EDG Sustainability Philosophy
				We have come to recognize as a society that our resources are not limitless and that if we are to be sustained as a culture, we must find ways to live in harmony with nature --- that is to say, to define a sustainable ethic by which we live. Sustainability in its most elemental form is the ability of natural and cultural systems to maintain themselves over time. This requires us to think differently, to think of human civilization as an integral part of the natural world and that nature must be preserved and perpetuated if society is to sustain itself indefinitely.
		Environmental Design Group has chosen to apply this sustainability ethic to its design practice and to adopt the concept of sustainability as its core philosophy. We have purposely chosen to assemble professional skills in the arts and sciences that specifically address new ways of thinking about design. Our intention is to inform and partner with our clients in applying sustainability principles to their projects.
		We have adopted the following principles to guide our work:
		Recognition of Context: We will better understand historical and cultural precedents and express them in the design. We will integrate social, ethical, economic and environmental principles in our projects. We will evaluate the impact of our projects on the larger community. Treating Nature as a Model and Mentor: We will look to natural patterns on-site as a guide to appropriate development patterns. We will fit our projects into harmonious relationships with these patterns. Treatment of Natural Systems as Interdependent and Interconnected: We will look to maintain and reconnect natural systems within and adjoining our projects. Creating Projects of Long Term Value: We will seek to optimize project systems and integrate them with natural systems to promote their longevity. Materials selected for inclusion will be based on their lasting value and their minimal impact on natural systems beyond the project's boundaries. Design strategies will emphasize permanence and livability to support their continued use over time. Elimination of Excess: We will employ designs that improve efficiency and reduce materials and energy usage during construction, operations, and in maintenance. We will minimize disturbance and reuse materials wherever possible. Sharing Knowledge with Clients, Manufacturers and Colleagues: We will promote sustainability principles of site design with our working partners on projects. Our presentations to clients will seek to define the benefits of sustainability to their projects. We will work with manufacturers of materials and products we use to better achieve sustainability goals. We will share our knowledge with colleagues to promote wider acceptance of sustainability principles. Reuse of Already Disturbed Areas: We will promote the reuse of disturbed sites as a way to protect undisturbed sites from development and to reinhabit and restore degraded landscapes. We will include restoration of all site systems - soil, water, vegetation and wildlife -- as an ordinary part of our projects. We will identify systems at risk and seek to restore their stability.

Copyright 2005 Environmental Design Group, Inc.