Efforts big and small can make a difference in communities and the ecosystem. In order for a community to build resilience personal action must be made. These actions can include eating local or personally sourced food, reusing more of what we have, being more energy efficient with how we live and run our houses, and repairing the damage that we have made and preparing for a future with less harmful fossil fuels (Robertson 2017). Individual actions can be used to start change, but big efforts are required too since “…the planetary crisis is so pressing and the issues reach across state and national boundaries, mobilizing all the parts of global social networks is essential, including communities, profit and nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, governance, and policy (Evans 2012, 77; Sachs 2015, 496).” (Robertson 2017). By correctly mixing the two different efforts, real changes can be made with sustainability in sight.

In order to give people and communities a chance, communities must be resilient. According to Robertson (2017) “resilient systems endure not because they remain stable in the face of change, but because they are able to shift to new states that allow them to retain their core functions (Evans 2012, 170).” This quote defines how us people and government must be willing to accept change and the hardships it may bring. Robertson and the ICOR (The International Consortium for Organizational Resilience) agree that people are a big factor in adding to community resilience. By having strong people enforce what they believe in there’s a chance that it can influence the government. Working together to support smaller businesses allows for communities to be connected, prepared, and support their local economy (figure 2). Community resilience further supports the economy by allowing workers to have a direct role in decision making that focuses on long-term profits than short-term. They also bring people together by giving the community an opinion that can be heard regarding things that may effect their town. With strong groups of people and a resilient community, a transition may be made for towns.

Transition towns are up-and-coming for resilient communities. “Transition Towns, founded by permaculturist Rob Hopkins, is a global network of hundreds of communities each working to build local resilience in response to peak oil, economic instability, and climate destabilization.” (Robertson 2017)(video 1). The gathering of people is the most important part of a transition town because of the support and optimism that everyone can give to each other. A town like the one described in the video would require people to grow their own food and focus on where the energy they’re spending is going. Groups have been forming around the globe to support this movement and prepare for the future. These groups focus on education, where food comes from, and transportation for community members. The emphasis on foods and good includes the money and fuels needed to transport the supplies from one area to another. The groups realize that in order for a change to occur, they must be closer to what they are producing to reduce fossil fuel usage. People are hoping that others will join these transition town groups based on their own ethics and morals. Hope for this to happen is sadly not enough and actions need to start being taken. With everyone working together there is a chance that we can harm the environment less than we already have.

Sources Cited: The International Consortium for Organizational Resilience. (n.d.). ICOR: Community Resilience Frameworks. Retrieved from https://www.build-resilience.org/community-resilience-framework.php
Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

Sustainability is becoming a goal of some major and minor companies so that they can grow larger, reduce costs, and have a good public appearance in regards to the environment and people. For a new or existing business to implement sustainable goals a process must be followed where goals are made, obeyed, and measured. To create a goal it “…involves new ways of looking at the world, and can seem abstract and hard to understand for people new to its ideas.” (Robertson 2017). The new way of looking at the world and thinking can allow for far-fetched goals to be obtainable and gives the potential to be a new standard for sustainable business practice. To learn about different sustainable aspects, frameworks may be looked upon. There are four major frameworks that a business can follow to develop an action plan and real goals. According to Robertson, 2017, the frameworks look at fossil fuels and minerals, toxins, resource extractions, and equity and economics. The four frameworks give good guidelines for what should be measured and what goals they should obtain. Below is an example of what a goal may contain and should focus on for future endeavors with the four frameworks in mind (figure 1).

