24 Tomorrow’s World. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Overview of Chapter 24 ...

24 Tomorrow’s World

© 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Overview of Chapter 24

Living Sustainably Sustainable Living: A Plan of Action Changing Personal Attitude and Practices What Kind of World Do We Want?


Choose to live sustainably?

Globally, 1 in 4 live in extreme poverty 1 in 7 little access to enough or quality foods Fairness and equality


Living Sustainably

Environmental Sustainability Ability to meet humanity’s current needs without

compromising the needs to future generations Sustainable development

1987 report – Our Common Future (aka Brundtland report)


Living Sustainably

Consumption Human use of materials

and energy World does not have

enough resources to sustain everyone at level enjoyed by US Asian countries rapidly

catching up


Five Recommendations For Sustainable Living

1. Eliminate poverty and stabilize the human population

2. Protect and restore Earth’s resources 3. Provide adequate food for all people 4. Mitigate climate change 5. Design sustainable cities

From Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble, Published in 2006 by Lester R. Brown


Recommendation 1 - Eliminating Poverty and Stabilizing Human Population

Eliminate Poverty Improve quality of life in

lower-income countries will require increasing economic growth Must address issues of:

health, nutrition and education

Role of women requires attention (right)



Eliminate Poverty Need more trained

professionals in developing countries

Debts to poorest countries should be forgiven

Population Must devote necessary

resources to family planning



Microcredit programs “The poor stay poor, not because

they’re lazy but because they have no access to capital.” Peruvian economist Hernando de

Soto

Small loans of $50-$500 dollars to establish self-employment projects that generate income Examples: sewing machines,

refrigerators, chickens


Recommendation 2 - Protecting and Restoring Earth’s Resources

The world’s forests Lost for two reasons

Converted to cash Pressure from rapid

population growth and widespread poverty

Need to protect forest resources



Loss of biodiversity Need to protect

biodiversity Food, medicine,

clothing Ecosystem services



Protecting and Restoring Earth’s Resources Economic development cannot

ignore functions of biological and physical systems

Depends on attitudes and practices based on scientific information

Connection to cultural diversity


Recommendation 3 - Providing Adequate Food For All People

Link between poverty and food insecurity Agriculture must be improved to achieve more

global sustainability Manage farmlands and

grazing lands efficiently (precision farming and IPM)

Reduce loss of soil fertility, erosion, aquifer depletion, etc.


Case in Point: PA association for sustainable agricultural

Connects farmers and non- farmers

Agritourism


Recommendation 4 - Mitigating Climate Change

Human activities are causing the increase in global temperature

Must address climate change in aggressive coordinated fashion Cannot wait until scientific knowledge is

complete- earth is too complex Stabilizing climate requires a comprehensive

energy plan Phase out of fossil fuels in both developed AND

developing countries


Recommendation 4 - Mitigating Climate Change

Comprehensive energy plan


Recommendation 5 - Designing Sustainable Cities

~50% of world’s population now lives in cities Need to design sustainable cities

Urban transportation systems Parks and open spaces Innovative

approaches to handle water scarcity and sewage treatment


Case-In-Point: Durban, South Africa

Member of Sustainable Cities Network Community participation needed

Food gardens in schools Waste reduction programs Renewable energy in

many homes


Changing Personal Attitudes and Practices

Sustainable consumption Use of goods and services that satisfy basic

human needs and improve the quality of life but that minimize the use of resources so they are available for future use

Needs of survival compared to wants


Changing Personal Attitudes and Practices

Role of Education Accurate information must be made widely

available People’s concerns

for the environment do not translate into action


Role of Education

People must be educated to understand the reasons for changing practices

1. Set up environmental curricula at all school levels

2. Encourage environmental activities and organizations

3. Support institutions that promote conservation and sustainability

4. Encourage inclusion of relevant material in programs of social groups


What Kind of World Do We Want?

Those who live in developed countries are the source of most of the problems facing the global environment Assumption made that environment will take care

of itself This view needs to be changed radically


What Kind of World Do We Want?

Most critical environmental problem is our own attitudes and values

Your generation must be the next pioneers Explore a different way for humans to exist in the

world Requires reconnecting with natural environment Requires revaluing ourselves according to a new

set of ideals What kind of world do you want to live in?

24 Tomorrow’s World. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Overview of Chapter 24 ...

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