With One Stroke of the Pen: How Can Extension Professionals Involve Developers and Policymakers in Creating Sustainable Communities?

Residential developments have a huge impact on natural resources, and sustainable or "green" communities are beginning to be built throughout the United States. Ultimately, with one stroke of a pen, developers, planners, and policymakers determine how a community will look and feel for many years to come. To interface with this non-traditional audience, we have created a new program called the Program for Resource Efficient Communities (PREC ) at the University of Florida. Through our experiences, we discuss the importance of partnering with developers, planners, and policymakers, and techniques to create resource-efficient communities.