Lifestyle Sustainability and the Environment Essay examples

Lifestyle Sustainability and the Environment In a perfect ecosystem everything gives and takes equally, and the cycle of life is sustained perpetually. Our current lifestyle is not environmentally sustainable. We consume more and more of the earths resources and give very little, if any, in return. The Brundtland Commission defines lifestyle sustainability as being development that seeks to meet the needs and aspirations of the present without compromising the ability to meet those of the future. Many factors are contributing to how humankind uses the earths resources and how humankind views the goal of sustainability. Public opinion, government intervention, and manufacturers seem to have the largest influence in determining how†¦show more content†¦Around the world we see groundwater supplies being depleted, agricultural soils being degraded, oceans being over-fished, oil reserves being drawn down, and forests being cut faster than they can re-grow, (Nebel and Wright, 2000, p. 6). The largest percentage of the worlds population lives in developing countries. These developing countries oftentimes have not established environmental controls in their manufacturing and farming techniques. For example, the use of DDT, long since banned for use in the United States, still sees widespread use in many developing Nations. The use of DDT is dangerous not only to insects, but also to the entire food chain, of which man is unavoidably a part. This is not to say that developed countries are not polluting. In fact, many times it is the developed countries that are exploiting the environment intentionally for personal or commercial gain. The U.S., for example, is the worlds number one producer of garbage and industrial waste. The 6% of the worlds population living in the U.S. uses an estimated 25 to 50% of the worlds nonrenewable resources and produces about 15 to 40% of the worlds waste. (Sustainable America, 1996:143) Despite the fact that most countries do have constraints and limits set for pollution, the y are still a long way from being environmentally friendly. Pollution comes in many forms: air, water, and land. Air and water resources can and should be considered global resources. The misuse of theseShow MoreRelatedSustainability And The Current Global Development Model1680 Words   |  7 PagesNations Panel on Global sustainability in January 2012, which encourages sustainable actions. Moreover, this report advises people to use their human rights to pursue sustainability and encourages governments to take the proper initiatives to resolve current day issues. Currently, social issues such as, poverty, deforestation, global hunger, and climate changes are all leading factors of our failing environment. This report along with other sources portray sustainability as a social solution involvingRead MoreHow Many Planets Worth Of Natural Capital Do We Require For Everyone You Live Like You?1101 Words   |  5 PagesQuestion 1 a) How many planets worth of natural capital do we require for everyone to live like you? According to Appendix A, if every individual had my lifestyle, two planets would have been required for the adequate provision of resources. Surprisingly, to support my needs, an emission of 7.4 tons of carbon dioxide as well as 4.2 global hectares of the Earth’s productive land would be needed. The entailed land compromises of: †¢ 48% of Energy land (i.e. land required to accommodate my carbon emission)Read MoreWhat Can Raise Awareness Of Sustainable Consumption Of Textiles For College Students1637 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction: Many consumers aren’t educated on the importance of sustainability of clothing and textiles. The media mistakenly represents sustainability and the influence it can have on the environment. This research paper will attempt to address the question of what could raise awareness of sustainable consumption of textiles for college students. Consumers should all be aware of how they can conserve the environment by preserving clothing which is a concept that many people have not acknowledgedRead MoreAn Article About A Sustainable Living962 Words   |  4 PagesSustainable Living There is considerable discussion about sustainable living. Open up any newspaper or magazine on any given day, and you will likely see an article about the drought, food system, or global warming. It’s a hot topic. But what does sustainability mean to black folks. Some may say that we have limited involvement in the discussion. If that’s true, is it because we are focused on job security, considering that black unemployment is almost double that of whites? Are we focused more on physicalRead MoreSustainability Is Becoming An Issue Of Critical Importance For Designers And Society1549 Words   |  7 PagesSustainability is becoming an issue of critical importance for designers and society as a whole. It is important to pay attention to the factors that impact negatively on our environment by balancing economic, environmental and social dimensions as they interact and converge in the current crisis of our unsustainable civilisation (Wahl and Baxter 2008). It is critical for designers of today to be more aware and understand the importance of the material choices and resources used, as well as puttingRead MoreSustainability Position Paper : Natural Resources And Technology1652 Words   |  7 PagesSustainability Position Paper Natural resources and Technology Sarah Manzoor AB975 â€Æ' Introduction Sustainability has normally been defined as how biological systems remain diverse and productive (What is sustainability and why is it important?, 2016). However, in today’s world it refers to the need to develop methods for the earth to survive. We live in a developed world where natural resources as being consumed very fast and this is something that needs to change. Sustainability is also about thinkingRead MoreThe Sustainability Strategy of Virgin Groups Corporate1497 Words   |  6 Pagesin demographics and society in general have combined to make sustainability a mainstream issue. â€Å"The goal of sustainable development is to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.† (G3.1 Guidelines, 2011, p4) This study report on a survey of the Virgin Groups sustainability report that summarize the Virgin companies’ sustainability strategy, evaluating the sustainability report based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) principleRead MoreSustainability Multiple Choice Questions1540 Words   |  7 PagesChapter 23 Multiple Choice Questions Name: ____________________________________________________________ 1) The term sustainability refers to ________. A) maintaining resource use at current or higher levels B) keeping the natural environment and human society in a happy, healthy and functional state C) holding or increasing the current quality of human life D) always focusing on fulfilling short‑term needs E) opposing change from currentRead MoreA Study On The Sustainability Cluster Essay1271 Words   |  6 Pagespoint in life, one must decide on what one would like to do in their future. My studies would focus on detail studies in the sustainability cluster. Nowadays, sustainability is a topic which research is still maturing and design relative new. My research would emphasize in ruralization of current urban cities that would help increase innovative design presented in urban environment in Japan. Many major cities in the US and around the world have developed such that much of the land has been converted intoRead MoreImpact Of Sustainability On The Environment1715 Words   |  7 Pages‘Sustainability’, a word which everyone is coming across more often than ever before in today’s world. Yet, when it comes to defining and understanding this word, we observe various definitions and interpretations across people of various backgrounds. The question ‘What is sus tainability?’ can be compared with the question ‘What is life?’. For some, life is a physical entity between birth and death, for others it the a non physical entity of way of living and so on. Similarly, Engineers, Architects