Learning How To Create And Maintain A Sustainable Environment
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.