Introduction:
Since the enforcement of the first environmental laws in the 19th century, the implementation of decrees to maximise environmental sustainability has increased dramatically – however the state of the environment is far from pristine. In order to preserve the environment, the responsibilities are not only targeted towards corporations and communities to undertake processes which support this cause, but it is crucial that each individual play a role in its conservation. With the right initiatives and values, there are a number of simple tasks households can undergo and incorporate within their daily routines to assist in the preservation of nature (Nováček,2013). By supporting sustainable energy sources, cutting unnecessary energy consumption, reducing, reusing and recycling, buying local to support the local economy, and most importantly; educating others, individuals in the developed world can reduce the pressures being placed on the environment and contribute to sustainability within their everyday lifestyles
Body:
A number of terms directly relate to environmental sustainability and the process of individuals incorporating sustainable measures within their daily routines – and the effect of which this has on the state of the environment, these terms include:
Sustainability: “The degree of which a process or enterprise is able to be maintained or continued while avoiding the long term depletion of natural resources.” (Oxford online dictionary, 2014)
Lifestyle – "A style or way of living (associated with an individual person, a society, etc.) ... the characteristic manner in which a person lives (or chooses to live) his or her life." (Oxford Online Dictionary, 2014)
Pressure – “Continuous physical force exerted...
... middle of paper ...
....1
G. Crabtree & N. Lewis, 2007, ‘Solar energy conversion’, Physics today, vol.60, no.3.
P. Nováček, 2013, “Human Values Compatible with Sustainable Development”, Journal of Human Values vol. 19 no. 15-13, pp.4-6
Unknown, ‘Sustainable definition’, Oxford Dictionary, viewed 12th April 2014. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/sustainable
Unknown, ‘Sustainable development definition’, Oxford Dictionary, viewed 12th April 2014. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/
Unknown, 2014 ‘Solar power’, Living Greener, viewed 7th June 2014. http://www.livinggreener.gov.au/energy/solar-wind-hydro/solar-power#how_much_power_can_i_generate Unknown, 2014, ‘Getting Started – Energy’, Living Greener, viewed 9th June, 2014.
http://www.livinggreener.gov.au/energy/energy-efficient-living/get-started-energy#things_you_can_do_to_start_saving_energy_now
Look at the civilized, beautiful capital cities in every developed country all around the world which is the central of high fashioned and convenience facility. To live in the city, it seems like the nature surrounding is not important to us anymore. In “The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature” David Suzuki presents the connection between human and the nature and how we depend on the surrounding environment. However, within the past century, most of our modern technologies have been developed in order to provide people needs of goods and products (63). Many of the products we made are causing much more harm to the environment than the value that products provide. Technological development has damaged our environment to the point
Sustainable living to reduce your personal footprint (n.d.). In WWF Global. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from
The old Native American proverb that states, “We do not inherit the land from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children” really makes me think about my lifestyle and how it is benefiting the Earth. Being sustainable not only means to take care of the planet for my generation but also for future generations. It is my job to care for the planet as best as I can and to help pass on these good habits to my children. The best ways that I can help my environment are composting uneaten food and old vegetables, donating or reusing old clothes, and recycling plastic and paper products.
Many people with the term sustainability and have the misconception that environmentalism and sustainability portray the same idea. Although the tree metaphor is an example of nature, the government works in a similar way in terms of economy and society, as it does with the environment. All three pillars of sustainability are the foundations to a successful nation. Likewise, the three roots of the tree must balance to continue to preserve and grow. Overall, sustainability is a crucial concept as it governs all the things we need for our survival and nourishing values. It is how we use our already scarce resources to balance the economy, environment, and society effectively and thrive in the growing
Is it necessary to take collective action against environmental issues occurring in our planet? In modern times, environmental issues are not taken seriously. Our planet is in risk of pollution and global warming/climate change. These problems call for the solution of sustainability. These which are the actions and qualities where an individual one is not being harmful to the environment or exhausting natural resources. IKEA’s sustainability practices help construct awareness around the world by the creation of the “People & Planet Positive Strategy,” the willingness to make change, and the direct impact on individuals.
