Sustainable Lifestyles Policy and Practice: Challenges and Way Forward Sustainable Lifestyles Policy and Practice: Challenges and Way Forward
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Choices for Sustainable Living
CHOICES FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING CHOICES FOR SUSTAINABLE Since 1993, we have given you a fun and social framework to talk about your relationship with the planet and to share in discovering new ways to live, work, create, and consume. We believe every person has the power to create positive action. Looking to engage your business, community, or school? Join the EcoChallenge and start making an impact today! ECOCHALLENGE.ORG SMALL ACTIONS ADD UP TO REAL CHANGE! ECOCHALLENGE Northwest Earth Institute 107 SE Washington Street #240 Portland, OR 97214 NWEI (503) 227-2807 NWEI nwei.org DISCUSSION COURSE ON CHOICES FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING 17 OUR VIEW OF SUSTAINABILITY conference on international environmental issues. Since then, it has been used by many to describe a vision, to By Felipe Ferreira for Northwest Earth Institute inspire aspirations, to outline a set of values, and even as a marketing buzzword. Despite conflicting opinions over Environment, climate change, renewable energy, what the terms ‘sustainability’ and its variant ‘sustainable pollution, recycling, just economies, appropriate development’ actually mean, they have gained a lot of technologies… If we were to co-create a word cloud for traction in the last two decades. They have been explored the term “sustainability,” it is very likely that these and/or and applied across different environmental, social, similar terms would occupy the largest space in it. You can economic, and geographical contexts. Perhaps the most probably brainstorm several more sustainability-related commonly quoted definition of sustainable development terms right now. But what exactly does sustainability mean? is that of the World Commission on Environment and In its most general sense, sustainability refers to the Development (WCED), who in 1987 stated that “sustainable capacity to maintain a process over time. -
Think Globally, Act Locally Public Health and the Anthropocene Evidence Review
Think Globally, Act Locally Public Health and the Anthropocene Evidence Review Dr. Trevor Hancock, Hon FFPH Retired Professor and Senior Scholar School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria Prepared For: The Public Health Agency of Canada Contract No: 4500412213 Date: September 4, 2020 PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF BC | #550-2950 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC, V8T 4N4 Phone: 250-595-8422 | Email: [email protected] | Website: phabc.org This publication was produced by PHABC with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors/researchers and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Public Health Agenc y of Canada. Think Globally, Act Locally Public Health and the Anthropocene Evidence Review Table of Contents Preamble ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 1. Welcome to the Anthropocene ........................................................................................................................................................... 4 a) The Anthropocene as a Geological Phenomenon ............................................................................................................................ 4 b) The Anthropocene as an Ecological Phenomenon ........................................................................................................................... 5 -
Investing in Real Assets with Real Purpose to Create a Sustainable Future Infrared | Creating Better Futures CEO Statement | Infrared
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT Investing in real assets with real purpose to create a sustainable future InfraRed | Creating better futures CEO Statement | InfraRed CEO 01 Statement being transparent reporting and the publication of this in line with Task Force for Climate-related Financial sustainability report. Disclosures (“TCFD”); expanded our reporting framework and data collection; increased engagement with portfolio I am proud of the progress we have made in delivering companies on sustainability issues; and aligned our staff’s against our sustainability commitments. Whilst Covid interest through the introduction of individual sustainability impacted some of our assets, particularly those with performance objectives. demand-based revenue streams and those in the health and educational sectors, their operational resilience Whilst we are delighted with the progress we have has remained strong. This is a testament to the active achieved, we recognise there is a lot more to be done. In asset management approach and robust governance the coming year, we will set a clear path on how we can frameworks which underpin our investments and overall achieve net zero carbon emissions using science-based business alike. targets for assets under our direct operational control. Where we do not have operational control, we will work with Supporting our stakeholders Werner von Guionneau CEO clients to support their net zero journeys. We will also put At the start of the pandemic, we set out priorities for I am delighted to present InfraRed’s inaugural sustainability -
Water in the Sustainable City
