Furman Greenbelt Sustainable Living Community – Page 6

The Wide Use of Palm Oil and Its Negative Affects

harmpa7 / March 31, 2023March 31, 2023

After our class about greenwashing, I was very intrigued in learning how damaging certain foods and products are to the Earth. One of my main focuses was the use of palm oil. 50% of packaged items in supermarkets contain palm oil. It is in all different types of goods from pizza dough, chocolate, ice cream, lipstick, detergent, soap, and even biodiesel to name a few. Palm oil is used in all these goods because it has a long shelf life, stable at high temperatures, semi-solid at room temperature, odorless, and colorless. This means that it helps all different types of food keep the quality of it to where the producers want the food to be at. For example, the semi-solid at room temperature characteristic allows spreads to stay spreadable. Also, palm oil can be produced in large quantities, over small areas of land, year-round. If the world was to switch to alternate vegetable oils, farmers would need 4-10 times more land.

Though palm oil is very beneficial in markets and there is a high demand for it, it has been a driving force in deforestation in at risk areas. These vulnerable areas include the rainforests of Latin America, West Africa, and Southeast Asia. Palm tree farms destroy biodiverse forests in which already endangered species live. Some endangered species include the Orangutan, Pygmy elephant, and Sumatran rhino. These farms don’t only affect the biodiversity of animals but also the atmosphere. The conversion of carbon rich peat soils on top of forest loss creates millions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases cause climate change which affects the whole world.

So, what is the world doing to limit the damage caused by palm oil? One of the main sustainably actions was the creation of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in 2004. This organization recognizes that there is a large problem in the palm oil sector, but also that not all palm oil production contributes to deforestation. They set standards for growers to best practice sustainable producing and sourcing. Large organizations aren’t the only ones that can help reduce the production of non-sustainable palm oil production. Individually, we can make our own initiatives. First, we can limit our overall consumption of palm oil products. Then, if we do need to buy goods with palm oil, we can make sure that it is RSPO certified. As consumers we can identify RSPO certified by the RSPO logo on the packaging.Something we don’t want to do is boycott all palm oil products. Because there are millions of smallholder farmers who depend on the production of palm oil to live, boycotting would severely impact these farmers.

To confess, while writing this I have been snacking on some veggie crisps. Even though they are vegan, organic, and cruelty free, they still contain palm oil which is negatively impacting the environment. With all, it is extremely difficult to avoid all palm oil foods and products, but the best we can do is recognize the problem and attempt to limit our consumption and only consume palm oil that is RSPO certified.

https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/8-things-know-about-palm-oil

https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/which-everyday-products-contain-palm-oil

https://eos.com/blog/palm-oil-deforestation/

Sustainable Transportation in Japan

Payton / March 7, 2023

Japan is a country that has been known for its high-tech and efficient transportation system. However, this transportation system is not only elite in accessibility and efficiency; it has also set a great example to the world about how to implement sustainability into the field of transportation. In fact, this transportation system heavily influences the fact that Japan’s per-capita greenhouse gas emissions are less than half of the United States’. The country has been able to promote this sustainable transportation through a combination of technology, government support, and citizen participation. The United States and many other countries around the world should seek to model their own transportation systems after this innovative Japanese one, in order to create a healthier and safer environment. In addition, these changes may also bring more efficiency and accessibility to the United States public transportation system.

The Japanese transportation system has greatly succeeded in the field of sustainability, much thanks to the innovation of leading companies in the industry. One key difference between Japanese transportation systems and others around the world is that those in Japan are mostly run my private companies. This has created easier, more accessible public transportation for all, as these companies work closely with the Japanese government to both fund new innovations and integrate separate rail systems. Japanese rail systems have also been built in a way that allows seamless modification to improve areas such as efficiency or sustainability; those in other nations such as the United States have not been built in such a way, leading to frequent issues and delays. One railway company that specifically seeks to improve the sustainability and functionality of Japanese railways is called JR East. JR East research ways to use renewable energy sources and create power storage systems to reduce wasted energy. They have also been striving to create an even faster than the famous Shinkansen train, which runs at almost 300 miles per hour. In addition to the railway system, Japan has also encouraged other sustainable forms of transportation such as biking. Only 10% of all transportation in Japan involves the use of motor vehicles, vastly reducing the CO2 emissions in the country.

