The City is currently involved in creating a Sustainable Development plan.

Sustainable Development means that communities plan to use all of their resources in the best possible ways. They re-use buildings that already exist before building new ones. They recycle, and they use more renewable energy sources. They have affordable housing choices. They encourage businesses that provide good jobs and don't hurt the environment. They protect and restore wetlands, animal habitats and recreation land, and they offer a variety of safe transportation options, like buses, bike lanes and walking trails.

In short, they make decisions by thinking about how those decisions will affect the community for future generations.

The Mayor was very impressed that several Northampton students came to the public hearings and testified about the Sustainable Development plans. And recently, a second grade class visited Mayor Higgins in her office and shared with her some of their ideas about what a Sustainable Northampton would look like. The Mayor knows that the decisions we are making today will affect the Northampton our students will inherit, and she is grateful to hear from our city's young people.

If you have ideas about how Northampton should look in the future, please send them to Mayor Higgins by email (mayor@northamptonma.gov) or at her office (210 Main Street, Northampton, MA 01060). Mayor Higgins will be happy to hear from you.

Here is some of the artwork and words from some of the second graders. The artwork of the entire class was on display in the Mayor's office in December 2005.