WORKING PAPER 26 Water in the sustainable city Cities worldwide are facing growing challenges in storm water management. This working paper compiles experiences from Copenhagen, Dordrecht, Hamburg, London, New York and Seattle, based on interviews and a conference held in Gothenburg, Sweden in November 2014. Process of change: Successful implementation of good water management practices in six cities By Brita Forssberg, Per-Arne Malmqvist and Helene Sörelius Background 2 Background The conference 3 Urbanization is a continuous and growing process all City Blueprints 4 over the world, as it is in Sweden. At the same time, we Dordrecht, The Netherlands 5 are threatened by climate change, which will affect us all wherever we live. The degradation of the environment is Hamburg, Germany 7 counteracted by many means, but new threats continue London, UK – The Thames Tideway Tunnel 10 to emerge. Nine out of ten catastrophes globally are London, UK – Sustainable Urban Storm Water connected with water – too much water or too little. In the face of what might seem to be a dark future, Drainage Solutions, SuDS 11 many cities have taken steps to plan for a brighter future. Copenhagen, Denmark 12 Some cities focus on climate change, some on environ- New York, USA 15 mental threats, and others take a holistic approach and plan for a better, healthier, and economically vibrant city Seattle, USA 17 under all circumstances. Conclusions and lessons learned 20 The same is also true for many Swedish cities. In doing so, they are constantly looking for good examples abro- Copyright © 2016, Stockholm International Water ad. -
Geoengineering in the Anthropocene Through Regenerative Urbanism
geosciences Review Geoengineering in the Anthropocene through Regenerative Urbanism Giles Thomson * and Peter Newman Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, Curtin University, Perth 6102, WA, Australia; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +61-8-9266-9030 Academic Editors: Carlos Alves and Jesus Martinez-Frias Received: 26 June 2016; Accepted: 13 October 2016; Published: 25 October 2016 Abstract: Human consumption patterns exceed planetary boundaries and stress on the biosphere can be expected to worsen. The recent “Paris Agreement” (COP21) represents a major international attempt to address risk associated with climate change through rapid decarbonisation. The mechanisms for implementation are yet to be determined and, while various large-scale geoengineering projects have been proposed, we argue a better solution may lie in cities. Large-scale green urbanism in cities and their bioregions would offer benefits commensurate to alternative geoengineering proposals, but this integrated approach carries less risk and has additional, multiple, social and economic benefits in addition to a reduction of urban ecological footprint. However, the key to success will require policy writers and city makers to deliver at scale and to high urban sustainability performance benchmarks. To better define urban sustainability performance, we describe three horizons of green urbanism: green design, that seeks to improve upon conventional development; sustainable development, that is the first step toward a net zero impact; and the emerging concept of regenerative urbanism, that enables biosphere repair. Examples of green urbanism exist that utilize technology and design to optimize urban metabolism and deliver net positive sustainability performance. If mainstreamed, regenerative approaches can make urban development a major urban geoengineering force, while simultaneously introducing life-affirming co-benefits to burgeoning cities. -
Sustainability Answer Big Questions
Master of Sustainability 0818 Answer big questions Housed on Chatham’s groundbreaking, net-zero Eden Hall Campus, Chatham’s Master of Sustainability (MSUS) program is experiential and practical. Our highly interdisciplinary faculty members work closely with students on projects that make real differences even as they teach important principles. Students gain not only a professional skill set that prepares them to be the sustainability leaders of tomorrow, but a diverse portfolio of work that shows that they already are. falk.chatham.edu/msus Master of Sustainability IT’S NOT JUST EARTH DAY. IT’S EVERY DAY. We are inspired by environmental icon and Chatham alumna Rachel Carson ’29, whose own work over 50 years ago continues to change the world. The Princeton Review and the U.S. Green Building Council recognized Chatham University as one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the United States and Canada. Chatham received a “Green Rating” score of 98 out of a possible 99 – the highest of any university in Pittsburgh. udududududududududududududududududududududududududududududududududududududu PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS SAMPLE COURSES • Housed within the Falk School of Sustainability & Environment, the Master of Sustainability (MSUS) is SUS603 Sustainability: Ethics, Equity, Justice an intensive cohort program that can be completed This course focuses on the role of the “social” as one in two years of full-time study. of the three pillars of sustainability. It explores historic • Choose from seven focus areas: and contemporary notions of ethics, social equity and – Sustainability Management social justice. It examines how these concepts can be – Sustainable Design and the Built Environment applied to sustainability by studying local and global – Community Development and Planning case studies. -
Living Sustainably: It's Your Choice
