Sustainability is a concept that poses arguments and distinct ideas from people. Although the entire human race endeavors to attain a stable and sustainable life, the number of individuals following the principles to achieve this is low. However, this is not a barrier to the researchers continuing to device new strategies and principles without considering the people ready to follow the approaches or those not prepared to pursue them.
In this light, it is vital to identify the various ways in which people can determine the principles to apply when struggling towards sustainability. The metrics identified will assist individuals to make this determination in order to arm them with the most suited style. In a bid to perform this task, this assessment will compare and contrast the widely spread models known as Thring sufficiency concept and Bellagio principles for sustainable development.
Similarities
The similarities between these two models are copious as described under various fields. According to Tester, Drake, Driscoll, Golay, and Peters (2012), Thring sufficiency concept advocates a broader view about attributes beyond the use of energy. Similarly, Tester et al. (2012) present one Bellagio principle suggesting the vitality of wholesomeness and considering the consequences under social, ecological, and economic levels. The target outcomes of these two models are identifying the optimum living conditions for sustainable development.
Moreover, they identify the importance of revealing information to the public in order to serve their needs. Thring sufficiency concept points out how monitoring the system performance is fundamental. This is also evident in the Bellagio principles which recommend the determination of trends to work as indicators of progress. Finally, the models appreciate that the responsibility of each person and the government is to follow the approaches in order to form sustainable systems.
Differences
There are instances of distinction between these approaches. First, the organization and details of Bellagio principles are adequate. Consequently, the model is more directive and promising to attain the best life attributes of sustainability. However, Thring concept is less detailed and pays attention to individual input on cases. In fact, the concept omits the description of strategies to attain sustainability as in Bellagio principles.
Thring Application
Thring concept stipulates that the urban transportation must be enough for all people to use when visiting the urban centers. Essentially, poor and insufficient transport arouses adequate problems including the failure of punctuality and presence of employees in their working sites. On the other hand, when the transport system is in excess, there is congestion of vehicles and requirement of more road facilities to serve their exceeding tally.
In this light, Thring sufficiency concept would advocate for the elimination of personal vehicles and recommend public transport through buses or trains that emit fewer gases and cause low negative effects. However, the application of this step must be done in consultation and agreement of the people and the government.
Bellagio Application
The application of Bellagio principles is through the application of step to step procedures. In this light, the government should create concise goals to establishing a sustainable urban transport system. This is followed by a holistic plan to address all attributes of the system including the effects, availability, and cost of the system among others. This section must include all problem essentials in the discussion and determine what will be implemented.
Moreover, the prevailing state of the transport system will be studied before implementing the planned schedule of the project. The implementation will be guided by timelines indicating the completion of various categories within the plan. The plan can be divided into road construction, and vehicles’ production among others. Moreover, it will be monitored as advocated by Bellagio through identifying trends. These trends can be measured through tracing the count of personal vehicle, public satisfaction, and air pollution among others.
This assessment can be performed by supervisors who spy the activities and know where there are problems. Updated information about the project will be revealed to the people in an open and apparent manner. This will be done through checking reports on the implementation process. In addition, this openness will be proved further by accepting comments and suggestions from the public in order to serve them effectively through concise communication.
The communication should contain precise time limits on project activities bounding the people, the implementers, and the government towards a chosen goal. Also, the stakeholders must have the opportunities to participate in developing the plan. This implies that the employees, officials, and entrepreneurs among others will be involved when making the plan. However, all arrangements will be the responsibility of the government including the act of arguing the people to share visions.
Conclusion
Bellagio principles and the Thring sufficiency concept have promising outcomes when applied together in a wise manner. The principles can be applied as a baseline for sustainability, while the concept can be applied during evaluation and assessment. The application of these metrics is not only primary sustainable development, but also vital in ensuring that there are high chances of successful sustainability.
Reference
Tester, J.W., Drake, E.M., Driscoll, M.J., Golay, M.W., & Peters, W.A. (2012). Sustainable energy: Choosing among options. Cambridge, MA: Mit Press.