In order to fix sustainability issues, more than just businesses need to focus on solutions. We need people to focus on making sustainability the solution too. Doing this is considered difficult to some people due to the lack of others being outside in nature where they can take in the real world around them. The want and need to see the natural world around you is called biophilia. According to Robertson, 2017, “biophilia, the genetically encoded emotional need of humans to affiliate with nature and with other living organisms, evolved as an adaptive mechanism to protect people from hazards and to help them access resources such as food, water, and shelter. In modern life, research shows that contact with the natural world has an impact on human health and well-being as well as on people’s ability to think and to learn (Ulrich 1984, 420–21; Kellert 2005, 4; Li and Sullivan 2016, 149)”. With the research showing the importance of nature on humans, some contractors and designers have been creating biophilic designs for houses and commercial buildings. These designs include zero net energy, living buildings, and CORE certifications, while leaving nature as the driving force and providing the owner with a beautiful home (living-future.org) (figure 2).

These buildings focus on nature by using sustainable sources, reaching sustainability certifications, and using an open concept so the outside may always been seen and enjoyed by people. Using biophilic design for offices and homes allows for people to relax and potentially work more, while co-inhabiting with the natural world (video 1). With time and effort, some houses have even been made with zero net energy transmissions (living-future.org). The idea of biophilic design would also allow for new generations to grow up in nature and teach them to appreciate what we have. Since young children learn by activities, touching things, and from watching adults, they could learn how to be sustainable from us and their own experiences. Since biophilic designs will allow for children to appreciate nature as much as we all should they could keep pushing sustainability for their future.

Biophilic Design. (2018, December 17). Retrieved from https://living-future.org/biophilic-design-overview/
Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Sustainable development policy. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://m.espacepourlavie.ca/en/sustainable-development-policy

Each average person on earth produces around 4.5 pounds of trash a day that follows the “take-make-waste” way of life (Robertson 2017). This model is when everyday things that people use are bought and consumed, made again, and thrown away. When something is thrown away, the waste produced is typically what is used to produce the product that goes to waste. To face this problem people have been trying to make things “less bad”. One goal of the future is a zero waste system (figure 1). The zero waste model “looks at every material as a resource that can be used again.”(Robertson 2017). This means that instead of take-make-waste, the system becomes borrow-use-return. To achieve this design system the first thing that must be changed is packaging. This would be the first step since it would allow for packages to be reused, recycled, and durable. The next step would be to increase producers responsibility and change the laws and regulations (Robertson 2017; Green Building Elements 2012). In order to make recycling and reducing enticing to people, some regions provide incentives by changing trash fees to be based off of the volume of waste instead of monthly fees. By using less money on trash disposal the tax and fee money can be used more for infrastructure that supports reusing and recycling. An example of this kind of infrastructure is when clean waste to energy plants are made.

“Zero Waste is more than simply reuse and recycling, although those are important. The so-called fourth R, “rethinking,” is primary.” (figure 2) (Robertson 2017). By including rethinking into the 4 R’s, the route of the problem may be assessed. This fourth R stresses the importance of thinking about a product and its waste prevention before producing the product and dealing with the waste after it has been used. The waste can include food, packaging, technology, and construction debris. Some places have been rethinking in terms of waste disposal. One change is a waste stream that “consists of the waste material produced in a region and the paths it follows from its sources to final disposal.” (Robertson 2017). A waste stream gives the potential to remove waste with minimal harm to the environment. An example is a waste to energy facility. The facility can create clean air with filtration after the burning of goods to create energy. It also utilizes a waste stream to separate recycled goods. The stream allows for recycling to be easier for citizens and encourages them to do it. This allows for streams to be used in a positive way that can give back to the community. Using a waste stream for garbage and/or recycling is cleaner because it avoids the need of chemicals and biological waste disposal. Since the garbage burner filtrates the air it keeps the process clean and efficient.

