Introducing Sustainable Dunwoody

This week, citizens of Dunwoody elected to make Dunwoody a city. It will be the first new city in Dekalb County, Georgia (in the United States) in 71 years. I voted yes because:

* It is a unique and important opportunity for children to witness the creation of a city first-hand.

* I believe that together we can actually make a noticeable difference in this world by starting with the communities in which we live.

I am a writer who has lived in Atlanta for 19 years, 13 of which have been in Dunwoody. In addition to corporate work, I write often about everyday life. Sometimes, perhaps, I can encourage discussion or debate. Other times I hope I can inspire action or share information that others find useful. But, in general, I simply bear witness. I put myself out there and experience things and then I just tell it like I find it. My beat is sustainability, and I write a daily blog titled FoodShed Planet that nurtures sustainability close to home and around the world (and other food for thought), so, grant it, that is the lens through which I view the world.

That is what I intend to do as a citizen of the new city of Dunwoody through this blog, Sustainable Dunwoody. I define sustainability, when applied to urban and suburban environments, as the creation of health, wealth and community while retaining and restoring natural resources. The goals of a sustainable community, as I see it, are to have:

* A vibrant local economy of small businesses supported by citizens as well as responsible corporations that tread lightly on the land and give back to the community

* Robust neighborhoods that enhance social capital and increase safety

* Transportation alternatives that reduce dependence on automobiles and encourage the health of citizens

* Recreation opportunities that enable safe free play and interaction with nature

* A secure, affordable local food system

* Active protection and enhancement of natural resources such as green spaces, the local watershed, and the air we collectively breathe

* Educational opportunities that enable our children to develop in 360-degree awareness of the world in which they live

And so, off we go. I will profile neighborhoods, civic groups, businesses and more. I will call attention to "opportunities for improvement" that I'm finding in my travels, and I will shout it out about things I see that are really working.

KUDOS: To All Saints Church (where I voted Tuesday) for having the best integrated pedestrian experience I have found yet in Dunwoody. Those arriving as pedestrians are not dumped into the parking lot, as in almost everywhere else, but rather have a continuous, safe sidewalk all the way to the church.

COULD IMPROVE: We arrived on bike, however, and did not find a bike rack. In fact, here are the only bike racks we have found so far in Dunwoody:

* The MARTA train station
* Zaban Park
* REI
* The schools

Specific places we have visited that do NOT have a bike rack include:

* The Dunwoody Public Library! (What's up with that?)
* Kroger
* Blockbuster
* Panera
* SunTrust Bank

You may be interested in this recent FoodShed Planet post about my experiences riding the Dunwoody MARTA buses.

Please feel free to post comments regarding sustainability in Dunwoody or email me at freshbakedcopy@mindspring.com with places or groups that you think I ought to check out because of the great things they are doing about issues relating to sustainability!

Here's to a wonderful, sustainable, successful city for all of us.

--Pattie