Introduction to Sustainability and its Importance
Question:
Discuss about the Academic Literacy through Exploring Sustainability.
Sustainability refers to the ability to maintain consistency in the natural resources used by people in the environment. Sustainability has now become the need of the era as the resources are getting depleted day by day and people are harassing them for their use as well. I believe that if these activities of human will not stop then the end of the whole word in near as no person can survive without using natural resources. Be it electricity, water or petroleum people overuse it on a regular basis. Like, water is misused by people during household chores, energy is wasted by many factories, and overuse of vehicles creates pollution in my community. So, these are some of the examples that act as concern for sustainability for my community.
If I talk about my personal understanding, what I believe about sustainability is that it is not one person’s work; instead, it can only be achieved through group activities. Sustainability scenario which I have chosen to further for the essay is Personal lifestyle choices in modern urban settings as it talks about the lifestyles choice of people nowadays which affect the environment on a whole. This scenario interests me the most because it talks about all the activities which are implemented in a community for good or bad. I believe that this aspect includes all other aspects as well because at the end what matters the most is the health and survival of the community.
After analyzing the topic of research that is personal lifestyle choices in modern urban settings, I believe that sustainability, in this case, can only be attained by considering the three pillars that are environmental, social and economic considerations. Balance in these considerations can create sustainability in the environment. In the pillar of environmental, I think one should consider the illicit effect of activities initiated by people which can easily be seen in the environment. Social concern of sustainability should be the social welfare activities implemented in the name of beneficiary but deteriorate the quality of life. Lastly, economic consideration should be taken seriously as it relates to the lifestyle of people according to which they work in the environment. In order to maintain their lifestyle people should not take action which adversely affects the nature.
I believe that all three concerns mentioned above are important and they should together be taken into consideration to start a better approach towards the environment. As these activities are interlinked so no specific environment lays more negative impact on the environment. I think that an approach should be initiated in the community which shall collectively indicate all the three pillars and respond them positively. Further, I have noticed that nowadays people have different lifestyles and they do not want to ruin their image in the community at any cost due to which they initiate such activities’ that harm the nature. So, according to my perception sustainable outcome can be achieved by changing the perception of people in the community as well.
Personal Lifestyle Choices in Modern Urban Settings
The purpose of this article is to discuss about the three pillar sustainability framework. This paper is formed with a purpose to make people understand about sustainability in a classroom. A case study is being explained in the paper to show the use of the environmental, social and the economic consideration in initiating a sustainable quality of life. From the view point of the author, three different dimensions are being explained in the paper to enlighten the readers about the aim of sustainability. This report is an analytical paper which raises question regarding the three-dimensional tool and explains the importance of sustainability in the society. Through this paper, the authors (Herremans and Reid) aimed to explain the sustainability triad through reflection of a mini case. Theses reading helped the students to take actions which are regarded best for the society and the environment. The authors wanted to educate the students with the real world analysis of the sustainability and its impact on the lifestyle of people. They identified the role of stakeholders in instituting best practices of sustainability in classrooms. Furthermore talking about the relevancy of the topic in context to the scenario described above, it should be noted that the paper is enriched with the information about the three pillars of sustainability. As the report talks about the environmental, social and economic issues in the views of sustainability so the paper successfully helps in analyzing the issues which regulate the sustainable quality of life of people in a community. There is a definite link between the paper and the topic of research as it tells about the sustainability issues from the environmental, social and economic point of view.
This paper is taken from the journal of Sustainability: science, practice, and policy. The author of this article is Kevin Murphy; he has appropriately provided information about sustainability in his article. The paper gave a clear view of about the social pillar of sustainability; it also explained the social issues which are negatively reflecting the growth of life in the societies. Further the paper also explains the social views and possibilities due to which sustainable quality of life has become a difficult task to achieve. The issues explained in the article relates to the social issues which impact the sustainability of the environment. This article also provides a conceptual framework to identify social concepts that link to the environmental issues. Apart from social concepts, the paper talks about its relationship with the environmental pillar of sustainability as well. Further relating the paper with the report, it should be noted that this article successfully helped in achieving the adequate requirements of the task. This article helped in gaining information about the social possibilities which can lay great impact on the quality of life of people. Poverty and inequality in the environment is the biggest social cause which is explained with the help of this article. Further, the article also helped in analyzing the sustainable development indicators that can be used to examine the quality of life in which people in the society sustain. Further, the paper also spread awareness regarding the problem of sustainability in the environment and how it impacts the lifestyle of people. Furthermore, this article also explains the lifestyle choices of people in which they want to live. Equity, participation, socially cohesive and awareness for sustainability are four main concepts which are being explained in the article.
