Sustainable agriculture. Sustainable economy. Sustainable bags, buildings and boots. In today’s ‘environment’ sustainability seems to sound like an overused and wide ranging term which can be applied to almost anything, yet how many people can give a precise and concise definition as to what it actually means?

The broadest definition of sustainability is “the ability to keep in existence or maintain”. In its broadest sense sustainability is a concept – in other words, an idea or a notion which is on its way to being or has not yet been fully feasible. The goal or potential for long term maintenance and well being of human life is heavily dependent upon the maintenance and well being of the natural world as well as the use of its resources. To achieve overall sustainability (on all fronts) or the definition of ideal sustainability (long term maintenance of human life) is theoretically made up of the reconciliation of 3 pillars or areas of sustainability to maintain human life’s dependence on) these are social, environmental and economical.

For the purposes of this article we shall say environmental sustainability is the most widely connotated aspect of sustainability, when we hear sustainability, we immediately think of global warming, pollution, renewable energy and the likes thereof.

Natural resources are being used by all industries, some more than others, the way in which they are used and also the amounts they are being used in will determine the potential and the extent to which this goal can be achieved

In the 1970’s it was widely becoming obvious that there is a fanatic limit to the earth’s resources and since then vast amounts of scientific research and evidence has proved that sustainability is still only a concept, a potential term and has not yet been achieved, therefore we are living in a state of unsustainability. At present, the earth cannot continue supporting human life as it is known to us, on a long term basis. Once sustainability is achieved in all areas through collective effort, it is not to say the earth will be able to continue supporting human life without compromise. It is important to note that although thinking sustainably will generate innovative approaches and solutions to the challenges we face, it will not eliminate these challenges, unless we eliminate on non renewable natural resources.

Rather than defining sustainability as a concept or a potential goal, I would say sustainability is a journey. The destination is the almost complete and total elimination of our dependence on inevitably non sustainable resources, and sustainable development is the route to our destination. The element of not knowing exactly how long the journey is and the compromise of forsaking resources along the way should not hinder us in travelling sustainably. Having said all this, the concept of sustainability is what it is, its goals and how these should be achieved, (e.g. sustainable development) is a different variety now to what it was twenty years ago from now, in other words, the terms and concepts of sustainability are open to interpretation.

“I don’t know whether we’ll ever see the end of the age of oil, but I can tell you this…the Stone Age didn’t end because we ran out of stones!” — Sheikh Yamani 1973, former CEO of OPEC

Over 35 years ago, one of the senior executives who formed OPEC predicted in his statement to the press that the oil age isn’t going to end because we run out of oil. He probably knew we would develop and reach a stage where in some instances a wind generating turbine will be (as is now) cheaper to run and create kilowatt hours than burning natural gas, i.e. it will be more cost effective to make renewable energy rather than burn non renewable fossil fuels.

Sustainable development has fast become a buzz word in recent times. It is a notion which came about after growing realisation that current models of development were not sustainable due to the depletion of non renewable resources. The term itself is like the word ’sustainability’ varied and open to interpretation. It can mean simply taking steps to live more sustainably or managing (controlling) resources to meet our present needs as well as future needs. Effective sustainable development would occur when we replace the resources we rely on heavily with renewable ones.

The most recognised and widely used definition of sustainable development was coined up by the Brunt wood commission presented at the United Nations conference on environment and development held in 1992 Rio. They too loosely defined sustainable development as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” However, the fact that resources are being depleted and future generations may have to hear the words ‘nothing ran as good as it did on petrol’ whilst using alternative renewable sources, clearly screams out compromise. The UN’s definition has attracted much more hard hitting criticism such as that from Joan Veon, a businesswoman and international reporter, who covered 64 global meetings on sustainable development

“Sustainable development has continued to evolve as that of protecting the world’s resources whilst its true agenda is to control the world’s resources. It should be noted that agenda 21 sets up the global infrastructure needed to manage, count and control all of the world’s assets”.

Regardless of the criticism, it is worth nothing that since the UN conference on environment and development, all the countries present have organised sustainable development commissions within their own countries, some advising their respective governments on living sustainably i.e. sustainable agriculture, sustainable investments, sustainable construction etc.

The application of sustainable development as defined in the section above to the construction industry is known as sustainable or green construction. Sustainable construction is relatively concerned with reducing the environmental impact of building or running a building long term. In order to achieve this, there are various strategies, initiatives and techniques in place.

An ideal or efficient green or sustainable building is versatile and has a long life, the way it is built as well as the way it consumes energy resources is efficient and has low negative environmental impact. Principles of sustainable/green construction i.e. Ways to build sustainably include using natural and recycled materials or even using local materials to cut down on carbon emission involved in transporting the materials. Construction techniques that aim to save energy and also waste during the build process will also make the development more sustainable.

There are various joint government and industry initiatives which are in place to increase awareness of the importance of sustainable construction. Often cost effectiveness and long term lower running costs are cited to promote sustainable construction. Waste management is often seen to be costly and a cost effective way of recycling waste is in place with many companies. Right down to grassroots level energy efficiency certificates are required when selling a domestic property.

Low energy houses, zero carbon emission buildings and also the use of more sustainable materials such as recycled materials are already also the rise. The presentation in task 2 will highlight in the form of a case study how an organisations actions impact on the environment, it will also discuss the environmental targets in place that shape a companies sustainable policy and practice.