Green Building Elements. (2012, October 18). Zero Waste Systems; A Cycle Following Nature’s Design – Green Building Elements 2019. Retrieved from https://greenbuildingelements.com/2012/10/18/zero-waste-systems/ Public Works Los Angeles County. (n.d.). Rethink. Retrieved from https://dpw.lacounty.gov/epd/rethinkla/rethink/rethink-todays-applications-of-4rs.aspx Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

The world population is growing at an exponential rate, and so is the need for transportation. According to Robertson (2017), “transportation consumes 26 percent of the world’s energy produced and is responsible for 23 percent of the world’s energy-related greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC 2014c, 603)”. In the U.S. the total consumption was shown to be approximately 28% of the energy used (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2019). In order to keep the climate stabilized, the emissions from transportation needs to decrease 50%. To combat the emission usage many counties are modifying their urban planning. Changing urban planning methods allows for urban communities to live off of renewable energy, plan more compact neighborhoods that will reduce the need to drive, and become more economically stable and affordable for different economic classes. One method of planning is the use of mixed neighborhoods. This is a neighborhood that is a mix of residential and business that allows for necessities to be in walking or biking distance. A walking neighborhood proves is functional when the area has a quarter mile radius. Having a reasonable walking radius will reduce the want to drive for groceries or toiletries, and save on car emissions.

Another approach to urban planning is smart growth. “Smart growth is an approach to urban planning that is the antithesis of sprawl. It accommodates growth by locating development in city centers and older suburbs with existing infrastructure in ways that preserve open space and natural resources while supporting and revitalizing existing cities.” (Robertson 2017). Smart growth is based off of ten principles that include mix land use, compact designs with walk-able neighborhoods, preservation of open green space, and creation of housing opportunity ranges. Smart growth was created in 1996 by a former Maryland governor, and he was able to create the Maryland Smart Growth Law. This law was a prototype of sustainable city growth options that may be used by the government and nonprofit organizations. In order to encourage smart growth the EPA has been implementing assistance to different U.S. states and cities (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014)(video 1).

To create a more sustainable future more than transportation emissions must change. With the growing population, more crops and animals must be farmed to feed communities. Mono-culture farming is not sustainable and removes nutrients from the soil faster than it can be replenished. Large cities have been working on combating this issue in a way that is healthy for the environment and community. Community gardening is growing in cities because it is “…a way to bring not only food security but also social cohesion, community regeneration, new skills, and self-confidence to people living in a city.” (Robertson 2017). This method allows for communities to grow closer by school and apartment rooftop gardens, gardening clubs, and creates more green spaces for the community to congregate around (figure 2). Implementing this technique in schools also allows for the younger generations to learn how to be more sustainable in their food interests and everyday lives.

U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2019, May 10). Energy Use for Transportation. Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/?page=us_energy_transportation
Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2014, October 8). Smart Growth Implementation Assistance in Phoenix and Mesa, Arizona. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UoqKZNBWyc

Over the years there has been an increase in skyscrapers, offices, and houses being built. All of the buildings that are made harm the environment through the building process and with what is being emitted after the place is built. The way buildings are designed have been changed throughout the 21st century to create a more positive impact. A rating system has been made by the US Green Building Council called LEED (video 1). “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is a rating system for buildings developed by the USGBC. LEED certification provides third-party verification that a building’s design, construction, and operation will reduce green house gas emissions, use water and energy efficiently, and minimize environmental impact, promote social equity, and promote economic viability.” (Robertson 2017, pg 184). LEED is starting to be used as a standard for buildings by sustainability practitioners and contractors. Green buildings are collaborative projects that include a team of people ranging from investors, ecologists, and professionals in sustainability.

So what is a green building? A green building is a one that minimizes negative impacts on the environment and follows examples of natural and living things (Robertson 2017). Green buildings are different than normal ones because they take the whole process into account. This process includes where the material comes from, a more natural way to cool and heat the building with minimal emissions, and how the buildings interact with the environment. The need of heating and cooling methods, reflective roofs, and use of mosses on the sides of buildings are assessed depending on the environment that the structure is being made in. One structure that is one of the of the greenest buildings in the world is the Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscape (figure 1). The Phipps center reaches all the top marks of the LEED green building classifications (Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens). However, While green building is better for the environment William McDonohough made a disclaimer that something better does not mean sustainable (Robertson 2017) . His statement reinforced the idea that a building may be used to give back to the natural world, but will never fully give back to the planet.

