Sustainability…what is it?

There is quite a bit of buzz about environmental sustainability however there does not appear to be an overall consensus about the definition of this term.  I recently read anarticle in EHS Journal entitled “Demystifying Environmental Sustainability.”  In this article Norman Wei  argues that sustainability can be reduced to pollution prevention and waste minimization efforts; while I like the simplicity of this approach I considered that sustainability may not be that simple.   Sustainability differs in its definition depending upon the industry or audience addressed.   For example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently launched the Partnership for Sustainable Communities which unites the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of Transportation (DOT) and EPA to assist communities become more sustainable. The partnership is guided by the following  six livability principles:

• Provide more transportation choices.
• Promote equitable, affordable housing.
• Enhance economic competitiveness.
• Support existing communities.
• Coordinate and leverage federal policies and investment.
• Value communities and neighborhoods.

While these principles are effective in making our living and working communities more sustainable they would not address the industry specific issues related to manufacturing, construction, laboratories or other industries.  That said, I believe the best definition of sustainability is the ability to use the available natural resources in a manner that maintains harmony between humans and nature and enables the use of these resources for present and future generations.[i]  This definition is generic enough to apply to any industry.  It is a starting point from which a roadmap to sustainable practices can be developed through analyzing ways in which natural resources can be conserved.

When it comes to sustainability a variety of elements must be considered; however the tendency is often to limit the scope to facility operations.   The impact on natural resources should be expanded to the product–components used, mobilizing it throughout the customer base, and final disposal.   This approach may not appear a simple as that discussed in the Wei article; however each of the aforementioned elements can be point back to the broad categories of  pollution prevention or waste minimization.

I recently visited two national parks in the western part of the United States, the visit gave me an opportunity to see a variety of sustainable practices in action.  I will be discussing lessons learned in my next article.

What impressive sustainability practices have you seen or implemented?  Join the discussion by adding a comment below.