable Cobourg was formed in the summer of 2008 to organize or participate in local environmental projects, educate and increase the public’s understanding of the environment and its importance, develop and offer programs promoting the protection and preservation of the environment, and conduct and disseminate research relating to the environment.
Current areas of concern include urban planning, energy conservation and renewable energy, water quality and protection, waste reduction, climate change, farmland protection, transportation, personal health, developing a sustainable, local economy and enhancing the quality of life in Cobourg.
Sustainable Cobourg’s focus is primarily on the Town of Cobourg, but planning and growth issues in surrounding towns and rural areas (environs) that affect Cobourg are also within the scope of our vision.
Sustainable Cobourg is comprised of four committees:
• Town Hall Committee
• Bicycle Action Committee
• Food Action Committee
• Eco-Action Committee
Purpose
The purpose of Sustainable Cobourg is to support and engage in activities that maintain and enhance the environmental, physical, economic, and social health of Cobourg residents by promoting sustainability within the Town of Cobourg and its immediate environs.
“Sustainability” is a state where the demands placed upon the environment by people and commerce can be met without reducing the capacity of the environment to provide for future generations. It can also be expressed in the simple terms of a golden rule for society:
“Leave the world better than you found it, take no more than you need, try not to harm life or the environment, make amends if you do.”
(drawn from The Ecology of Commerce by Paul Hawkin)
Vision
Our vision is of Cobourg as a sustainable community. One where the values of environmental stewardship and sustainability are reflected in individual, community, business, and government behaviours and are consistently support through sustainable products, policies, purchases, programmes, and actions.
This vision covers all areas of human interaction with the environment including the protection and restoration of natural areas of wildlife, the efficient and sustainable use of natural resources, and the minimization of waste and pollution.
Mission
Sustainable Cobourg will:
- Actively promote change toward sustainability
- Promote and coordinate research and innovation in Cobourg in the field of sustainability
- Plan and implement sustainable practices and activities throughout Cobourg
- Encourage and facilitate the involvement of all Cobourg residents in applying the principles, methods, and practices of sustainability.