The process of designing a green building is more intensive then regular construction. According to Robertson (2017) on page 186, “these buildings are integrated systems that require a different, whole-building way of thinking”. To put it simply, a green building is interactive with other components of the house. The amount of time, money, and people needed to properly design a LEED building only adds to the complication. The system of development is known as integrated design in respects to the large team of people and environmental factors (figure 2). The process includes the environment in regards to shade, for cooling and to know the best placement for solar panels, the amount of solar radiation, and the temperature of the area. These buildings are showing improvement environmental impacts and are great for people, but can be costly to make and potentially turn away stakeholders or buyers. Over the years to come, hopefully there will be an increase in the amount of affordable green buildings so more people can make a difference.

Sources Cited: Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. (2019). Center for Sustainable Landscapes | Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens | Pittsburgh PA. Retrieved from https://www.phipps.conservatory.org/green-innovation/at-phipps/center-for-sustainable-landscapes-greenest-building-museum-garden-in-the-world
Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council). (2015, October 16). What is green building? Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyIOtsx3wDs

Energy is consumed in large amounts all over the world and needs to be replenished in order for people to keep their energy. With over 7 billion people on earth energy is frequently consumed and fossil fuels are used to create that energy. It is common knowledge that fossil fuels are not good for the environment and are running low. However, fossil fuels are still used for energy needs. One main fossil fuel that is drilled is petroleum. The drilling of petroleum allows for oil spills and leaks to occur in underground water pipelines. According to Robertson (2017), “a major issue associated with exploration is the release of petroleum into the natural world during an accidental spill”. These spills have been seen in the past many times, and the leaks that occur are just as hazardous over time (figure 1). In 2010 a massive oil spill occurred in the Gulf of Mexico killing thousands of animals that were only seen on the surface. It is still being investigated on how the oil effects the marine ecosystem as a whole. Pipeline accidents include the leaks that can occur after a while when the pipes corrode over time. Even if the pipelines are perfectly maintained there is an average amount of 1-2% of oil leaked per year.

“Transportation, most of it cars and light trucks, is the world’s biggest user of petroleum and accounts for a significant share of global carbon dioxide emissions” (Robertson, 2017). In order to decrease the amount of petroleum drilled for energy and reduce the amount of green house gases other energy sources for cars are being investigated. There are 3 strategies that have been thought of to solve this issue and the one most heard of is the “…approach to find other energy sources as alternatives to fossil fuels. Alternatives include electricity, bio-fuels, hydrogen, and fuel cells” (Robertson, 2017) (figure 2) These alternative sources are an improvement, however they are still not perfect. One example is natural gas which is considered to be a transition fuel. This fuel releases 25% less carbon dioxide then ordinary gas combustion. Electrical vehicles also face challenges such as emissions released by electricity production, and energy storage. In order to produce the electricity coal, oil, and natural gases must be used. Since coal, oil, and natural gases will be needed the greenhouse gas concentration would remain the same (video 1). Energy storage is important because of the size of cars and the amount of batteries needed in order for a car to fully run off of it. Batteries have been modified over time in order to minimize this problem and make it easier for the car to hold the battery load.

