Community Collaborative
Highlighting Key Findings: Environment & Community Connections Indicators
|
Environment
Indicator data shows that the percentage of days with good air
quality has decreased from 67% in 2000 to 42% in 2005. However, over a
third (38%) of residents did not believe that air quality
was an issue, and 62% believed resources were adequate to address this
issue. Fewer community leaders (39%) believed resources
were adequate, and only 18% of residents (written) believed this.
The recycling rate varies by community, but overall our community
recycles or diverts 29% of our waste. Approximately a third of
residents and leaders believe recycling is a major
issue.
Community Connections
Washtenaw County has not yet systematically collected much data
about civic engagement and arts and culture in the County.
Nevertheless the County has abundant resources in this
area.
With the exception of voting rates which have increased from
62.3% in 2000 to 69.5% in 2004 (both presidential election years) the
other indicators in this study have data for only one
point in time. There is a recently completed study of the economic
impact of the arts in Washtenaw County and Youth
Empowered to Act (YEA) is currently conducting a county-wide youth
asset map project. These studies are first time efforts.
If they continue they can provide us with valuable data. A next step
could be to conduct a qualitative case study and map the arts
resources and civic engagement opportunities in the county.
This would be a first step in identifying potential data sources that
could be developed and reported in the future.
|
 |