EC 1614 Revised December 2011 Oregon State University Extension Service Living Sustainably: It’s Your Choice Social Economic Environmental What this guide is all about Our goals are to: l Introduce the concept of sustainable living l Identify three barriers to living sustainably in the United States and suggest ways to overcome them l Help you begin to identify your personal values l Show you how to use the “triple win” sustain ability triangle in your lifestyle choices l Help you decide how to incorporate sustainable behaviors into your everyday life This booklet doesn’t start where you might think a typical guide should. We won’t ask how many lamps you have in your house, or what kind of vehicle you drive, or whether you use paper, plastic, or cloth bags at the grocery store. All that—and more— comes later. We start first by helping you identify what’s important to YOU—as an individual and as a member of a family and a community. This guide focuses on making choices to improve quality of life and reduce negative impact on the environment. We hope it will help you determine your lifestyle choices and what’s really important to you and your family. We’ve included space to jot down your ideas, or you might want to keep a journal as you go through the guide. The decision to live sustainably is intensely personal. Some people make changes to save money; others make changes to protect the environment; still others make changes to allow more time to pursue other things in life. -
Sustainable Urban Design Paradigm: Twenty Five Simple Things to Do to Make an Urban Neighborhood Sustainable
© 2002 WIT Press, Ashurst Lodge, Southampton, SO40 7AA, UK. All rights reserved. Web: www.witpress.com Email [email protected] Paper from: The Sustainable City II, CA Brebbia, JF Martin-Duque & LC Wadhwa (Editors). ISBN 1-85312-917-8 Sustainable urban design paradigm: twenty five simple things to do to make an urban neighborhood sustainable B. A. Kazimee School of Architecture and Construction Management, Washington State University, USA. Abstract Sustainable design celebrates and creates the ability of communities and wider urban systems to minimize their impact on the environment, in an effort to create places that endure, Central to this paradigm is an ecological approach that take into consideration not only the nature but human element as well, locally and globally. The paper presents twenty five design strategies and explores processes that point to a rediscovery of the art and science of designing sustainable neighborhoods. It seeks to synthesize these principles into an agenda for the design of towns and cities with the intention of reversing many of the ills and destructive tendencies of past practices. These strategies serve as indicators to sustainable developmen~ they are used to define inherent qualities, carrying capacities and required ecological footprints to illustrate the place of exemplary communities. Furthermore, they are established to allow designers to model, measure and program sustainable standards as well as monitor the regenerative process of cities. The guidelines are organized under five primary variables for achieving sustainability: human ecology, energy conservation, land and resource conservation (food and fiber,) air and water quality. These variables are presented as highly interactive cycles and are based upon the theory and principles/processes of place making, affordability and sustainability. -
Food & Climate
FOOD & CLIM ATE CONNECTING THE DOTS, CH OOSING THE WAY FORWARD MARCH 2014 ABOUT CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY (CFS) is a non-profit public interest and environmental advocacy membership organization established in 1997 for the purpose of challenging harmful food production technologies and promoting sustainable alternatives. CFS combines multiple tools and strategies in pur suing its goals, including litigation and legal petitions for rulemaking, legal support for various sustainable agriculture and food safety constituencies, as well as public education, grassroots organizing and media outreach. ABOUT CFS’S COOL FOODS CAMPAIGN Addressing climate problems with food solutions, CFS’s Cool Foods Campaign is harnessing the energy of the Food Movement to build a new constituency for climate action. Grounded in a set of climate-friendly principles, the Cool Foods Campaign empowers the public to engage in a positive, proactive way with an issue that can be overwhelming. Active on social media, Cool Foods meets and motivates consumers where they congregate to consider the cli mate impacts of everyday food choices. In the process, the Campaign brings parents and young people to the table at the nexus of food and climate. Cool Foods also works to promote organic practices that build soil health while creating vital reservoirs to store excess carbon. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Written by: DIANA DONLON Contributing Writer and Researcher: PATRICK RIGGS Editing: CAMERON HARSH, AURORA PAULSEN, ABIGAIL SEILER, HEATHER WHITEHEAD Legal Advisor: GEORGE KIMBRELL Organic Policy Advisor: LISA J. BUNIN, P h.D. Science Consultant: MARTHA CROUCH, P h.D. Infographics: PATRICK RIGGS with additional thanks for the use of his photos on the cover and on page 4. -
Sustainable Cities Hubs of Innovation, Low Carbon Industrialization and Climate Action
