The City of Bend and Sustainability ... Charting a path to the future

Bend is in the midst of change. The city's lifestyle, location and natural beauty have been drawing people who are relocating to a better quality of life. This growth offers new opportunities and challenges to the community. To maintain the community's strengths and take advantage of new prospects, the City government has developed a sustainable strategy - a set of goals and strategies based on what is regionally appropriate as well as what is regionally available. The City has an opportunity to lead by example, promoting sustainability within its own operations.

What is Sustainability?
Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability consist of policies, programs and practices that support resource efficiency leading to improvements in the economy, enhanced social-welfare, and conservation of the environment. 

How will the City incorporate a sustainable strategy?
The City of Bend is committed to effectively managing its impact on the economy, the environment and the people of Bend. The City expects to incorporate a sustainable strategy by utilizing the framework of balancing needs related to the economy, environment, and City values in Bend.  

For the City of Bend, sustainability is about common ground and common goals. As a set of practical guiding principles, sustainability means the deliberate and conscious effort to ensure the well being of all the area's citizens over the long term, within the constraints of economic concerns and natural resource stewardship. By pursuing a sustainability strategy, the city will, in essence, be seeking the best total value for its available resources, whether they are budgets, employees, physical property or raw materials.