Problem

There are many definitions of resilience from simple deterministic views of resilience anchored in Newtonian mechanics to far more dynamic views of resilience from a systems perspective, including insights from quantum mechanics and the sciences of complexity.  One baseline perspective of resilience sees it in terms of the viability of socio-ecological systems as the foundation for sustainability.  For those that are ready to look beyond resilience as the ability to return to the "normal state" before a disaster, take a look at:

http://www.resalliance.org/

Empowering Sustainability in San Francisco’s Neighborhoods

Using a Cloud Computing-based Distributed Smart Grid

There is a saying that trends are built in San Francisco, and when these innovations (born in the Bay Area and tested in California) hit New York, they are already beginning to fundamentally change the world we live in.

Overview

The San Francisco Bay Area has one of the largest concentrations of high technology companies and venture capital firms in the world.  As a result of its innovative cultures, history of strong earthquakes, and the recent economic downturn in California under conditions of rapid global change, the City of San Francisco is ratcheting up not only its emergency preparedness, but also its resilience and sustainability initiatives.  The goal is to create a new type of vibrant citizen-based leadership facing forward into the 21^st century that enables San Francisco neighborhoods and communities of interest to thrive under otherwise uncertain and challenging times.

How are you and your neighborhood doing in terms of your ecological Footprint?  There are many ways to calculate ecological footprint and many different tools that can be used.  Below is a mainstream assessment tool that will give you a quick sense of your ecological footprint and how to reduce it.  

http://www.myfootprint.org/

To know more about your environment in San Francisco, go to:

http://www.sfenvironment.org/our_programs/topics.html?ti=19