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sustainability

"meeting today's needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs"

This definition of sustainability was created in 1987 at the World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission). It is similar to the "seventh generation" philosophy of the Native American Iroquois Confederacy.

The Seventh Generation philisophy comes from the Gayaneshakgowa, the Great Law of Peace of the Haudenosaunee, the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy. This states that: "in our every deliberation we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations."

Areas of Sustainability:

  • Sustainable agriculture is a system that can evolve indefinitely toward greater human utility, greater efficiency of resource use and a balance with the environment which is which is favourable to humans and most other species. Harwood (1990)
  • We define agricultural sustainability as the ability to maintain productivity, whether as a field or farm or nation. Where productivity is the output of valued product per unit of resource input. Conway & Barbier (1990).
  • Sustainable development, sustainable growth and sustainable use have been used interchangeably as if their meanings were the same. They are not. Sustainable growth is a contradiction in terms: nothing physical can grow indefinitely. Sustainable use is only applicable to renewable resources. Sustainable development is used in this strategy to mean: improving the quality of human life whilst living within the carrying capacity of the ecosystems. IUCN, UNEP, WWF (1991).
  • Factors of Sustainable Development:
  • Development involves devising a social and economic system, which ensures that these goals are sustained, i.e. that real incomes rise, that educational standards increase, that the health of the nation improves, that the general quality of life is advanced. Pearce, Makandia & Barbier (1989).
  • Development is about realising resource potential, Sustainable development of renewable natural resources implies respecting limits to the development process, even though these limits are adjustable by technology. The sustainability of technology may be judged by whether it increases production, but retains it other environmental and other limits. Holdgate (1993)
  • Development is concerned with the development of a society where the costs of development are not transferred to future generations, or at least an attempt is made to compensate for such costs. Pearce (1993)

Sustainability reflects a growing awareness of our future as individuals, families, communities, nations and planet, and the ways we interact with each other and our physical environment. It is usually measured in terms of economic, environmental and social values, summed up by the following basic Principles:

  • Living within our environmental limits
  • Cleaning up and preventing pollution
  • Understanding the interconnecting relationships between our economy, our society and our environment, and responding in a measured way to ensure the well-being of all.

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What Can I Do? ~ CONSUME LESS STUFF!

At Home:

  • Turn It Off. Turn off lights, computers, TVs, radios, and any other equipment when not in use.
  • Unplug It. Many electronics such as TVs, computers, cell phone chargers, electric razors, etc. still use power when they are plugged in.
  • Use Natural Light. If you don’t need lights, don’t turn them on.
  • Use a Lamp. Use a lamp instead of lighting an entire room.
  • Use CFLs. Replace all frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), which use about 25% of the energy that incandescent bulbs use.
  • Air Condition Naturally. When it is cooler than 80°F outside, open two windows, one at the highest point of your house and the other on the shady side of the ground floor. This will create a natural airflow through your house. Also, cover your south-facing windows with light colored shades or blinds to reduce solar heat gain.
  • Use Fans. Ceiling fans use about as much electricity as a light bulb, that is about two percent of the electricity of a central air system.
  • Use a Programmable Thermostat. This way you can avoid running the heat when nobody is home, set the system to turn on before you get there.
  • Heat Wisely. In the winter, set your thermostat to 68°F. Set it cooler at night and when nobody is home. Make sure windows, doors, and any other openings are shut tightly; if you feel cool air coming in from outdoors, fix it!
  • Insulate. Throughout winter and summer, insulation will protect you from wasting energy and keep your home more comfortable.
  • Take Shorter Showers. This saves on water and the energy required to heat the water.
  • Wash Dishes By Hand. If you don’t have too many dishes to do wash them by hand. If you use the washing machine, set it to the low power and low water modes and only use when it is full.
  • Laundry Wash clothes only when they need to be washed and only run full loads. Use cold or warm water instead of hot, which will save on energy. Hang dry your clothes as much as possible.
  • Water Plants in the Morning. Water outdoor plants only when necessary and only during the cool part of the morning. When you water during the hottest part of the day, 90% of the water can be lost through evaporation.