Cited Sources: Office Response and Restoration. (2019, June 11). Largest Oil Spills Affecting U.S. Waters Since 1969. Retrieved from https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills/largest-oil-spills-affecting-us-waters-1969.html
Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Seeker. (2016, April 14). Are Electric Cars Actually Better For The Environment? Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMJNvQ8X5Fw U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2011, August 11). U.S. Energy Information Administration – EIA – Independent Statistics and Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=2610

The ecosystem is diverse and contains many species in a variety of areas. It is easy for an ecosystem to be disturbed by many things, one of those things are invasive species. According to Robertson (2017) on page 117, “the most adaptable and destructive invasive species is Homo sapiens.” When looking at the vague definition of what an invasive species is I have to disagree with that statement. According to Zielinski (2011), humans are not an invasive species when comparing people to the definition. The part of the definition that fits the human race is how people are widespread and found all over the globe. People also have adverse effects on the habitat and environment. This is shown by figure 1 below with the correlation of humans to the extinction crisis. However, invasive species should be non-native and humans have been found on all continents over the globe (i.e. Native Americans). Invasive species also have to be introduced to new land by something else, but humans introduced themselves and decided where they wanted to wonder. To multiple definitions humans are not considered to be an invasive species, but they do pollute the earth and harm things around them.

Air pollution is becoming stronger on earth effecting people, animals, and the environment. “Humans and other animals breathe several times a minute, taking in far greater volumes of air per day than they do food or water.” (Robertson, 2017). This means that our lungs are able to absorb air pollutants more than we take in water. Air pollution can harm respiratory systems, increase global warming effects, and cause smog that makes it hard to see and causes oxygen depletion. There are 6 criteria for pollutants and they are described in the video below as: particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, lead, and ground-level ozone. All six pollutants can be made when fossil fuel is burned. Smog is a type of air pollutant that can be made by the burning of coal (sulfur oxides), photo-chemical reactions, and car exhaust (ground-level ozone and nitrogen oxide)(National Geographic, 2017). Smog is often made when factories are being used. It can also be emitted from radiation plants.

Radioactive pollutants can damage the earth and have multiple causes (figure 2). Radioactive pollutants are able to cause smog to form in the air with the burning of uranium and other naturally occurring radioactive elements. “Pollution from radioactivity can come from naturally occurring sources including radon gas and background radiation, or it can be a byproduct of human activities, including medical diagnosis and treatment.” (Robertson, 2017). According to the Environmental Solution Centers, there are many different radiation pollution sources. Some human and natural ways this pollution reaches earth is from nuclear explosions, nuclear waste handling and disposal, and mining. Uranium is mined by crushing the uranium ore. The crushing of the ore allows for radioactive particles to reach the atmosphere and pollute the earth. Radioactive pollution can be managed by minimizing any accidents that can occur at a power-plant and by finding a safe way to mine materials such as uranium.

Causes of Radiation Pollution | Environmental Pollution Centers. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/radiation/causes/Human Population Growth and Extinction. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/extinction/ Mayntz, M. (n.d.). Types of Pollution. Retrieved from https://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/environmental-issues/air-pollution-america National Geographic. (2017, October 16). Air Pollution 101 | National Geographic. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6rglsLy1Ys Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Zielinski, S. (2011, January 31). Are Humans an Invasive Species? Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/are-humans-an-invasive-species-42999965/

The changing of the climate is inevitable over time and should be expected over a 150 year period. While observing the climate change scientists found that the temperature is rising faster now than it has in the past. They call this sudden rise global warming. This “fast paced” change is partly due to humans and the increase in fossil fuel usage we burn through. Another discovery is that earth’s fresh-water source is being depleted faster than it can be used.

It can easily be assumed that earth is getting warmer, but how do we know it is heating faster than before? The answer is that we use proxies. According to Robertson (2017), “for measurements before 150 years ago, scientists use proxies: indicators that stand in for temperature.” Two examples of biological proxies are tree rings and coral reef rings. Trees form rings that respond to temperature while corals form rings that show water temperature (figure 1). Both rings compliment each other to understand the changing weather since tree rings work best for temperate regions and coral reef rings form in tropical regions.