Three Pillar Sustainability Framework – Environmental, Social, and Economic Considerations
This paper is taken from the Commonwealth of Australia which was reproduced on the behalf of ‘the Charles Darwin University’ and copyright under the copyright act of 1968. This paper exclusively talks about sustainability and its three-dimensional framework. Sustainability is far more than an approach or aim, but it is the dynamic concept which is explained in ways under this paper, one is an idea and another is a professional discipline. This paper also tells about the ways in which the dynamic system of sustainability works. Further, this process also provides adequate, definition, systems and characteristics of this system. Additionally, three pillars of sustainability are also explained in this paper. The paper provides a detailed view of sustainability and the environmental, economic and social concern relating to it. Furthermore linking the source of information with the report, it should be noted that the paper provided a detailed view of sustainability along with different dimensions connected to it. The paper tells about the environmental, social and economic issues which are mentioned in the report. It also explains the concept that it is important for the communities to maintain a balance between all the three pillars so as to fulfill the initiative/ idea/ principle of sustainability in the environment. The paper successfully helped in gaining information to form the report.
“Sustainability is a paradigm for thinking about the future in which environmental, societal and economic considerations are balanced in the pursuit of an improved quality of life’ (UNESCO 2015).”
The purpose of this task is to provide a brief overview of the sustainability and the factors affecting the activity of sustainability in the environment. According to the statement mentioned above, sustainability is a model which shows the future environment considering the three aspects. Balance in environmental, social and economic activities will improve the quality of life of people living in that community (Dui?, Urbaniec, & Huisingh, 2015). The title chosen for this research is the personal lifestyle choice of people in modern urban settings. It states that the act of sustainability depends upon the discretion of the communities on how they want to live their lifestyle. On the basis of lifestyle choice of people their activities relating to the environment and sustainability change (Herremans, & Reid, 2002).
Further, the below-mentioned task talks about the sustainability paradigm for the future considering the balance of three pillars. It explains about the background of the topic that relates to personal lifestyle choices of people, additionally, it also talks about the environmental, social and economic concerns relating to sustainability (Ayre, & Callway, 2013). Lastly, the persuasive essay also explains the recommendations to the community with the help of which people can create a better future. In today’s era, personal lifestyle choices of people vary according to their point of view to live life successfully (CWanamaker, 2016). People living in urban areas tend to live an easy life without working hard, they want everything at their reach due to which they use more and more technological resources and harass them. Also, people living in the urban society aims use the resources which help them in living life without any barriers; contradicting to that person living in rural areas tend to be more connected with the environment and the society in which they live (Thwink, 2018). These people also understand the need for the sustainability of the environment for which they take several measures and initiatives as well. Furthermore, it cannot be totally misunderstood that people living in urban areas have their lifestyle choices which ruin the environment, instead of these people also take several initiatives to balance the environment but their goods are equalized with the bad activities which they implement in the community (UN, 2018).
Case Study: Use of Three Pillar Framework for Sustainable Quality of Life
Talking about the sustainability concern from the environmental point of view, it should be noted that environmental sustainability is the ability to maintain the quality of life which are valued in the physical environment. There are many reasons due to which environmental issues occur in a society, but one of the biggest cause of this problem is the activities initiated by people in the society. Also, the effect of their activities is irreversible due to which the sustainability of environment becomes an issue (Osti, 2012). Most of the people in the urban society want to sustain a healthy life but it has become a threat to the resources worldwide have started depleting and natural environment in getting damaged. Increased in the process of industrialization has greatly impacted the sustainability effect of the environment (Rolls, & Wignell, 2015). Technological advancement gave rise to the modern civilization which subsequently increased the environmental and global challenges for people to sustain. Factories have started increasing in the environment, due to which people tend to cut the forest and use the unused land in planting factories which is degrading the land as well. The factories pollute the environment by discharging waste materials which pollute the soil and water (Drexhage, & Murphy, 2010). Apart from that these factories emit gas pollution as well due to which harmful gases gets mixed in an environment which depletes the ozone layer. Ozone layer depletion is one of the biggest symptoms of the environmental degradation and if such activities are continued in the environment then the sustainability of nature can become a big threat to communities. Ecological imbalances, climate change, poor health of human are the impacts of environmental degradation activities only (Moldan, Janoušková, & Hák, 2012).
People in the urban areas are consistently using automobiles and innovative technologies which are decreasing the fossil fuel and increasing the number of carbon particles in the environment. Rapid industrialization rapidly affects the environment as well; taking the example of Australia, the temperature of the country fluctuates consistently and also faces intrinsic rainfall because there is presence of high degree of greenhouse gases in the environment which disturbs the normal routine of the nature due to which such unseen calamities occur (Heijungs, Huppes, & Guinée, 2010). These activities are a sign to the mankind from nature itself that they should stop polluting the environment otherwise sustainability of quality of life will become a difficult task for them. Environmental concern for sustainability is one of the three pillars on which the life of mankind is based and it is the most important pillar as well (Sala, Ciuffo, & Nijkamp, 2015). If the environment will not show positive results then the life of earth will become impossible. Biggest environmental concern of sustainability is that natural resources are getting depleted and
The second pillar of the sustainability is the societal concern which talks about the social considerations present in the environment which are hampering the aim of sustainability worldwide. It should be noted that the biggest recession of all times that is Great Depression 2008 was occurred due to social instability in the environment which further linked to economic and environmental instability leading to risk of life (Zhang, Wu, & Shen, 2011). Further talking about the social issues relating to sustainability, it should be noted that good governance is very important in creating transverse consideration which helps the communities in successfully implementing the policies and measures for the betterment of the communities (Hoekstra, 2014). Extreme poverty is one of the biggest global challenges with which countries are currently dealing with. Poverty is one of the factors which make a country backward in the competitive index. Sustainability activities can be improved if all the human receive equality in the rights, which means that people living rural societies should also attain the right to enjoy the resources as much as the people living in an urban society does (Boström, 2012). A vicious circle has formed in the communities which are trapping the poor people and making them poorer and subsequently, the richer become richer. If such activities are continued in the environment the ultimately the poor people will die and the communities will become unable to create sustainability for the backward section of the society (Bond, Morrison-Saunders, & Pope, 2012).