One rail business in Japan that has set an example in sustainable practices is Tokyu Railways. In 2019, they became the first Japanese rail business to become a part of RE100, a global initiative bringing together thousands of companies striving become more sustainable. Only three years later, the company achieved its goal of powering all of its train lines with solar, geothermal, and hydropower energy. The average trip on a Tokyu train emits about 180 grams of CO2, 1000 grams less than an equivalent trip in a motorized vehicle. Over the course of an entire year, these reductions add up to saving nearly 800,000 tons of CO2 entering the atmosphere.

Japan has set the pace on sustainable transportation, specifically in the railway industry. However, this is only the beginning of the transition to renewable transportation practices, both in Japan and abroad. Several other rail companies in Japan, such as Tobu Railway and JR East, have followed the example of Tokyu Railways and have begun to reduce CO2 emissions. Further action and innovation is needed by other countries such as the United States in order to create a better future by reducing CO2 emissions by one of the biggest culprits, public transportation.

References:

https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2017/what-japan-can-teach-america-about-sustainable-transportation/19861

https://coordinates.ce.gatech.edu/japan-sustainable-development/sustainable-transportation-japan

https://www.railway-technology.com/features/tokyu-railways-goes-full-steam-ahead-on-its-sustainability-journey/

Putting America on Rice Husks

mcbrco1 / February 15, 2023

It is often easy, when considering the automotive industry, for environmental activists and sustainably minded individuals to see electrification as the end-all-be-all for cars. While EVs certainly present viable and substantial benefits over traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, the true mark of success for sustainable personal transport will be more complex than eliminating one power source for another. Cars have become complex, technological appliances that mobilize our daily lives. That much is evident from manufacturers’ pursuit of constant updates to safety features, luxury equipment, and autonomous driving capabilities. In all of these advancements however, certain inputs to the production of automobiles remain constant. The resources spent in their construction, fluids that ensure proper operation, wiring that manages the ever-increasing number of computers, and of course fuel, whether from a power station or a gas pump, are unchanged in a modern car’s production, operation, and maintenance. Each aforementioned input presents rich opportunities for a targeted sustainability effort. One sector often overlooked is tires. Tire manufacturers Goodyear and Michelin are making marked progress in testing and bringing largely renewable and environmentally friendly tires to market. Before examining these new, sustainable alternatives to your vehicle’s traditional rubber, what harm do current tire practices pose to the environment?

One major problem with conventional tire construction is the waste they produce over the course of their roadgoing lifecycle. ECO Green Equipment is a company dedicated to developing effective and sustainable machinery in the world of tire processing. Their article Environmental Impacts of Waste Tire Disposal details the current problems with the way we handle expired tires. Natural rubber has been deemed scarce and increasingly difficult to produce as rubber trees require meticulous care before their resources can be harvested. Alternatively, synthetic rubber has been used in the contemporary production of tires. However, the synthetic material comes at roughly the cost of one barrel of oil for each tire produced. Once expired, these tires are ideally recycled or retreaded. This is rarely the path taken by used tires. More often than not, these non-decomposable tires are added to tire heaps in junkyards or landfills. This leads to the release of toxic chemicals into local ecosystems and the environment. If improperly disposed of, tires have the potential to completely eliminate essential soil bacteria, killing plants and animal species in addition to increasing carbon footprint and spurring climate change. Political debate surrounding the management of whole-tire disposal has arisen due to the mass of tires that have simply been left to rot and harbor malignant environmental hazards. Perhaps more devious is the continuous waste that tires produce from their regular operation. Tire particles (pieces of synthetic material that separate from the tire while in operation) present a real danger when considering their introduction of microplastics into the environment. World Economic Forum cites a 2017 Oregon State University study that accounted for nearly 1.5 million metric tons of tire particles entering the U.S. environment every year in their article Tire particle pollution may be harming freshwater and estuary ecosystems. The same study attributed anywhere from 5-10% of ocean plastic pollution to tire particles. These micro and nano plastics pose an immense danger to the wellbeing of marine life. OSU found that many organisms possessed stunted growth, developmental problems, unnatural behavior, and even outright likelihood of death. Solutions in this field include roadside rain gardens, technology for cars dedicated to catching particles, developing tires with a longer road life, and increased use and funding of public transit and infrastructure.

