Sustainable development

Posted on October 27, 2011 by admin

Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come (sometimes taught as ELF-Environment, Local people, Future). The term was used by the Brundtland Commission which coined what has become the most often-quoted definition of sustainable development as development that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Sustainable development ties together concern for the carrying capacity of natural systems with the social challenges facing humanity. As early as the 1970s “sustainability” was employed to describe an economy “in equilibrium with basic ecological support systems.” Ecologists have pointed to The Limits to Growth, and presented the alternative of a “steady state economy” in order to address environmental concerns.
The field of sustainable development can be conceptually broken into three constituent parts: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and sociopolitical sustainability.
The United Nations 2005 World Summit Outcome Document refers to the “interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars” of sustainable development as economic development, social development, and environmental protection. Based on the triple bottom line, numerous sustainability standards and certification systems have been established in recent years, in particular in the food industry.
A useful articulation of the values and principles of sustainability can be found in the Earth Charter. It offers an integrated vision and definition of strong sustainability. The document, an ethical framework for a sustainable world, was developed over several years after the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 and launched officially in 2000. The Charter derives its legitimacy from the participatory process in which it was drafted, which included contributions from hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals, and from its use since 2000 by thousands of organizations and individuals that have been using the Earth Charter as an educational instrument and a policy tool.
Sustainable development is an eclectic concept, as a wide array of views fall under its umbrella. The concept has included notions of weak sustainability, strong sustainability and deep ecology. Different conceptions also reveal a strong tension between ecocentrism and anthropocentrism. Many definitions and images of sustainable development coexist. Broadly defined, the sustainable development mantra enjoins current generations to take a systems approach to growth and development and to manage natural, produced, and social capital for the welfare of their own and future generations.
During the last ten years, different organizations have tried to measure and monitor the proximity to what they consider sustainability by implementing what has been called sustainability metrics and indices.
Sustainable development is said to set limits on the developing world. While current first world countries polluted significantly during their development, the same countries encourage third world countries to reduce pollution, which sometimes impedes growth. Some consider that the implementation of sustainable development would mean a reversion to pre-modern lifestyles.

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Sustainable Products, Best Choice For A Safe Future

Posted on February 3, 2011 by admin

Sustainable products are ever more appealing to lots of people. There are no surprises here. Despite the best efforts of those vested interests who want to keep the truth hidden, there is more than ever before being written about the environmental damage being caused by a lot of modern commercial activity. People who have a genuine concern about the planet, the human race, and the future, are seeking to support businesses whose commercial activity is sustainable, and does not cause damage to the environment in the long term.

So, what defines a sustainable product? Well, the Internet and books are full of complicated definitions and big words, but the basics of the matter are that a sustainable product is one which protects the environment during its entire life. That is, from the moment the raw materials are extracted from the source to the time the final product is disposed of, there must be no permanent damage caused to the environment. Complex metrics have now been devised which can measure any given product against this consideration, and there are many who will use these metrics to make sure that they are using sustainable products.

Of course, people who wish to protect the environment are constantly struggling to overcome competition and vested interests from conventional business. It is often cheaper, at least in the short term, to produce a product with no regard for the environment than it is to produce something sustainable. Although there are many people who will take sustainability into account when they make purchases, there are many others who will ignore these considerations and making buying choices purely on price. For many, of course, economic survival depends on sourcing the cheapest products, and these people are not in any position to consider environmental factors.

The ultimate solution to this problem can only lie with society as a whole taking responsibility for its own future, and for the future of children yet unborn. If society is to apply fair charges for damage to the environment, products which do damage will soon become economically untenable. At this point, people who make buying choices purely on price will have the incentive to buy sustainable products. As long as vested interests are able to block political moves to educate the public and bring about reform, the interests of the environment will continue to be compromised.

Despite this, there is an ever growing section of the population which will give primary consideration to sustainability. They have access to almost unlimited information via the Internet, and are able to make informed choices as to which products to buy. Sustainable products are becoming an ever more popular choice, especially when you consider that they often have a greater longevity than products which are created simply to sell for the cheapest possible price. In the end, the planet is home to all of us, and we owe it to ourselves to switch, as far as possible, to sustainable products.

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What Represent A Sustainable Community And How To Build One

Posted on February 3, 2011 by admin

A sustainable community is one where the resources available are never depleted, and are always available to any future generations. In the world today, we are living in a way which could never be described as sustainable, and if we do not make some dramatic changes, we will fail to maintain our standard of living into the future, and it will be our children who will suffer the consequences. The light at the end of the tunnel is that there is now more awareness of environmental considerations, and at last some money is being invested in developing renewable technologies.

The basic definition of sustainable is clear enough. It simply means that an activity could be carried on into the future, as any resources which are used are replaced and replenished. This is an easy concept to understand, but it can be far more difficult to quantify depending on circumstances. Allied to this is the consideration of the three overlapping factors. No longer do we need to think purely in terms of financial profit, but we need to combine financial considerations with social and environmental factors. By considering the three together, we can make accurate and informed choices.

