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Unit-1 Concept of Sustainable Development

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112 views3 pages

Unit-1 Concept of Sustainable Development

Uploaded by

Yashaswini M
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© © All Rights Reserved
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ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Dr.

H U Raghavendra

CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

By 2050, our planet will need to support some ten billion people compared to about six billion
today. This raises huge challenges in food, clothing and shelter for the rapidly growing population
without depleting the world’s resources. Thus sustainable development is required to the society
for balancing economic and managing resources efficiently.

DEFINITION
It is defined as the “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.”

Development means: Improving people’s lives.

Sustainable development means: Extending progress without exhausting resources (It implies
economic growth together with the protection of environmental quality).

Important Aspects of Sustainable Development

(1) Environment (2) Society (3) Economy

All the aspects are interlinked and balanced without compromising the ability of present and future
generates to meet their needs.

OBJECTIVES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:


(1) To promote equity (Social justice and equal opportunities to all).
(2) To improve the quality of human life (Satisfaction of basic needs, education and employment).
(3) Sustainable use of natural resources.
(4) Protecting the Ecosystem.
(5) Economic efficiency and growth of trade and commerce.
(6) Considering environment in decisions (effectively involved in decision-making, concerned about
their future).
(7) Long-term planning and implements.
(8) Zero pollutant emissions from the industrial process (Survival of human beings in a pollution
free environment).

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, MSRIT, BANGALORE


ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Dr. H U Raghavendra

Factors Affecting Sustainable Development:


(1) Excessive exploitation of Exhaustible resources.
(2) Increasing population growth and population density.
(3) Decreasing gross domestic product per capita.
(4) Uncontrolled consumption of energy and environmental.
(5) Pollution.
(6) Weakening of land.

Forests are essential for maintaining renewable resources, reducing carbon dioxide levels and maintaining
oxygen levels in the earth’s atmosphere. Their loss impairs future human development. Cutting of trees
for production of paper or furniture soon would result in all timber etc reserves getting over. It
takes almost 10-15 years for a tree to grow. This means there is limit to which productivity can be
raised it one erodes the environment beyond the limit the resources gets depleted and survival
becomes difficulty.

Even renewable resources like air and water face the impact. Releases of poisonous gases in air or
dumping of industrial discharges in water bodies over a long time would seriously lead to
environmental degradation and affect health.

The greenhouse effect is a good example. Many automobile and other industries emit a lot of
pollutants in air increasing the levels of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide thus causing increase
in temperatures, which is experienced worldwide. Acid rain, ozone hole etc are all global problems.
The developed countries therefore have to adjust their life styles to make more rational use of
resources. They will have to introduce policies and measure to control toxic fumes, recycle wastes
and evolve renewable sources of energy.

APPLICATIONS / STEPS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:

1. Purchasing and Administrative Services


• Only buy what you need.
• Implement an environmentally-friendly product.
• Buy products that are durable, reusable, recyclable, made from recycled materials or easily and
sustainably disposed of.
• Buy products that are produced in an environmentally sound manner from companies that
operated in an environmental responsible manner.

2. Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling:


 Reduce, Reuse and Recycle approach (3-R Approach).
• Expand recycling programs to include various papers, cardboard, metal/glass/plastic containers.
• Print two sides, reuse scrap paper

3. Energy Conservation
• Create a data base to tracks energy use, energy cost and resulting emissions.
• Organize energy conservation programs
• Encourage incoming students to purchase energy efficient products and conserve energy.

4. Water and Waste Water Management


• Implement a program to report, respond and repair leaks and faulty plumbing equipment.
• Use drought resistant plantings to minimize irrigation needs
• Consider capturing rainwater for irrigation or domestic water uses (Rain water harvesting).

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, MSRIT, BANGALORE


ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Dr. H U Raghavendra

5. Hazardous Waste Management


• Proper handling, collection, disposal and tracking minimum requirements.
• Educate campus hazardous waste generators about minimization and proper disposal techniques.
• Switch to non/least toxic paints, solvents and cleaning agents.

6. Transportation
• Encourage to travel by carpools or use of public transport.
• Develop and encourage public transportation between frequently visited locations.
• Encourage bicycling and walking.
• Minimize vehicle traffic
• Convert to alternative fuel, such as natural gas, electric and biodiesel.

7. Food and Food Service


• Promote eating "low on the food chain" for health and environmental reasons. A diet rich in fruits,
vegetables and grains is healthier and easier on the planet.
• Minimize the use of disposable and throw away trays, plates cups and flatware

8. Campus Grounds and Land Use


• Redefine campus beauty.
• Reduce lawn areas to reduce maintenance and grass cutting.
• Protect woodlands, wetlands, watershed, and wildlife.
• Implement a tree protection policy.
• Plant native species that do not require irrigation and chemical fertilizers.
• Create an area to compost organic waste.

9. New Construction
• Don’t oversize or overbuild unnecessarily.
• Recycle and re-commission buildings being replaced.
• Passive solar.
• Include suitable recycling collection space in building design programs.
• Specify environmentally-friendly building materials and products.

In order to safeguard the existence of life and future of humanity, we have to change our approach
from unsustainable to sustainable development.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, MSRIT, BANGALORE

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