What does Sustainability mean?
So what does sustainability mean and why do we need sustainability? This page will answer all of your questions.
Key questions from the video to think about.
1 - What does sustainability for our planet mean?
2 - According to the video - where are we now?
3 - What were the four basic principles that Swedish scientists developed in regards to a definition of sustainability?
4 - Who has become a threat to themselves, and why?
2 - According to the video - where are we now?
3 - What were the four basic principles that Swedish scientists developed in regards to a definition of sustainability?
4 - Who has become a threat to themselves, and why?
Activity 1
After watching the video, work in a group, pairs or by yourself and think of what the word sustainability means for you. You can see the definition by clicking here, but I want to know what you think it means. Compare your answer with the rest of the class or with your neighbor did you get something similar?
Activity 2
Tak a piece of blank paper and get into pairs. You have five minutes to write down everything you know about sustainability. This works best if you write something down and then pass the piece of paper to your mate. If you are in a group then pass the piece of paper around the whole group. If you cant think of anything then just pass. Here are some key things to think about.
1 - What things do you know of that are sustainable?
2 - What things do you know of that are un-sustainable? (or things that are bad for the environment)
Think of things such as food, cars, farming, buildings etc.
1 - What things do you know of that are sustainable?
2 - What things do you know of that are un-sustainable? (or things that are bad for the environment)
Think of things such as food, cars, farming, buildings etc.
The above chart shows the three pillars of sustainability as noted at the 2005 World Summit. The diagram shows that both economic and society are constrained by environmental. In this unit we are only looking at the environment side of sustainability but I believe that it is important to understand both economic and society.
Activity 3
Looking at the above chart - why do you think that both economic and society are constrained by environment? Why is environment so important? Talk with your pairs or in your class to discuss why you think this is the case.
Scale and Context
Sustainability can be looked at in many contexts as we have already seen - Environmental, social and economic. Environmental looks at such things as the carrying capacity of the earth. Economic sustainability looks at economic sectors, ecosystems, countries etc, while social looks at neighborhoods, individual lives, occupations etc.
Consumption
The largest impact on the earth by man is the destruction of the earths ecosystems. Careful resource management can be applied to economic sectors, social sectors and environmental sectors. Consumption depends on what resources are being used and whether or not these resources are renewable or not.
Environmental Assessment.
We could spend all week looking at social and economic assessment as well as environmental assessment, but that not where we are here for. This section looks at all of the areas that are managed under the environment assessment. There is two ways of reducing negative human impact - the major one that is talked about in this section is environmental management. Environmental management involves oceans, freshwater systems, land and the atmosphere. This can be looked at on different scales form a large forest to a glasshouse in someones backyard.
1 - ATMOSPHERE - impact on the atmosphere includes air pollution or the admission of greenhouse gasses which we talk about in the second half of this lesson.
2 - FRESH WATER & OCEANS - Only 2.5% of the water on earth is freshwater and most of it is locked up in the ice shelves. However, the pollution of clean water means that much of the world does not have access to clean, safe, drinkable water.
3 - LAND USE - forests are extremely important for sustainability, however with the destruction of many of the worlds forests means that land is becoming un-sustainable. Land is extremely important when you have to feed over 7 billion human beings.
1 - ATMOSPHERE - impact on the atmosphere includes air pollution or the admission of greenhouse gasses which we talk about in the second half of this lesson.
2 - FRESH WATER & OCEANS - Only 2.5% of the water on earth is freshwater and most of it is locked up in the ice shelves. However, the pollution of clean water means that much of the world does not have access to clean, safe, drinkable water.
3 - LAND USE - forests are extremely important for sustainability, however with the destruction of many of the worlds forests means that land is becoming un-sustainable. Land is extremely important when you have to feed over 7 billion human beings.
Greenhouse gases - sustainability enemies.
The following section looks at the admission of greenhouse gases and why they are known as 'sustainability enemy'.
Activity 4
Have a look at the above images. Do you understand them? The graph shows how carbon from bio-masses is converted into fuels and chemical products which are then emitted into the atmosphere creating. Draw a simplified diagram in your textbooks and label any important points.
The Greenhouse gas effect.
The greenhouse effect occurs when the atmosphere allows most of the high energy radiation to pass through. This radiation is then absorbed by the earths surface and then converted into thermal energy which warms up the surface of the earth. The earths surface then emits radiation which is where the greenhouse gases come in and trap most of the radiation and radiate it back in all directions. This causes the earth to warm - because of this process the earths temperature is kept relatively warm.
What are greenhouse gases?
1 - Nitrous Oxide
2 - Carbon Dioxide
3 - Methane
4 - Ozone
5 - Water Vapor
2 - Carbon Dioxide
3 - Methane
4 - Ozone
5 - Water Vapor
Causes of greenhouse gases
Natural causes include - Nitrous Oxide, Carbon Dioxide, Methane, ozone, and water vapor. These are beneficial when created naturally but harmful when man speeds up the process. Man made causes include - deforestation, electrical appliances, burning fossil fuels, popluation increase.
Activity 5
Have a look at the above photos. Talk with your classmates in groups or pairs. How do each of these photos show the emissions of greenhouse gases? See if you can write down 5 key points for each photo. Use the internet to research if you are able to.
Activity 6
Take notes from the video on the positives and negatives of the Greenhouse effect.
Activity 7 - end of lesson quiz
1. What does the term sustainability mean?
2. List 5 things that you know are sustainable
3. List 5 things that you know are un-sustainable
4. In what context does environment sustainability focus on?
5. List the 3 areas that are listed under the environmental assessment.
6. What are greenhouse gases?
7. List 10 man-made causes of greenhouse gases
8. List 2 positives and negatives of the greenhouse gas effect.
Check your answers with your neighbor to see how you went. If need be you are able to check this website to get the answers but try and complete it to the best of your ability before you cheat.
2. List 5 things that you know are sustainable
3. List 5 things that you know are un-sustainable
4. In what context does environment sustainability focus on?
5. List the 3 areas that are listed under the environmental assessment.
6. What are greenhouse gases?
7. List 10 man-made causes of greenhouse gases
8. List 2 positives and negatives of the greenhouse gas effect.
Check your answers with your neighbor to see how you went. If need be you are able to check this website to get the answers but try and complete it to the best of your ability before you cheat.