Sustainability Committee Charge/Mission Statement

Sustainability Committee Charge/Mission Statement

Adopted by Committee: December 19, 2013
Accepted by Board of Selectmen: January 27, 2014

Establishment & Authority: The Littleton Sustainability Committee (LSC) is an appointed ad hoc committee established in 2013 by the Littleton Board of Selectmen, which invited the LSC to recommend its own proposed charge/mission statement for the Board’s approval.

Background: The community of Littleton has a long history of placing high value on our natural resources. The LSC recognizes that sustainable use and development of our community’s natural resources has direct impacts on the economic and cultural sustainability of Littleton for future generations. The LCS also acknowledges that decreasing our carbon use is critical to future generations, in the context of climate change. Sustainability involves a balance of development, commerce and resource conservation.

Purpose: The purpose of the LSC is to help in the development and implementation of Littleton`s sustainability vision, mission and related goals. The LSC will encourage development of a culture of sustainability.

Definition: Sustainability is defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”2 Sustainability is all about improving the quality of life for all Littleton residents, while best positioning the town to obtain the benefits of the three commonly accepted “pillars” of Sustainability (Social, Economic and Environmental). Implicit in this is the idea that Littleton must pay consistent attention to responsible stewardship in order to assure its long-term prosperity.

Vision: Our vision is to create a culture of sustainability that will be fully integrated into our community for the benefit of present and future generations.

Mission: To help develop a culture of sustainability in our community through a partnership with all residents, government and businesses utilizing innovation, education, communication, and comprehensive and strategic planning.

Focus Areas: The LSC will focus on the following key program areas of sustainability: 

1. Natural Resource Conservation – including but not limited to open space, low impact infrastructure development and sustainable land uses and planning
2. Energy – Energy efficient development, energy use reduction and renewable energy use
3. Waste – Waste reduction and waste management
4. Other Environmental Impact Areas 

These areas will be further refined during the planning process to establish goals. The committee will use community benchmarking and outreach to assist in the development of projects and schedules to help achieve the goals. 

Reporting: The Committee shall issue an annual report to the Board of Selectmen on its activities, progress towards sustainability goals and plans for the upcoming year. This report will also serve to communicate the activities of the LSC to the Littleton Community.