 

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Waste Management

  • Reduce-Reuse-Recycle. Reducing the amount of stuff you use is the first priority.
  • Print Only If Necessary. You know to recycle paper, but you might not know that the quality of paper degrades each time it is recycled. After paper is recycled several times, the fibers are too small to make new paper.
  • Print Wisely. Print Double-Sided. Be mindful of how much paper you will use and adjust your document accordingly. Cut down the margins. Print single or 1.5 spaced. Delete text you do not need.
  • Drink Tap Water Instead of Bottled Water. The production of a plastic bottle requires around 16 times the volume of the bottle in water. Tap water quality is perfectly fine to drink. Any discolouration or other problems with tap water are likely to come from your own pipes.
  • Choose Reusable Instead of Disposable.
  • Recycle Everything You Cannot Reuse. Recycle all your paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, and aluminum cans. Donate unwanted stuff to your local charity shop or post on your community board.
  • Compost Food Waste. If you have the space, compost food waste to turn it into great soil for your garden.

Eat Healthier. For your own sustainability, eat well balanced meals.

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At Work

  • Develop Sustainability Guidelines. Develop sustainability guidelines for your place of work that describe specific sustainability practices that could be followed. Think of all the activities your workplace is involved in when developing the guidelines.
  • Think Sustainability. When selecting equipment and products, select those that minimize water and energy use and generate the minimum amount of waste products, including wastewater. When contracting services, select vendors who have incorporated sustainability into the services they provide, including the products they use and the means by which they manage waste products resulting from the services they perform.
  • Purchase Recycled Materials. For any materials you purchase, check for products that contain recycled material. Also, consider if the product can be recycled at the end of its life.
  • Reduce Paper Usage. Send documents and memos electronically. If you must print, print double-sided.
  • Use Recycling Bins! Recycling bins are in most workplaces these days. If your workplace does not have a recycling program, talk to your supervisor about starting one.
  • Reduce Chemical Usage and Hazardous Waste. If your business uses chemicals, purchase chemical products that are “environmentally-friendly”, that is, non-hazardous, whenever possible. Only buy the quantity needed. Unused chemicals make up the majority of the hazardous waste requiring disposal.
  • Report Maintenance Issues. If you see a leaky tap, a running toilet, lights left on, or anything else that is wasting water or energy, highlight the issue.
  • Be a Role Model. People learn from their peers. If you want other people to take care of the environment, then lead the way.

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Commuting

  • Take Public Transport.
  • Ride a Bike. The bicycle is the most efficient form of personal transportation every invented and it uses no fossil fuels!
  • Accelerate Gently. Save gas and reduce harmful emissions by accelerating gently.
  • Maintain Your Vehicle. Changing your oil, replacing the air filter, and doing all the other recommended maintenance will keep your car running efficiently and help it last longer.  Washing and waxing even helps out down wind resistance, but do not wash your car unless it's really dirty.  Inflate your tires to the maximum PSI listed on the sidewall of the tire instead of what is listed by your auto manufacturer.  The ride might be a bit stiffer but you will have much less rolling resistance.

Shopping

  • Buy Less Stuff. Focus your shopping on needs rather than wants.
  • Buy products that are produced locally. Doing so promotes a healthy local economy and reduces fuel consumption from the transportation of goods.
  • Avoid Excessive Packaging.
  • Bring a Bag. Use reusable bags or a backpack to avoid using plastic bags.
  • Buy Recycled Materials. Close the recycling loop and make recycling more cost-effective.
  • Buy Energy Star Products. Look for the Energy Star logo on products such as light bulbs, windows, TVs, etc., they use less energy than non-Energy Star products.
  • When it is time to replace your vehicle, buy a car that suits your needs and is fuel efficient.

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