There has definitely been a shift of perspective within not only jus construction but all industries be it manufacturing or agriculture, whereas traditional development in every sector was more about delivering economic benefits at the expense of both people and the environment, modern sustainable development does generate innovates and cost effective solutions to the challenges we face with detrimental issues such as petrol.
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Yes, we’re serious. Sex is definitely part of a healthy lifestyle, as couples that do it often have discovered. Sex has always been a very popular activity, but nowadays it looks as though people are going green in all walks of life. If this sounds like you, it might be surprising to you to learn that there are actually ways you can green up your sex life as well. If you and your partner make a commitment to going green together, you might find it to be a very rewarding experience.

The first thing the woman can do in the green sex movement would be to use green birth control options. False hormones such as the ones provided by birth control pills are not green at all, but intrauterine devices are.

Another way that green sex can be enjoyed thoroughly is through the creation of a green bedroom. A green bedroom is home to sheets made from natural and renewable sources such as bamboo, cotton or hemp. It is also one that uses the light from natural material candles like vegetable or soy candles rather than artificial light. The sheets in a green bedroom are washed with eco-friendly substances and then placed on a mattress that is made from a natural material like foam or rubber. While all of these are green points, they are also points that will greatly increase the sexual pleasure you get from the act, a point that has been proven by many different couples.

Eco-friendly sex is not about changing the room or the materials in the room however. Primarily, it is about changing your lifestyle so that sex is a more enjoyable and more natural experience. This includes being vocal with each other instead of watching a sexy video and using natural lube instead of the synthetic material that so many people use nowadays. It also includes enjoying the afterglow of sex by cuddling up in your green bedroom at which point all of the other changes you’ve made finally have the ability to work their magic on you and your partner. If you combine the material changes with the behavioral changes, you will find that eco-friendly sex is a far more exciting and enjoyable experience than you ever thought possible.

Compare the many natural libido enhancers available, from pills to gels, to creams; and several brands that yield varifying results.
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These days it seems that the fashionable trend in living is going green. By that we mean more and more people are choosing to opt for cleaner energy, less waste, environmentally friendly building materials, paints and flooring plus energy efficient appliances. Al Gore’s award winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth did more to stir up interest in the green movement than most published scientific studies did. Whether or not you support the global warming theory, one thing you can’t dispute is the obvious savings, both in the environment and your finances, that making some simple and if you’re willing, not so simple, green improvements to your condo or house. Not only will this benefit you as long as you live there, but it will also make your home more attractive to potential buyers if you should decide to sell.

Perhaps the easiest thing you can do to start saving money and energy is to replace your old light bulbs with energy efficient ones. The newer compact fluorescent bulbs are available in a wide assortment of sizes and last a lot longer than basic light bulbs, all while saving on electricity consumption. New compact fluorescent bulbs often use as little as 20 percent of the energy that an older bulb will use. You can also install timers on outside lights.

To improve water consumption you can install low flush toilets and also either attach aerators to your faucets or buy new ones with aerators already installed. This simple device mixes air with the water flow, which creates good pressure with less water. You can also replace the shower heads in the baths with low flow heads.

A typical hot water heater will run constantly to keep the water hot at all times, making this appliance one of the most costly to operate in your home. You can either improve the heating efficiency of the tank you currently have by adding insulation around the tank or wrapping the pipes. You can also install one of the newer models that only heat water on demand, not constantly. Tankless models work very well and can save up to 50 percent of what an older model would cost to run. There are also solar powered hot water heaters for the ultimate in energy efficiency.

You can also go the extra mile with saving water by installing a rain water collection system to water your lawn and landscaped plants, plus making sure that you only plant native species that are tolerant of local climate conditions will also benefit your outdoor environment.

The appliances in your kitchen as well as your washer and dryer are another major area where you can green up your home while saving energy and money in the long run. Replacing some or all of your kitchen appliances with more efficient Energy Star rated ones will reduce electricity consumption and they will run much more efficiently. Remember that for every perk like an automatic ice maker or defrost, a refrigerator becomes less energy efficient. This is especially important because in the average home, a refrigerator uses the most electricity of any appliance you own. Washer and dryer models are now available that operate much more efficiently. Front load washers not only hold bigger loads, they use less water and energy.

For some really major savings you can replace your outdated heating and cooling system with an energy efficient one. Older systems, especially boiler-based ones, are usually extremely inefficient. Newer systems with programmable thermostats allow you to adjust settings according to the times you are home and need more heating or cooling. Just by installing a ceiling fan in even just the biggest room in your home and then lowering the setting on your air conditioning by 3 to 6 degrees, you can save as much as 25 percent on the cost of cooling your condo or home.

Insulation is critical to saving energy, and an average home will lose about 50 percent of its heat through the ceiling and walls if not properly insulated. Check the R value, which is the rating system for insulation value, of what you currently have in your home or what you are considering installing. The higher the R value, the better the insulation value. Don’t be fooled by thinking the thicker or heavier the insulation, the better. You should only look at the R value when deciding on what type.

For a basement in a typical home in North America, the suggested R value insulation should be R-12. One inch of insulation is basically equal to 30 inches of concrete. Of the different types of insulation, Expanded Polystyrene is the best, with blown in Cellulose a close second and Fiberglass in third place. It is also important to install some type of water proof barrier or membrane to protect insulation from moisture. If insulation gets wet it severely reduces its performance.

By adding some simple or some slightly more difficult green touches to your condo or home, you will not only improve your own savings, but will help the environment and probably entice more buyers to your home if you decide to sell. For more tips on selling your home or to find out more about some popular green developments and condos, you can check out the buildings profiled on About Chicago Real Estate
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