The characteristics of a sustainable community have further definitions, although there can be considerable ambiguity as to what these mean in real terms. One of the conditions laid down in many blueprints for a sustainable community is that it must offer some sense of belonging. This is achieved through respect and tolerance for all of the diverse people living in the community. Also, there needs to be an opportunity for everyone to take part in constructive activities and feel that they are useful members of the community.

Sensitivity to the needs of both the group as a whole, and of the greater environment are also necessary, as for a community to be sustainable it must operate in a way which could be indefinitely extended. Although the needs of the community and its members are of paramount importance, it must never be forgotten that if the impact of the group on the environment is negative, then the group will not be able to survive in the long term, at least not in the form which it is in at the time.

A sustainable community needs to have people trained in a wide variety of skills, so that a diverse range of services can be provided. This will help to create a sense of pride in the community, and a sense of belonging. The higher morale can be kept in this way, the less the resources which will be lost to crime and anti-social behaviour, and the less money which needs to be spent on policing. By making sure that the needs of all members are met to the fullest extend possible in a way which can be maintained, it is possible to create a sustainable community.

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The Importance Of Sustainable Business For Our Future

Posted on February 3, 2011 by admin

Sustainable business is one of the greatest challenges facing the human race at the present time, and is one we must rise to and win. Without it, the future of our planet and the lifestyle endured by future generations will not be pleasant. We owe it to our children to take the necessary steps to ensure that our economy grows in a way which is sustainable and can be maintained. The key to solving this puzzle is using systems of accounting which consider all of the factors involved in the operation of a business, and not just the bottom line of profit or loss.

Sustainable business needs to measure the social, environmental and financial result of any given action. Only when all three factors are considered in unison can the correct choice be made as to whether or not the action will be of long term benefit to society. We are now seeing a growing awareness of these concepts, but we are also still seeing much needed change being blocked by vested interests looking to profit from actions which are actually contrary to the long term interest of everyone in society.

There is no question that we need economic growth. If growth stagnates, huge social problems occur as a result. No-one with any sense is advocating the cessation of economic growth as a solution to the world’s problems. What is needed is an integration of the economic factor with the other major factors which influence a society’s quality of life. It can happen. In isolated communities and situations, it is already happening. It needs to happen on a worldwide basis. A business world using sustainable growth models can help to create a world which will improve on an ongoing basis.

Sustainable companies have a huge part to play, and need to be supported by society as a whole. The problem, of course, is that economic incentives often mitigate against this. How many people would like to eat a diet of organic food, for example, but feel that they cannot afford to do so? Chemically grown food is cheaper, so people buy it and support the industry which is involving society in a huge long term expense. Without intervention to correct this market anomaly, the incentives for the man in the street will never change, and no progress will be made.

Sustainable business needs to create an equal amount of resource to that which it uses. Energy needs to be generated in a way which is sustainable into the long term future. This is a problem which needs to be tackled urgently, as the renewable technologies need to reach maturity before the world runs out of fossil fuel. The good news is that we are now seeing serious money and time being invested in the development of these renewable technologies. We are gradually realizing that there can no longer be sustainable economic growth without sustainable business.

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Learning How To Create And Maintain A Sustainable Environment

Posted on February 3, 2011 by admin

Creating a sustainable environment has now become a matter of life and death for the human race. We have now reached a point at which there is nowhere else to go. We either mend our ways, or we suffer and possibly even perish as a result. Already, millions of people worldwide live in extreme poverty, and suffer death through hunger and famine because of inefficient and corrupt distribution of resources. We have a completely imbalanced world, in which many cannot survive, and others are dying from degenerative diseases caused by over eating and obesity.

This same inequitable world system is causing us to use the world’s resources at a greater rate than they can be replenished, and the results of this can only be inevitable. Despite this, we are still seeing political authorities bowing to the vested interests of a select few, and continuing to put short term unsustainable profits above the long term needs of the population. It is time for change. It does have to be said that some progress is being made in some areas. We are now finally seeing large investment in renewable energy technologies which can lead us into a new world, and even a rising interest in sustainable organic farming.

The basic concept of a sustainable environment is one where the activities can be carried on for any length of time, because no resources are being consumed other than those which can be replaced. It is usually allied to a three fold concept which goes way beyond the standard accounting system where the bottom line is measured purely in financial profit. With the three fold system, social and environmental considerations are added to the financial to produce an accounting system which gives a far more accurate reflection of the true consequences of any given action.

This concept allows us to see that, for example, the renewable energy which may cost more in dollar value now is actually much cheaper in the long run, because the social and environmental impact is far less. We can continue to use these energy sources indefinitely into the future, and the supply will never run out. We can use solar and wind power, and the generations which will follow us will have exactly the same opportunity to use the resources which will not in any way have been diminished.

The concept is easy to understand in energy, but it is harder to realize in areas such as food. It is much harder to quantify the impact of any given food production system until it has been thoroughly tested. What needs to be avoided is a depletion of the soil which will lead to further crops being spoiled, or even failing to grow at all. Although sun and air are always available, using diverse farming methods is necessary to ensure that soil quality is sustainable. By using diverse organic farming and renewable energy, and by using sustainable materials in construction, we can go a long way towards creating a sustainable environment.

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