One solution identified by tire manufacturers is the ability to build tires using more sustainable materials with the hope of controlling some of the aforementioned chemical and material runoff. I was first made aware of this effort by Andrew Beckford’s MotorTrend article Goodyear’s New Tire is Made From Soybean Oil, Rice Husks, and Pine Resin. Composed of 17 novel ingredients, the tire mentioned in the article is reportedly constructed from 90% sustainably sourced materials. What is even more impressive however is that this very tire compound has been approved by internal and regulatory scrutiny for road use. Mass production is proving to need refinement, but a 70% sustainably sourced tire is already available for inquiry on Goodyear’s website with a 100% sustainably sourced tire in development for 2030. Michelin has also taken on the challenge of sustainable material tires with 46% and 53% sustainably sourced race tires already occupying the wheel wells of the new 718 Porsche Cayman GT4 ePerformance electric race car.

As a whole, the sustainable tire movement is one that can be backed by environmental and automotive enthusiasts alike. In testing, there has been very little detriments to the new methods of construction, with specific, environmentally friendly materials chosen for their performance benefits. Undoubtedly it will take some convincing for legacy auto manufacturers, race teams, and individuals to jump ship from radials to rice husks but, thanks to Goodyear and Michelin the future is looking bright for a more sustainable tire industry.

Sources

Global Temperature Scarf

Kara / January 26, 2023January 26, 2023

Artist Statement

Many people have seen temperature blankets pop up on our social media feed, but if you have not, temperature blankets (or other fiber art projects) are fiber records of the temperature over a set period of time. These striking projects are created by associating set temperature ranges with associated fiber colors to create unique temperature records. Typically, a row is added to the project each day after selecting the color that corresponds with the day’s temperature.

The potential to document global warming in such a visually impactful way has always captivated my imagination; naturally I jumped on the chance to make global warming tangible (and wearable) while living in the greenbelt. This scarf documents annual global average temperatures from 1880 through 2016, with 1880 beginning in blue and 2016 ending with the hottest temperature in red. Each color indicates how many ℃ the average global temperature that year was above or below the average global temperature during the entire 1880-2016 period. Check out the key to help you interpret the color scheme. Hope this inspires you to whip up your own hard-to-miss global warming conversation starter!

Works Cited

“Global Temperature Time Series.” DataHub, 2018, https://datahub.io/core/global-temp#readme.

Justus, Kara. Global Temperature Scarf. Accessed 26 Jan. 2023.

Justus, Kara. Global Temperature Scarf Key. Accessed 26 Jan. 2023.

Local Food–Why Should We Care?

William Stark / January 24, 2023

When people hear the phrase “sustainable food,” they often think of what foods are sustainable—perhaps imagining eating vegetarian, or cutting out heavily processed junk foods. These questions are (of course) key to an understanding of sustainable consumption. However, the less frequently considered question of where food comes from is also equally important—that is, what conditions was this food produced under? How far did it have to travel to get here (and how many gallons of fossil fuels may be hidden in its sticker price)? Is the agricultural system that produced this food a socially sustainable one? To better understand issues like these, then, this article will analyze a few of the sustainability benefits of local foods and food systems.

First of all, local food (defined by the USDA as food grown or produced within 400 miles of where it is consumed³) is characterized by smaller-scale production, rather than large industrial-agriculture monoculture farms—think hundreds of acres of corn, or farms that only raise a single specific type of cows. This is crucial to consider because while industrial-scale agriculture may be efficient, that efficiency also comes at a cost—such farms often require heavy use of pesticides, herbicides, and various livestock medications to prevent disease.² On the other hand, smaller local farms often produce a variety of food crops and animals, allowing more intentional practices and lessening their use of often-toxic chemical products. Because of this, foods you can buy from a local farm stand or market (Swamp Rabbit Grocery is a great option for Furman students!) are not only more likely to be healthy for you, but also less likely to have an ultimately negative effect on the environment.

Second, purchasing local food is key for sustainability because it avoids the significant fossil fuel usage and greenhouse gas emissions associated with most industrially-sourced products, which are often transported long distances (1640 km on average, according to one paper⁴) via truck, train, or plane before reaching grocery stores. While it is also important to combine this strategy with other methods of minimizing greenhouse gases (the same paper also recommends lessening the amount of red meat you consume, for example⁴), this is at least one of many important ways we can use the food we eat to achieve results for sustainability.

