As the most advanced of life forms on earth, in terms of consciousness, humans have been engaged in improving their knowledge about healthy living since antiquity. But it has only been in the last fifty years, or so, that our quest for better living has included our environment (physical, chemical, and biological) as a primary determinant of our individual health as well as collective well-being. Since James Lovelock’s groundbreaking Gaia Hypothesis (formulated in the 1960s and published in the 70s), both academic circles and policymakers have attained a heightened level of awareness about developing eco-friendly communities and running a better management of earth’s resources.

The need to develop green communities was mainly realized due to the research work by conservation biologists since the mid 1960s. Their findings revealed an alarming threat of human activity to earth’s environment and life, including human life itself. To sustain the ecosystems in which we live, conservation biology underscores the importance of stopping/minimizing the loss of vital environmental components; recovering those that have been lost; and maintaining an optimal balance between various ecological components. In addition, it cares to achieve these aims at an affordable cost. Failing to do so, we now know, can pose serious risks to the quality of life for all living forms (including humans) on this planet, and also to their very survival in the long run.

Efforts to establish green communities (eco-friendly or environmental-friendly communities) and ensure a positive change on a global level, with respect to environment and development, gained considerable momentum after the famous ‘Earth Summit’ in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. The summit was a significant breakthrough in the direction of establishing environmental-friendly communities that would be free from production of poisonous/harmful chemicals; would find alternative energy sources in order to save the rapidly-declining reserves of fossil fuels, whose use is also damaging the quality of our environment; and would strive to conserve the diversity of life and culture on the planet.

Owing to the importance of green communities, many government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been working for preventing the loss of natural environment through various strategies. In this regard, two main areas of focus are: sustainable management of land, and organic farming (eco-friendly agriculture), particularly in rural areas. Biology, ecology, medicine, agriculture, anthropology, geography, and advanced information systems are some of the more important partners in the quest for a better life on planet earth. Developing eco-friendly communities has thus become a cry for survival beyond the moment.

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