Importance of Stakeholders’ Involvement
Poverty is one of the biggest social issues which bars sustainability but it is not the only issue due to which sustainability is hampered in the environment. Social sustainability is based on the paradigm that promotes the betterment of the society. Best quality of life to the people can be achieved when they treat each other equally. Equality is very important in the community. Thinking ironically on the topic that personal lifestyle choice in modern urban setting is also an indication presence of inequality in the environment (Kuhlman, & Farrington, 2010). It is true that al people have their personal lifestyle choices they can spend their lives in the way in which they want to live but lifestyle choices of people differentiate in rural and urban settings. As in rural areas, not many resources are present neither there is efficient technology, also people do not have adequate information about their rights as well. But it is contradictory in urban areas, as at those places, people are treated equally and there is good quality of life than in rural or backward areas. Thus, poverty, quality and lack of information about the human rights are some of the social concerns in sustainability approach (Zamagni, Pesonen, & Swarr, 2013).
After social consideration, the third pillar is the economic point of view on the concern of sustainability. Economic sustainability refers to the act of balancing the profitability and costs in such a way that benefit is received by all people in the society. It basically refers to the process of making decisions that are fiscally sound and equitable which positively affects the sustainability concern in the environment (Silvius, & Schipper, 2010). Decisions that provide long-term benefits to the whole society are valuable for the economic sustainability issue in the community. As said earlier that all the three pillars are connected to each other similarly the balance in the economic activities of a community can only be achieved when the environmental and social activities in a community are balanced (Khoshnava, 2016). Talking about the great depression under which people were unable to attain the basic lifestyle amenities as well. Such depression occurs due to inefficient decision of governments of the communities and imbalance in nature which causes calamities and lack of availability of various resources as well. From the economic point of view the concern of sustainability is that with the process of industrialization and globalization, different companies enter in the market with an aim to maximize their profit margin and earn success in the market. Due to this activity sustainability loses its efficiency as all people work for their growth and community growth is left behind (First for sustainability, 2018).
Sustainability through economic perspective can be achieved when there is a balance between the demand and supply of products and equal of products is provided to the customer with respect to the price of goods (Sala, Farioli, & Zamagni, 2013). Also, these products should be economically viable; these should be under the approach of all sections of the society. It majorly depends upon the contribution of the higher section of the urban societies; they can contribute towards the upliftment of the communities (Sharifi, & Murayama, 2013). Thus, it should be noted that economic sustainability can be achieved through a collective approach to growth. This growth can be achieved when all the sections of the society work together to bring equality in the environment (Schoolman, Guest, Bush, & Bell, 2012).
Relating the Case Study to Personal Lifestyle Choices and Sustainability
Relating all the three pillars with the sustainability concern, it should be noted that a community cannot aim for sustainability in the environment without creating a balance in all three of them. Further, if all the three considerations that are environmental, social and economic aspects are balanced that the pursuits of quality of life will be automatically achieved. As noted above that three concerns works hand in hand, if one aspect is disturbed in the community then the other considerations will automatically work ineffectively (Finkbeiner, Schau, Lehmann, & Traverso, 2010). For instance, if in a society, the social factors are disturbed which means there is the presence of inequality and poverty in the society. This shows that the weaker section of the society will not receive quality of life, resulting in the other pillars also work ineffectively. Thus, it is very important for the governments to control all the three pillars to initiate sustainability in the environment. No person in the society makes a choice in which they want to live the life of a poor person (Legrand, 2018). So, it shall be noted that all people want a good quality of life but this quality depends on the three pillars. So, all the three pillars should work accordingly, if one aspect fails to fulfill the requirement then other pillars should compensate that need in this way the paradigm of sustainability can be achieved. Furthermore, it should be recommended to the communities that they shall regain the environmental sustainability by using the hi-tech technology which is good for nature along with mankind (Hosseini, & Kaneko, 2011). The technology which pollutes the environment should not be accepted by the people and they shall keep the fact in mind that they shall use the resources wisely so as to save them for the future generation. Social issues can be rectified by initiating the activities of fairness in the society. And lastly, economic concern should be reduced by initiating smart growth and long-term growth oriented planning in the society (Hansmann, Mieg, & Frischknecht, 2012).
Thus, in the limelight of above-mentioned events, it should be noted that sustainability is an aim which can only be fulfilled when people realize the need of it and aim to successfully create a balance between the three pillars present in the society. The above-mentioned essay successfully analyses the concern and responses which can help the communities to grow.
References
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Discussion of Relevant Article on Social Pillar of Sustainability
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