Author(s)

MONTO MANI, K. VARGHESE, L.S. GANESH

Abstract

An integrated study into the sustainability of human settlements requires a holistic consideration of the interlinked natural and human processes. This paper presents an integrated study on the sustainability of a human settlement, using community attitudes and the living environment as determinants of sustainability. This exercise is unique in the fact that it emphasizes a systemic evaluation of sustainability, avoiding the temptation of simulation models. Such exercises would improve the modelers’ insight and ability to understand the likely implications of human actions and their impact on sustainability. Human settlements, particularly suburban residential areas in the developing world, face an unprecedented array of problems attributed to unhealthy living environments. This study is based on a suburban community of approximately 3,000 families, residing around a lake in Velachery, South India. The study involves three community surveys and adopts a systemic approach to evaluate sustainability by assessing likely impacts of the community’s lifestyle on its living environment.

Keywords

attitude, health, human settlements, integrated study, lifestyle, sustainability, systems thinking, water and sanitation