What Gets Measured Gets Done--UPDATED!

Number of Dunwoody residences that participate in curbside recycling, out of total number of residences

If there is one thing I know for sure, it is that that old adage, What Gets Measured Gets Done, is true. I recently undertook a family-based challenge to see what sustainability objectives we could reach over time. Here is my update from the last seven months.

And so, as we are about to set free the balloons celebrating Day 1 of operations for the City of Dunwoody (okay, I have no idea whether or not there will be balloons, and yes, I know those are dangerous to wildlife!), I ask us one simple question: what is it that we want to measure regarding sustainability? This is the most important question, because what we decide to measure is what will get done. Period. It is as simple as that.

Here are some places to start, with quantifiable baselines we can gather right now:

Recycling:

* Number of residences participating in curbside recycling (see visual above)
* Number of businesses who recycle
* Number of public space recycling containers

Food:

* Pounds of food donated from Dunwoody supermarkets, restaurants, catered events and home gardens to Atlanta's Table**
* Acreage-per-1,000 residents of locally-produced food
* Number of school, place of worship or community food gardens
* Number of home food gardens
* Amount of locally-grown or produced food (within 100 miles) available at supermarkets and in school lunchrooms
* Number of trees available for gleaning in the Fruitful Dunwoody database
* Number and size of farmers markets
* Number of residents who participate in CSAs, which is the delivery of local farm-fresh food each week

Transportation:

* Number of children who walk or bike to school
* Number of children who ride the school bus
* Number of daily commuters who ride MARTA
* Number of bike racks throughout the city

Water:

* Percentage of residential and commerical water use reduced year-over-year
* Number of residents with rain barrels
* Number of businesses with rain harvesting systems
* Number of residents with native plantings
* Number of businesses with native plantings

Other:

* Number of lawns that are pesticide-free
* Number of schools with No-Idling zones
* Number of City policies that support ARC Green Community standards
* Acreage-per-1,000 residents of greenspace
* Number of NWF Certified Wildlife Habitats

What sustainability objectives do you think are worth measuring?

** FYI, you might be interested in this article that was published just today about the effect of the shrinking economy on food banks.

UPDATE: November 13, 2008

The curiosity got the better of me, and I counted the "blue boxes and bags" out by the curbside in my neighborhood yesterday. And I am very proud to report that more than 32% of the residences in my neighborhood participate in curbside recycling! The actual number is surely higher, since every participant may not have had their stuff out when I counted. 32%! That's almost twice the overall Dunwoody percentage!

Doesn't this make you a little bit curious as to how your neighborhood stacks up? What is the most eco-conscious neighborhood in Dunwoody? If it is yours, wouldn't that make a great house-for-sale flyer bullet?