Often, when people talk about “the community” or the concept of community, they tend to ignore the fact that the environment is a critical part of it. We rely on the natural resources that the environment provides to survive, and it is our responsibility to consideritwhen making decisions that might have an impact. When implementing a project, potential impacts must be weighed so the leaders of the community can determine whether the project will cause more harm than good to the environment.
If significant environmental damage is unavoidable, such as surface or groundwater contamination, the community should consider alternatives for the project, and even whether or not the project should be executed. Open communication is crucial. Projects could have serious consequences when one or more participating groups are ignored. Lack of communication can lead to project designers missing out on important information before or after implementation.Building trust between the community and the engineers is critical. Without trust, it is going to be difficult, even impossible, for the technology to be implemented or practiced within the community.
Yao Qian, Director of Engineering, IX Power Clean Water