The Triple Bottom Line Analysis is designed to help users select conservation practices by providing simple plain-language descriptions of practices, combined with quantitative practice scores intended to lower the background knowledge threshold for stakeholders to select the most appropriate practices for their community or property. This analysis is not a how-to manual or a technical guide but an entry point and conversation starter. It can also be utilized as a filter or ranking system to prioritize specific aspects of practices that are most important for users. This analysis primarily focuses on structural “on-the-ground” conservation practices and not behavioral changes or outreach campaigns.

The Triple Bottom Line evaluates structural options across three core dimensions: Environmental, Economic, and Social factors. The Triple-Bottom Line Analysis is a scoring system that quantifies the effectiveness of a BMP in these three areas. The “Environmental” criteria focus on pollutant reduction efficiency and other ecological improvements. The “Economic” criterion considers capital and maintenance costs. The “Social” criterion considers aspects of implementation and community acceptance. Subscores range from 0 to 5 for Environmental and Economic and 0 to 3 for Social factors. Environmental and Economic scores relied on literature values in each category, while Social scores relied on professional judgment. For the overall Environmental, Economic, and Social scores, the subscores were summed and normalized to a maximum score of 100 in each category. The Triple Bottom Line score is the normalized average of the Environmental, Economic, and Social Scores to provide a balanced overview of BMP sustainability and impact.

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Learn more by reading the document below or by interacting with the Triple Bottom Line BMP Selection Tool.