ENVS 10

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ENVS 10

• Lecture 12
• Sustainability

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Definition of Sustainability

• Meeting the needs of the present without
  compromising the ability of future generations to
  meet their own needs

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Thinking About Sustainability

• Many resources are finite. Should we only use
  what nature can replenish on its own?
• Should we only use what will cause no permanent
  harm to the planet?
• Only generate as much waste as the planet can
  naturally process?
• No habitat loss?
• No loss of species or biodiversity?

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Factors Affecting Sustainability

• Ecosystem Services- How much can the earth do to
  support life?
• Human Carrying Capacity- How many people can the
  earth support without overwhelming its ecosystem
  services?
• Rates of Material Consumption and Waste- How much
  does each person consume and/or throw away?

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I A P T

• Where
• I Impact to the environment
• A Affluence
• P Population
• T Technology

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How to Measure Sustainability

• Consumption of food, energy, housing, goods,
  services, and the generation of waste all require
  energy and land
• Think about what goes into the production of the
  things you use
• Food arable land, tractor, petroleum,
  fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides, trucks,
  packaging, etc.

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• Housing lumber, metal, other materials (and the
  cost to harvest, process, manufacture these
  supplies, shipping, packaging, etc.), plus energy
  to heat and cool and power the house.

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Ways to think about Sustainability

• Individual What can I do to reduce my ecological
  footprint (the impact that I make on the earth)?
• Corporate How can businesses be green? How
  can the environment and businesses support each
  other?
• Government How can the government help to guide
  us towards sustainability

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City of San Joses Green Vision

• Green Vision Goals
• Within 15 years, the City of San José in tandem
  with its residents and businesses will1. Create
  25,000 Clean Tech jobs as the World Center of
  Clean Tech Innovation2. Reduce per capita energy
  use by 50 percent3. Receive 100 percent of our
  electrical power from clean renewable sources4.
  Build or retrofit 50 million square feet of green
  buildings5. Divert 100 percent of the waste from
  our landfill and convert waste to energy6.
  Recycle or beneficially reuse 100 percent of our
  wastewater (100 million gallons per day)7. Adopt
  a General Plan with measurable standards for
  sustainable development8. Ensure that 100
  percent of public fleet vehicles run on
  alternative fuels9. Plant 100,000 new trees and
  replace 100 percent of our streetlights with
  smart, zero-emission lighting10. Create 100
  miles of interconnected trails

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Sustainable Agriculture

• Farming with minimal impact to the environment
• Elimination or reduction of pesticides/herbicides
  (Organic)
• Using natural ecosystem services in farming
  practices
• Farm and sell locally (reduce petroleum use)
• Integrated Pest Management
• Community Farming/CSAs

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Sustainable Forestry

• Not harvesting trees faster than the environment
  can grow them
• Leaving ecologically sensitive areas intact
• Leaving some forest areas untouched
• Recycling paper and wood products

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Clearcut Forest Headwaters Forest, CA
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Sustainable Energy

• Fossil fuels take billions of years to make- we
  are using them faster than they can be replaced
  or remade
• Energy can be derived from renewable and
  biological resources solar, wind, geothermal,
  etc.
• Conserve energy

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Sustainable Development

• Design cities to have minimal impact on the
  environment
• Limit urban sprawl- functional downtown areas
  where driving is unneccessary
• Keep natural areas accessible and healthy
• Green Building
• Advance Planning- deciding ahead of time where to
  place types of developments/ businesses

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Materials and Toxics

• Society must be mindful of the long-term threat
  posed by chemical and biological impacts on the
  environment
• Toxic chemicals and waste build up in the
  environment if they cant be processed by
  ecosystem services
• Recycle, recovery and reuse of materials

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Sustainable Living

• Minimize your ecological footprint
• Conserve energy and water
• Shop locally (farmers markets, etc.)
• Buy products that arent over-packaged or shipped
  over long distances
• Minimize driving distances and car efficiency,
  take public transportation
• Buy organic food
• Recycle
• Use compact flourescent bulbs
• More