Finally, the production and sale of local foods can actually contribute to social sustainability as well. While it may not seem like buying food grown closer to where you live can affect social structures on a large scale, the short supply chains associated with doing so can actually “favour… connection between farmers and consumers, and thereby… generate a sense of local identity and community and contribute to social inclusion.”¹Functioning local food systems may also help to create employment and benefit struggling rural economies, in addition to giving farmers more agency to negotiate better prices for their products.

In conclusion, while local food may be an overlooked aspect of environmental action, it is far from an unimportant one. Despite being fairly simple to incorporate into your lifestyle—a quick visit to a farm or produce market for some in-season fruits or vegetables can be a perfectly good start—it has the potential for far-reaching effects in multiple areas of sustainability.

1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41130-021-00148-w

2. https://pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/more-sustainable

3. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2010/07/16/what-local-food

4. https://psufoodscience.typepad.com/psu_food_science/files/es702969f.pdf

Nuclear Energy: A Necessary Choice

finiwi5 / December 5, 2022

While people may be averse to nuclear energy for a variety of reasons, much of the the general population simply fears nuclear energy. According to a recent report from Pew Research Center, “….the public is about as likely to say the government should encourage oil and gas drilling as it is to say the government should encourage nuclear power production.” Their fears largely stem from major nuclear disasters that have occurred around the world like Chernobyl, Three Mile Island or Fukushima. While tragic, these disasters should not discredit the many benefits of nuclear energy.

Contrary to popular belief, nuclear energy is a form of clean energy. Compared to wind and solar, nuclear facilities have a much smaller geographical footprint. To put it into perspective, the United States Department of Energy website states that it would take “…more than 3 million solar panels to produce the same amount of power as a typical commercial reactor or more than 430 wind turbines (capacity factor not included).”

Nuclear energy is also beneficial for the environment in that it does not produce any emissions whatsoever. Instead, nuclear power plants actually remove harmful components found in air: “Without nuclear power, NOx and SO2 levels in the U.S. would increase. By keeping existing nuclear power plants on line and building advanced nuclear facilities in the United States, we also protect the health of our communities.” (NEI)

Most importantly, nuclear energy is an extremely reliable energy source. Unlike other forms of clean energy, nuclear energy can produce vastly more electricity and remain operational 24/7. Nuclear energy also has the advantage of being capable of deployment nearly anywhere in the world. And while solar, wind, and hydroelectric power rely heavily on external environmental conditions, nuclear energy does not.

With recent innovations and investments in nuclear energy, the benefits and accessibility of nuclear energy continue to improve. One example is the increased interest in small modular reactors (SMRs). SMRs are designed to be far more compact and versatile than traditional nuclear power plants, which makes them even safer than full-scale reactors. Mainly, they produce less heat and waste. In addition, SMRs are extremely cost effective compared to full-scale nuclear power plants, and they can be tailored to meet the energy demands of anywhere from industrial facilities to small towns.

Traditional forms of clean energy (wind, solar, and hydroelectricity) are not enough to achieve a future that does not rely on fossil fuels: the expansion and development of nuclear energy is necessary in the transition to total global clean energy production. Misconceptions and fossil fuel industry-backed propaganda continue to perpetuate doubt and fear about nuclear energy. In order to secure a better, more sustainable future, greater advocacy and education is needed to dispel these myths. Organizations such as the National Energy Institute (NEI) offer opportunities to help promote the growth and investment of nuclear energy.

Works Cited

“3 Reasons Why Nuclear Is Clean and Sustainable.” Energy.gov, 31 Mar. 2021, https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/3-reasons-why-nuclear-clean-and-sustainable.
“Advanced Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).” Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/ne/advanced-small-modular-reactors-smrs.
“Air Quality.” Nuclear Energy Institute, https://www.nei.org/advantages/air-quality.
Leppert, Rebecca. “Americans Continue to Express Mixed Views about Nuclear Power.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 23 Mar. 2022, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/03/23/americans-continue-to-express-mixed-views-about-nuclear-power/.
“Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors.” Safety of Nuclear Reactors – World Nuclear Association, Mar. 2022, https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/safety-of-nuclear-power-reactors.aspx.