The rings and other proxies show a rise in temperature. This increase is due to the amount of carbon dioxide on earth that can warm up the atmosphere over time. According to Robertson (2017) on page 74 “since the start of the industrial era the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen almost 40 percent (Houghton 2009, 29). The burning of fossil fuels is the primary culprit…”. The amount of carbon dioxide is increasing at 2 parts per million a year. The 2 ppm rise of carbon dioxide correlates to the exponential use of fossil fuels per year. According to the EIA, the use of fossil fuels will increase by 9% from 2017-2019 (figure 2). The expected main contributors to the increase usage of fossil fuels are natural gas and crude oil. It is important to find other uses of power, like electric cars, in order to decrease this use and minimize the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. Otherwise the increase use of fossil fuels and output of CO2 keep may be harmful to the earth’s environment and can keep holding the heat in.

The second discovery made when looking at earth’s resources were that aquifers are being depleted. Aquifers are used for drinking water and farming and are a necessary resource to our daily lives. Since aquifers are so important they have been used often. In fact, they have been used so often that they are depleting faster than they can refill. An example o this is with an important aquifer known as the Ogallala Aquifer. “The Ogallala is for all practical purposes a nonrenewable resource, and it is disappearing.” (Robertson 2017). The volume of the Ogallala has dropped 11% since it started being used in the 1950s. In some parts of its long stretch through different states the water table has dropped 100-150 feet (Robertson 2017). The video below explains more about the Ogallala Aquifer and its importance to the society, along with how it is being depleted.

Hess, T. (2018, January 18). U.S. Energy Information Administration – EIA – Independent Statistics and Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=34572
NASA Earth Observatory. Paleoclimatology: Climate Close-up. (2005, December 23). Retrieved from https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/Paleoclimatology_CloseUp/paleoclimatology_closeup_2.php Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Tufts ENVS. Resource Depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer. (2017, June 14). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1MGJQmdQKk

“Ecosystems are not permanent; nature is constantly changing. Two essential and related processes of change are disturbance and succession.” (Robertson et al., 35). This line is a reminder that earth is not static and that there is always something happening in order for the earth to remain in equilibrium. To maintain this equilibrium, disturbance must occur and succession will follow. A disturbance is a catastrophic event to an ecosystem that typically allows for new life forms to emerge and permits a growth in population density. An example of a catastrophe is when a wildfire starts to burn down a forest (figure 1). This event is devastating to the community, but succession will occur over time to allow for more diversity, or added in this example, better soil quality to reform. Being able to understand how devastation and succession is beneficial to the environment is one key to learning how to preserve ecosystems. When the ecosystem has time to readjust to the climax and regain its health from the initially dominant lifeforms, a possible stronger, new community climax is reached.

After learning more about destruction and succession it is important to look at the human population growth rate in order to see how the rate is changing with the environment and ecosystem. According to Robertson et al. on page 46, ” Over the past century the planet’s population quadrupled from 1.5 billion to 6 billion, with a billion people added to the planet every 33 years on average.” This increase gives people an idea of how many resources are being used to accommodate this dramatic change of population in 100 years. The UN has created a graph of the future population growth estimations. The graph has four possible outcomes: a UN constant fertility, UN high, UN medium, and UN low variant (figure 2)(Roser). According to their calculations, the estimated population by the year 2050 will be 9.7 billion (Robertson et al; Roser). Many countries have been pushing education and working with demographic transitions in order to lower the population rate so that it can stay at a constant rate. The constant rate will allow for researchers to determine what is best for the earth, while avoiding a decrease in population.

With the rise of human population the worry about another mass extension is increasing. According to Roberston et al., page 50, “The planet’s sixth mass extinction is underway, with 50 percent of species alive today predicted to be gone by the year 2100 (Wilson 2002b, 102)”. Evidence of this is the loss of 90% of fish in the ocean and oxygen being pulled out from the ocean and leaving dead zones due to soil runoff. This sixth mass extinction that is killing oceanic animals and melting glaciers is because of humans. Humans are allowing fertilizers to runoff into the ocean, streams, and rivers that can cause the dead zones in the ocean and keeping away life. People have also increased industrial processes that allow for smoke to go into the air and mix with oxygen. Scientists believe that people are transforming the environment and that carbon dioxide is entering the atmosphere at higher rates than before. The rise of carbon dioxide and toxic agents, in things like fertilizers, is harming the earth and taking away from future resources that can be used for generations to come. The video below describes how the sixth mass extinction event is forming and how humans are the sole contributors to this event.

