Adoption of sustainability initiatives in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio

Insights regarding planning for sustainable development have largely focused on cases that highlight communities making dramatic changes to promote the concept. Noticeably absent from the literature, however, has been an examination of what characteristics contribute to the adoption of sustainability-related activities by less celebrated communities. This study attempts to address that deficiency through a survey of planning directors across municipalities and counties in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. The survey, in conjunction with census data and a calculated sustainable activities index (SAI), serves as the foundation for comparative and regression analyses. Findings of the study indicate that the significant contributors to the SAI scores include community population size, familiarity with the concept of sustainability, discussion of the concept by planning staff, and having activities with sustainability as a goal. We offer recommendations based on our findings.