Image Sources

https://nuclear.duke-energy.com/2013/07/24/oconee-nuclear-station-celebrates-40-years-of-operation
https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/advantages-and-challenges-nuclear-energy
https://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/more_news/2020/02/05/more_milestones_for_ge_hitachis_small_modular_reactor_design/19918

The Sustainability of Nike

Deen / December 2, 2022

The Nike company has an immense presence in our lives. Just do it! It is the iconic Nike slogan, and you probably have heard it many times. The top athletes and movie stars wear that brand, and Nike makes Furman University apparel. There is a big chance you own a pair of Nike shoes. But the main question we need to ask is how sustainable is Nike as a business, and should we give it a passing grade?

So how much environmental damage does Nike’s business currently cause? We all know production, shipping, and management create carbon emissions, but how much carbon emissions Nike produces? Nike 2020 emitted 11,706,664 metric tons of CO2e. For reference, this is about the amount the capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam, emitted. As for the growingly scarce resource, such as water, Nike uses 1 liter of water per 79.1 Kg of textiles.

Nevertheless, Nike has made plans to improve its sustainability record. Nike makes several clear science-based targets every five years. Currently, Nike is trying to accomplish the FY25 target. Meaning they aim to achieve their goals by the year 2025. In their plan for 2025, there are four categories of sustainability goals – Waste, Carbon, Water, and Chemistry objectives.

To improve waste, Nike promised to reduce it per unit of manufacturing by 10 percent with improvements in the design of their products, machinery, and transportation procedures. Goal two for waste was diverting 100 percent of waste and recycling it by 80 percent, and up to 10 times the amount of product waste donated to be recycled. One procedure Nike advocates is closed-loop recycling. Closed-loop recycling uses the remains of old products (post-consumer products) to produce new products.

As for carbon emissions, Nike promised to reduce them by 70 %. Like many other companies, Nike hopes to achieve this through renewable energy and fleet electrification. Fleet electrification is where electrical engines replace combustion engines of vehicles used by a company. A report from Nike’s Sao Paulo distribution center has already begun fleet electrification and powered it with Nike-owned solar farms.

With water becoming a growingly scarce resource, Nike promised to reduce freshwater usage in textile production by 25 % and restore 13B liters of water through portfolio projects. In 2021, Nike completed two projects with The Nature Conservatory to achieve this goal. In India, they converted 30 hectares of farmland into drip irrigation. The second project saw 84,000 hectares of biodiverse wetlands and floodplains in Murray Darling, Australia, registered as a conservation area.

Their final goal is to find and adopt ten clean chemical alternatives for their ten priority chemistries. So far, Nike has failed to adopt even one clean chemical substitute (according to a 2021 report).

Per the 2021 Nike report, they have made progress on every promise except finding clean chemical alternatives. They are on track to complete all their pledges except for water restoration and the collection of consumer-used products.

So, knowing all this, how sustainable is Nike? According to their self-reported data, they are doing well enough. They have a science-backed system with measurable targets and have made massive progress in their promises. Nike might not be the most sustainable company, but it is up to you if you want to “Just Do It” using Nike’s products.

Resources:

https://www.globaldata.com/data-insights/consumer/nike-greenhouse-gas-emissions-2095668/

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Amanda-Hansson-3/publication/333512603_Examining_the_Viability_of_Corporate_Recycling_Initiatives_and_Their_Overall_Environmental_Impact_The_Case_of_Nike_Grind_and_the_Reuse-A-Shoe_Program/links/5df97a834585159aa484ecd3/Examining-the-Viability-of-Corporate-Recycling-Initiatives-and-Their-Overall-Environmental-Impact-The-Case-of-Nike-Grind-and-the-Reuse-A-Shoe-Program.pdf

https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/resources/sustainable-development-goals-sdgs

https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/storage/nike-to-reduce-its-greenhouse-gas-emissions-5565/

https://purpose-cms-preprod01.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/17210319/FY21_NIKE-Impact-Report.pdf

https://www.globalfleet.com/en/technology-and-innovation/latin-america/article/nike-brazil-push-ev-through-dhl-glp-operated-facility?a=DBL10&t%5B0%5D=FLeet%20LaTAm&t%5B1%5D=DHL&t%5B2%5D=EVs&curl=1