Lifestyle refer to the interests, opinions, behaviors, attitudes, etc. of a specific individual, group, or society. It mostly tends to the standard of living of people. It may vary from person to person. In the same place, two persons may live with different lifestyle. One is found of rural life and other like to live an urban style. Lifestyle is more personal rather than common. The term was first used by an Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler. It is combination of both tangible and intangible factors. In tangible factors, demographic factors are included and in intangible factors personal values, preferences, and outlooks are included.
Living off the grid is slowly becoming more prevalent, and there are a growing number of people embracing this lifestyle because they desire to live The Good Life. Many are discovering ways to appreciate off-grid living, rather than assessing the disadvantages of it. It is obvious that people are removing themselves from the grid in order to combat global warming and climate change, but those who have a stronger appreciation for nature are willing to make sacrifices to live off the grid. People who have a positive attitude toward this way of living are more likely to relate it to pursuing the Good Life. Even though “living completely off the grid isn’t for everyone,” those who dream of living a sustainable lifestyle are determined and fully committed to doing so (Bodkins 1). A vast majority of people dream of becoming wealthy and living lavishly, but that dream does not appeal to everyone. Some people are content without owning a mansion, multiple cars, or earning millions of dollars. Things of monetary worth are not important to those ...
Lifestyle is the activities and behaviours you have on a day to day basis. This can be things such as the work you do, your leisure activities, what food you eat and your social interactions.
When creating a working definition of a sustainable global environment there is a short definition and a long definition. The short of definition of a sustainable global environment is an environment in which all living things can co-exist together while having their essential needs to sustain life met. This definition, while ideal, is probably not realistic due to the fact that humans in many cases are not simply satisfied with living with only the essential needs that sustain life. That leads to the more realistic but complex definition of a sustainable global environment. This definition focuses on sustainability, stewardship, science, political policy and globalization. Sustainability focuses on not depleting needed resources. Stewardship is the moral framework in which our public and private actions are made. The science aspect of a sustainable global environment is the information that decisions, including mandated policy, are made on. The final aspect is globalization, which refers to the interconnectedness humans and the environment share with each other on a global level. Regardless of the definition that is used, the goal is the same, sustaining a high quality of life for all creatures while not exhausting the needed resources to do so.
Rogers, DS., Duraiappah, AK., Antons, D.C., Munoz, P., Bai, X., Fragkias, M., Gutscher., H (2012) A Vision for Human Well-Being: Transition to Social Sustainability: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 4(1) pg 61-73.
5. Lifestyle is an individual pattern of living as exhibited in a person's activities, interests, and opinions.
“Sustainable Development: At its heart, sustainable development is the simple idea of ensuring a good quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come. It is about living within the carrying capacity of the environment so that how we live, work and enjoy leisure activities, which do not harm or put undue pressures on the environment. It is about ensuring everyone has the opportunity to have a decent education, a quality environment that they take pride in, good health and a decent job (n.p, 2014)”
Harris. J.M. 2000 Basic Principles of Sustainable Development, Global and Environment Institute Working Paper 00-04, USA
We all belong to the same world and all of us have the same responsibilities towards the world and its environment. This fact might be hard to digest, but if we continue to pollute the Earth at the current rate, all of the world’s ocean waters will become one-hundred-thirty percent acidic. This means that the ocean will be unable to sustain most of its marine life and only a few creatures will be able to survive in the water. A big population of people think that they do not or have few responsibilities towards the environment. People think that the governor of a country should take steps to help the environment. They leave it to scientists since they have the technology to prevent pollution, or that is what most people think. There are more responsibilities to the world each individual has than most of realize. The amount of negligence and ignorance of humans towards the Earth is taking a heavy toll.
The environment around us gives us the habitat to live, is a condition for our existence and development so that protecting environment which is one of today’s most serious issues means protecting our lives. But almost every day we hear a new problem badly affecting the environment. The list of the new difficulties seems to be endless. We are all aware of these concerns and can admit that we caused them. Now, environmental protection is not the work of a single individual as it is the responsibility of the whole community, of every single person exists on this planet. The measures range from each citizen to the government.