You can get a whole lot better at answering that question with the right measuring tools. One of the resources I use with my sustainability classes is freely put out by an organization called "Whole Measures." Whole Measures is a "tool center" for Whole Communities developed to help communities describe and measure the relationships they want to foster between land and people. It employs a highly integrated, whole systems approach that looks at a variety of communal and environmental issues, including biodiversity, social equity, human rights, civic engagement, and landscape-scale conservation.
If your organization is looking for such tools, you might consider attending one of the Whole Measures Workshops. They are being held Tuesday, July 10 through Friday, July 13 at Center for Whole Communities, Knoll Farm, Vermont, and again Tuesday, December 4 through Thursday December 6 at Interaction Institute for Social Change in Boston, Massachusetts.
Click here to be wisked to the Whole Measures website and workshop information.