https://us.thesportsedit.com/blogs/news/how-sustainable-is-nike

Climate Pledge Arena

Bendor / December 2, 2022

The Climate pledge arena was opened in Seattle, Washington in 2021 with the goal of setting examples for how large scale buildings can be designed with sustainability in mind. Sponsored by Amazon, they openly acknowledge that climate change is here and it needs to be addressed. In their opening event featuring Coldplay, the floors were equipped so that the kinetic energy from people dancing would generate energy, and had stationary bicycles around the concourse so that guests could generate energy. While energy generated from stationary bikes doesn’t make much of an impact, it does make it so that the guests become more and more conscious of what is required for the stadium to run. According to Tim Meadows, one of the most effective areas to change a system is through information flows. This mindset also plays into the name, which isn’t named after the sponsor in a surprisingly chill move from Amazon. Climate Pledge arena forces each attendee to focus on the issue of a changing climate, and think about the solutions that the arena is demonstrating to show that living sustainability is necessary to a successful future. There are a multitude of features and policies in the Climate pledge, and I believe that some of these can be implemented into the Greenbelt.. Rainwater collection tanks in the arena are able to provide all the water needed for the hockey rink that the Seattle Kraken play on, which is impressive as the average hockey rink takes around 15000 gallons of water to fill. On top of this, there is excess water that can be used as gray water throughout the arena. The greenbelt could implement a similar system as, uniquely, South Carolina allows residential buildings to collect rainwater. This system would both promote sustainability and save Furman money. Another feature of the arena are the 12,500 trees that surround the arena. This reminded me of planting trees on Furman’s campus with the greenbelt residents (including the majestic Dragon Blast), reinstating Furman’s designation as a tree campus. Renewable energy from hydroelectric, geothermal, and solar power the arena. A pledge that they have made is to phase out single use plastic by 2024. I believe that promises like this are important, as it acknowledges the difficulty of the task, but still proves that the organization is committed to stepping up and doing the right thing. This is a core of Sustainability and addressing a changing climate. Changing a system and a culture is incredibly difficult, but work worth doing is never easy.

Similar to the climate pledge arena, the greenbelt is a beacon of sustainable living. The solar panels, the skylights that make it so that less energy has to be used to light the buildings, and the low flow showers. With this in mind, innovation is ever one and done. It is crucial to learn about new technologies that can help us set an even better example and inspire others to live how we live. We can look to other sustainable buildings like the Climate pledge arena to guide us in the future.

Home - Climate Pledge Arena

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2022/06/08/is-climate-pledge-arena-a-sustainability-model-for-venues-going-forward/?sh=28b1be0f7f79

Sustainability in Developing Nations

Austin / December 1, 2022

In 2019, the United Nations established an agenda for all countries to achieve 17 sustainable development goals, or SDGs, by 2030. They made this as a part of a program to promote economic, social, and environmental development across the world. These goals range from ending poverty to climate action to making clean energy affordable to gender equality. Although they do not give countries a concise “how,” they allow every nation to establish objectives that can guide them forward in a sustainable way. While each of these goals is important, some have criticized the United Nations for not laying out a clearer framework for which goals should be accomplished first.

The difficulty lies in the pressure these goals place on developing nations to switch to more sustainable laws. When a country lacks the infrastructure and economic stability to support sustainable practices, it cannot achieve the previously mentioned SDGs. In a sense, these developmental goals act as a limitation on nations that are desperately trying to expand economically. For example, if a country does not have reliable energy, it is challenging to implement clean energy laws effectively. Despite this, sustainable development goals are a worthy pursuit. In the wake of unprecedented damage from humans to the planet, we need every country to work towards a future that accounts for environmental impact.

More developed nations, like the United States, need to take responsibility to move towards environmentally based SDGs because they have the economic stability to do so. Developing nations need to focus on policies that improve living conditions and education. The only way for nations to prioritize things like clean energy programs is for them to have the reliable infrastructure to make the transition. If not, poverty will increase, and sustainability efforts will fail. The chart below commonly referred to as “The Doughnut” helps one visualize the balance that must be struck between social factors and environmental factors as driving forces for action. In an ideal world, a nation could achieve all 17 SDGs and make advances in the ecological ceiling while maintaining a strong social foundation. The social foundation is not present across all countries, especially in developing nations. Regardless, it is necessary before countries can effectively tackle issues like climate change.

The goals proposed by the United Nations help to shed light on issues of poverty, education, and urbanization in developing nations. It also helps remind people living in developed nations that even the ability to embrace sustainable programs is an economic privilege and not one to be taken for granted.