Sources
Cornell, Brent. (n.d.). Retrieved May 23, 2019, from https://ib.bioninja.com.au/options/option-c-ecology-and-conser/c2-communities-and-ecosyste/ecological-disturbance.html Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Roser, M. (2013, May 09). Future Population Growth. Retrieved May 23, 2019, from https://ourworldindata.org/future-population-growth

Sustainability has been described in many ways over the years. The textbook definition of sustainability is “enduring into the long term future” (Robertson et al. 2017, 3). This definition has people thinking of what the world would be like in the future. The future raises questions such as if there will be enough resources left for the future generation to use and how much more people can take from the earth before depleting its resources. These questions may not be answered until people can understand what sustainable development is and the three things that make it up: ecological sustainability, economic support, and social inclusion (Robertson et al. 2017, 4). A strong quote on page 4 of Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition was how the Brundtland report defined sustainabible development: “…development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (WCED 1987, 43)” (Robertson et al. 2017, 4). This struck out because it informs people of the importance of being sustainable by creating an image of how future generations will live with substantially less resources than what is available today. Sustainable development is more explained in the video below on What is Sustainable Development? The video is a great example of how social progress, economical development, and the environment are interlocked with each other. The United Nations is pushing for sustainability in order for a healthier earth, more future generations to develop, and a stronger economic stand for the participating countries. In order for this to be successful, sustainability has to grow in society and people must talk about it and learn different renewable resources that will regenerate faster than they may be used.

“Earth is currently operating at 140 percent of its capacity (Ewing et al. 2010, 18) and on track to be operating at 200 percent by the 2030s (Gilding 2011, 52)” (Robertson et al. 2017, 5). This quote is shocking and shows how little people know or care to apply sustainability into their lives. Richard Heinberg stressed of how earth is reaching its capacity and that energy consumption is up 814% from 1850-2000 (figure 1)(Heinberg 2018).

This rise in usage of renewable and nonrenewable resources can jeopardize the sustainability development of the future. There is a risk of lacking the resources in the future even while using renewable resources. This is because these resources can be used faster than they can regenerate. Without time for the resource to redevelop there will not be any to use further on. Research has shown that earth has a “safe operating space” in which society can continue to grow. This safe operating space is made up of nine boundaries: climate change, biodiversity loss, excess nitrogen and phosphorus production, stratospheric ozone depletion, ocean acidification, freshwater consumption, land-use change, air pollution, and chemical pollution (figure 2) (Robertson et al. 2017, 6: Heinberg 2018). Studies have been done on the health of all nine planetary boundaries and it was discovered that three out of the nine have already been exceeded. The three past the safe operating space are: nitrogen production, climate change, and biodiversity loss. Even with these exceeded boundaries, there is hope that these components will go back into the safe operating zone while entering a new geological epoch. Anthropocene, has been thought to be the new epoch and it will possibly provide stronger networks and communities that can take on a sustainable living approach in order for there to be a longer future for humans, the environment, and the planet.

Three Quotes: – Page 3: definition of sustainability – Page 4: “…development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (WCED 1987, 43)” – Page 5: “Earth is currently operating at 140 percent of its capacity (Ewing et al. 2010, 18) and on track to be operating at 200 percent by the 2030s (Gilding 2011, 52)”

Sources Heinberg, R. (2018, July 26). Ted Nordhaus Is Wrong: We Are Exceeding Earth’s Capacity for Humans. Retrieved May 16, 2019, from https://undark.org/article/ted-nordhaus-carrying-capacity-ecology/
Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.