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The Cape Cod Center for Sustainability recently put together what is known as the Sustainability Indicators Council, which is comprised of 26 leaders representing all of the regions and sectors of Cape Cod. Together with about 75 others, they developed the Cape Cod Sustainability Report in order to closely monitor the key issues that directly affect the sustainability of Cape Cod. The purpose of the report is to monitor trends in order to reinforce positive trends while providing an alert for negative trends that could threaten sustainability. Another goal of the report is to get the community interested in sustaining Cape Cod, because without widespread support and participation the effort is useless. .
For the 1998-1999 sustainability report the committee decided upon 12 indicators that were deemed to be "valid". In order for the indicator to be valid it had to fit a predetermined set of criteria. The indicators chosen to be monitored were .
• Civic Vitality (voting patterns).
• Health and Human Services (Population Enrolled vs. Not Enrolled in Health-Care Plan).
• Health and Human Services (Substance Abuse).
• Education and Training (High School Dropout Rates).
• Air and Water Quality (Drinking Water Quality).
• Resource Use (Acres of Land Developed and Acres of Land Protected as Open Space).
• Resource Use (Waste Generated, Recycled, Composted, Landfilled and Incinerated).
• Transportation and Mobility (Traffic Congestion as Measured by Bridge Crossings).
• Diverse Sustainable Economy (Housing Affordability Gap).
• Diverse Sustainable Economy (Income-Self Sufficiency Standard).
• Diverse Sustainable Economy (Employment and Payroll by Industry).
• Diverse Sustainable Economy (Tourism).
By closely monitoring these indicators the committee was be able to combat threats to the sustainability of the cape with increased public support and timely reactionary measures.