Citations

Sachs, J. D., Schmidt-Traub, G., Mazzucato, M., Messner, D., Nakicenovic, N., & Rockström, J. (2019). Six transformations to achieve the sustainable development goals. Nature sustainability, 2(9), 805-814.

SDG, U. (2019). Sustainable development goals. The energy progress report. Tracking SDG, 7.

Hák, T., Janoušková, S., & Moldan, B. (2016). Sustainable Development Goals: A need for relevant indicators. Ecological indicators, 60, 565-573.

Cobbinah, P. B., Erdiaw-Kwasie, M. O., & Amoateng, P. (2014). Rethinking sustainable development within the framework of poverty and urbanisation in developing countries. Environmental Development, 13, 18–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2014.11.001

El Rifai, Ayman Ramon. (2021) Sustainable Development in Developing Countries. Circle of Sustainable Europe. https://cose-eu.org/2021/10/11/sustainable-development-in-developing-countries/.

The Marriage of Economics and Sustainability for an Efficient World

mcbrco1 / November 28, 2022

The principles of sustainability are all well and good within a vacuum. However, incentivizing individuals, firms, nations, and the world to follow these principles pose some additional challenges. One way that many experts have sought to spearhead sustainability within the US is through our economy. If we as a country, along with other capitalist states, can start associating carbon production, environmental damage, and inefficient business operations with a monetary and measurable cost, the economy will become sustainable in no time. Just watch.

In fundamental economics, a cost of production of a certain quantity not acknowledged by producers or consumers is defined as an externality. When these costs are recognized and price and quantity adjust as such, production stabilizes at what economists call the socially optimal quantity. Yvon Chouinard, Jib Elison, and Rick Ridgeway at Harvard Business Review classify this as ‘True Cost Accounting.’ “What if we could get to the point where the lowest-priced T-shirt was also the one doing the least harm to the planet and society? In that scenario, consumers’ bargain hunting would align perfectly with business practices that sustain a healthy and just world, and powerful market forces would be put in the service of sustainability’s goals. (Chouinard et. al). Recognizing externalities is a critical component of sustainable-ifying the economy. In almost every area of the private sector, there are adjustments that could be made to harness the buying power of consumers and the marketing power of producers for the good of the planet. In essence, sustainability scientists are asking economists to appraise the environment and smooth consumption cost over as long a period as possible, in hopes of reaching a point of such efficiency that our economy and the world around it become perpetual.

Many organizations are already dipping their toes into the water of advocacy for such business practices. The World Wildlife Fund and the United Nations both have extensive resources dedicated towards publicizing the cost of environmental harm. Both acknowledge the importance of economic activity and finance toward a sustainable revolution, and both have developed international goals to operate within the planet’s means. The WWF also focuses on investment as a key strategy in the development of a sustainable economy. Engaging with public financial officials, policy makers, and private advisory boards will only incentivize an analytical mindset when considering the burden of business on the Earth.

Decisions regarding sustainability within an economic context up until this point have been directed at the consequences of climate change. Extreme weather and pollution have begun to ravage many regions of the world, with finance and technology quickly rushing to aid. Instead, these resources could be directed at the root cause of climate change, an unchecked business world, and internalize an already very present external cost of climate change.

Connect4Climate’s Climate Countdown: Carbon Pricing video provides an expertly crafted visualization of the breakdown of resources, timelines, and combinations of the two that point toward more sustainable operations. In the video, John Hansen, a climate policy and clean energy advocate, describes the “adaptation and mitigation” of our reactionary approach to climate change as “throwing good [resources] money into a leaky system.” Hansen goes on to describe carbon pricing as the solution to correcting the global economy.

With these sources at hand, it is not hard to see how applying core economics to sustainability provides a viable avenue toward global change. What it ultimately comes down to is a just association between price and source. Currently, the burden of climate change and extreme climate is felt by the common consumer. Associating this burden with environmental harm, bolstering the economy in a way that promulgates sustainability, and harmonizing the global aspects of climate and business are the keys to concrete, tangible change for the betterment of the world.

Sources:

https://www.wwf.eu/what_we_do/sustainable_economies/#:~:text=A%20sustainable%20economy%20is%20one,below%202%C2%B0C%20threshold.

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/economic-growth/

https://hbr.org/2011/10/the-sustainable-economy