Sustainable Cities Hubs of Innovation, Low Carbon Industrialization and Climate Action INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABLE CITIES SUSTAINABLE CITIES: PLATFORMS FOR LOW CARBON INDUSTRIALIZATION AND TURNING TODAY’S CITIES INTO LIVABLE ECONOMIC POWERHOUSES 2 Cover picture: © fotolia SUSTAINABLE CITIES Sustainable Cities Hubs of Innovation, Low Carbon → Industrialization and Climate Action Background Sustainable and inclusive industrialization of cities provides opportunities for developing A sustainable synergies, such as decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation, while at the city serves the same time creating employment and fostering clean energy innovation. Cities benefit from the best interest role of industries in local economic development through job creation and income generation. of industry In industry also lie critical solutions towards limiting the carbon intensity of growth, considering the impacts of its activities as an energy consumer (and in some cases energy producer), major freight transport user, promoter of efficiency and clean energy technologies and solutions, preserver of green cover and implementer of sustainability initiatives. A sustainable city serves the best interests of industry as it benefits from the efficient and peaceful functioning of its host cities. UNIDO’s comparative advantage: 1 2 3 4 Clean energy Economic Low-carbon Climate innovation empowerment industrialization action As the world continues to urbanize rapidly, the importance of shaping sustainable cities has begun to receive widespread recognition. This is particularly true in developing countries where urban growth is relatively high and the existing systems and infrastructure are not sufficient. Estimates show that more than half of the global population currently live in cities, and is expected to reach two-thirds by 2050. -
An Example of a Sustainable Island As a Part of a Biosphere Reserve
Pangatalan: an example of a sustainable island as a part of a biosphere reserve Cinzia Alessi1, Thomas Pavi1, Laure Thierry De Ville D`Avray1, Mélanie Santo1, Frederic & Christina Tardieu 1 1 Sulubaai Environmental Foundation Inc., Pangatalan Island, brg Depla, Taytay, Palawan Keywords: zero-carbon emission, eco-sustainable activities, marine protected area, habitat restoration, local community integration Abstract: Sulubaai Environmental Foundation (SEF), a Filippino non-profit organization created in 2012, has been devoted to implement ecosystem protection through targeted actions together with a self- sufficient sustainable development in Pangatalan Island (Shark Fin Bay). Before 2012 vegetation was exploited to produce charcoal, a very impacting activity that left only 306 trees on the island. Marine surveys revealed a similar situation underwater, with more than 60% of coral reef turned into rubble with a direct decrease in fish biomass. During time SEF replanted over 50,000 of native plants and 9.000 of mangrove trees. One goal of SEF is to increase the protection of natural resources. For this reason a Marine Protected Area has been implemented in 2016 and a coral restoration project has started. 85% of the electricity used on the island comes from 20 kW solar-powered system making Palangatan Island a zero-Carbon emission place. Food comes from a 2 ha organic farm initiated and developed by the foundation on the main land nearby the island. Water used on the island comes from the mountain nearby thanks to a gravity-based system, making water use 100% green. SEF is promoting up-cycling of materials in order to reduce the ecological footprint: thus SEF re-uses dismantle wood from old buildings of the surrounding villages and material waste (e.g. -
Local and International Examples of How Sustainable Communities Can and Do Work
Environment 24 Local and international examples of how sustainable communities can and do work Morag Gamble SEED International Email: [email protected] www.SEEDinternational.com.au What is a sustainable neighbourhood? What does it look like? What are it’s features? How are local communities around the world making it a reality? INTRODUCTION For the first time in human history, more than half of the global population live in urban environments. To sustain urban habitats and their inhabitants, we must plan, design and think of cities as ecological systems, create healthy urban metabolisms and reconsider the relationship between cities and their hinterland. Climate change, peaking oil supplies, increasing levels of pollution, scarcity of fresh water, biodiversity loss, toxic food scares, and escalating violence are just some of the reasons why new patterns of urban living need to be developed. There is a great potential in urban areas to produce more, waste less and contribute to the ecological balance (restoration of the urban metabolism). Cities can become cyclers instead of sinks. The settlements we live in affect the choices we make and the way we live, as well as the level of impact we have on the planet's finite resources. A radical shift is required in the current approach to the design of human settlements and the food systems that feed the populations. WHAT IS A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY? “Sustainable communities live in social, cultural and physical environments in which needs and aspirations can be satisfied without diminishing the chances of future generations. A sustainable human community is designed in such a way that its ways of life, businesses, economy, physical structures, and technologies do not interfere with nature’s inherent ability to sustain life.