Introduction to Sustainability
In the last 200 years humans have become a major threat to the environment. Through our development we pollute the air when we burn coal, oil and gas for energy and electricity, and petrol and diesel in cars. We consume too many natural resources to make goods, services and money, which are not being replaced. We are harming wildlife and the habitats they live in. We are even harming our own health. If our children and grandchildren are to experience a decent quality of life, we cannot continue to develop in the way that we are doing so at the present. In short, our development is unsustainable.
In 1992 countries met at the Earth Summit to argue how the world could begin to develop more sustainably. Sustainable Development is development today that cares for the environment, provides equality for all people, and ensures that future generations will be able to meet their own needs. Countries wrote down the principles and actions for a more sustainable world in Agenda 21. This document not only encourages countries to protect their environments, but also to improve people's health and relieve poverty as well.
If we are to become more sustainable, we must manage the main polluting activities better than we do at the moment. These include making energy, using transport and generating waste. We can all do our bit to help, by saving energy, finding better ways to travel and recycling waste.
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• ARIC
• DETR
• UNEP
• Ohio Pollution Prevention
• Introduction
• Agenda 21
• Air Pollution
• Doing Our Bit
• Earth Summit
• Energy
• Human Health
• Sustainable Development
• Transport
• Waste