SustainabilityThe way to help planet Earth

What is sustainability?

sustainable: in the human scale of time, is able to endure, thrive, and regenerate without overburdening the living systems of the earth.

sustainable society: one that satisfies its needs without jeopardizing opportunities for future generations.

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Sustainable development manages resources for present and future generations.

• Sustainable development meets needs without hurting future generations.

• resources meet current needs• resources will still be available for future use

What is sustainability?

What is social acceptability?

What is economic viability?

What is environmental suitability?

Social acceptability

Environmental suitability

Economic viability

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As a group, define these concepts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5r4loXPyx8 Sustainability easily explained

CQ#2: Are our present lifestyles sustainable?

A. Yes

B. To some extent

C. Probably not

D. No

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CQ#4: All of these natural resources BUT one are renewable. Which is not renewable?

A. Forest trees

B. Fertile soil

C. Minerals

D. Solar energy

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Non-renewable:MineralsFossil fuels (oil, gas, coal)

Renewable:energy: solar, wind, tidesflowing water, geothermal,clean air, fertile soil, fresh water,biodiversity.

Natural Resource Base

Natural Resources

(Petroleum Equities Inc., adapted from Campbell et al., 1997)10

Fossil Fuels 300 years in 300 seconds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ-J91SwP8w

If we are headed toward a trajectory of falling oil availability, what options are feasible for using this available open space on campus?

A. Parking lot

B. Community garden

C. Reconstruct a natural habitat (e.g., a prairie, a pond, or a forest)

D. I do not know

E. The university president should make this decision

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Where does most of the energy needed to produce food in modern, large scale agriculture come from?

A. The sun

B. The soil

C. Oil

D. Wind power

E. There is no need for energy when growing food

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An example of the oil problem: modern

agricultural systems use a lot of energy!

• About 66% of conventional corn soybean energy input is for nitrogen fertilizer.

• About 10% is for herbicide.

• In contrast, about 75% of organic energy inputs are for seed.

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Human Environmental Impacts

The concentration of lights visible from space indicates high human population density

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Photo: NASA

Preserving biodiversity is important to the future of the biosphere.

• The loss of biodiversity has long-term effects.• loss of medical and technological advances• extinction of species• loss of ecosystem stability

• The timber industry has started to adopt sustainable practices.

• Global fisheries have adopted several sustainable practices.– rotation of catches – fishing gear review – harvest reduction – fishing bans

Whole systems of humanity and nature are synthesized to better understand limits to external, extractive economies and the role of local production.

18KEY: NR = Natural Resources SOURCE: Doherty et al., 2004

C:\Program Files\McDougal Littell\Power Presentations-Biology\START Power Presentations.html air pollution and loss of biodiversity

Is sustainability just a matter of RESOURCE use and allocation?

A. Yes

B. No

C. I do not know

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Concept Interactions for the Achievement of Sustainability

EDUCATION

Ecology

EvolutionEthics

Energy

Conservation Community

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Ecosystem Integrity The capacity to support and maintain a balanced, integrated, adaptive

community of organisms having species composition, diversity and functional organization comparable to the habitat of the region.

Ecosystem FunctionThe specific contribution of an ecosystem component to

maintaining the ecosystem.

Adapted from: Doherty, 2001.22

Could other attributes (beside those listed below) help to better define sustainability?

A. YesB. NoC. I do not know

Social acceptability

Environmental suitability

Economic viability

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Conservation practices focus on a few species but benefit entire ecosystems.

• The Endangered Species Act works to protect individual species from extinction.

• A listed species is often called an umbrella species.

• the habitat in which the species lives must be protected

• other species are protected because they share the ecosystem

Protecting Earth’s resources helps protect our future.

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created in 1970.

• The EPA develops policies and regulations to protect the environment.

• Legislation helps to protect the environment and endangered species.

• Clean Air Act• Clean Water Act• Endangered Species Act

• The National Park Service helps manage public lands.

• The park system includes over 390 areas, covering 84 million acres.

Sustainability Plan in June 2014.• Reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. vehicle emissions) and certain indirect

greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. purchased electricity) by 20 percent by 2020•

Reducing other indirect greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. airline business travel) by 9 percent by 2020

•Working toward making 15 percent of our existing buildings and building leases meet "green" standards by 2015 (5,000 gross square feet threshold for existing buildings and building leases)

•Reducing potable water consumption intensity by 26 percent by 2020

•Diverting at least 50 percent nonhazardous solid waste and construction and demolition debris by 2015

•Ensuring that 95 percent of all new contract actions include green requirements

National Parks and sustainability

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jajaDvF2CHE powered by glaciers

• There are several ways that people can help protect the environment.

– control population growth– develop sustainable technology and practices– protect and maintain ecosystems