... The age of consumption is brought through innovations in fast industrialization of the world. Right now a country’s development is valued by how much it is industrialized and the rate of consumption in that economy. Naturally this situation effects how people live. Through last few decades, people have changed their values as a result of consumerism. The understanding of society turned into individualism where people only think about their interests rather than benefit of society. People value each other by what they have or can afford to buy, therefore disconnection in communities increases day by day and eventually causes unhappiness among humanity. Moreover, redundant amount of consumerism causes alarming decreases of natural resources and makes it impossible to live a sustainable green world. The waste of resources also threatens the existence of future generations since the world we know will be consumed totally by then. Although consumerism is an undeniable element in economy its implications are corruptive for both people’s happiness and sustainable development in order to change this destructive system, alternative ways of living should be practiced in life styles, and economic structures. Consumerism’s effects on life styles are very distinctive we can see how people adjust their way of living an imperialistic system, how they change their daily habits and family interactions however all these alterations leads certain way of corruption through society and brings...
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...Assessment of Philips Electronics: Is Sense & Simplicity Sustainable Andrew M. Froning Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Submitted: May 4th, 2013 Abstract Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V has been recognized as an industry leader for sustainability. In the past decade is has undergone a whole culture shift in the way it does business. But is what Philips doing really sustainable or are they just green washing their products. The report looks at how a sustainable business operates and how Philips’ programs and initiatives line up with those constructs of sustainable business development. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Assessment of Philips Electronics: Is Sense & Simplicity Sustainable 4 Enterprise Thinking 5 Inclusiveness & Value Networks 8 Suppliers 8 Stakeholders 9 Connectedness 10 Social Responsibility 10 Philanthropy 11 Reuse & Recycling 11 Life Cycle Thinking 12 Innovativeness & Leadership 13 Conclusion 14 References 15 Footnotes 16 Figures 19 Assessment of Philips Electronics: Is Sense & Simplicity Sustainable Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., also known as Royal Philips Electronics but commonly known as “Philips”, is an electronics company based in the Netherlands with facilities located across the world. It is one of the largest electronics companies in the world and the largest manufacturer of lighting.1 In 2004 Philips released their brand promise, “Sense and Simplicity” encapsulates...
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...Humans can live in a sustainable way, but with this thought, it cannot be voluntary. The economy is “booming”, because of the way humans live today, such as how they implement their resources from the planet that they use for themselves. But if people respected the environment as much as they did the economy, then it wouldn’t be so evident that the future for humans isn’t too bright. It needs to be enforced by the higher class authorities (Ex: U.S Government) of what we need to do in order to live a sustainable life that won’t erode the Earth. Such as recycling or littering. It is against the law to do so, but because it is not strongly enforced to do so, many people get the slip and harm the environment. In order for humans to live a sustainable life, it cannot be voluntary, it has to be mandatory that we do so. The importance of finding a sustainable lifestyle for society to live by is now more important than ever. As oil begins to run out, and the environmental effects begin to show, there has never been a greater threat to the entire world population than the one that is right around the corner. In fact, one could argue that this crisis is especially difficult for a society to overcome because there is not a well defined enemy and therefore a lack of motivation from most people. Historically, societies have accomplished amazing feats – one of the most recent examples in America was during World War II when the home front mobilized and changed their way of life in order to...
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...because the whole process is beautiful, abundant and pleasure producing: We enjoy seeing and smelling the trees in bloom, we’re pleased by the idea of the trees multiplying (and producing delicious cherries), and everyone for miles around seems to benefit in the process. The entire lifecycle of the cherry tree is rewarding, and the only “waste” involved is an abundant sort of nutrient cycling that only leads to more good things. Best of all, this show of productivity and generosity seems to come quite naturally to the tree. It shows no signs of discontent or resentment — in fact, it looks like it could keep this up indefinitely with nothing but good, sustainable outcomes. The cherry-tree scenario is one model that renowned designer and sustainable-development expert William McDonough uses to illustrate how healthy, sustainable systems are supposed to work. “Every last particle contributes in some way to the health of a thriving ecosystem,” he writes in his essay (coauthored with Michael Braungart), “The Extravagant Gesture: Nature, Design and the Transformation of Human Industry”...
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...of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. All 189 United Nations member states at the time (there are 193 currently), and at least 23 international organizations, committed to help achieve the following Millennium Development Goals by 2015: 1. To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. To achieve universal primary education 3. To promote gender equality and empower women 4. To reduce child mortality 5. To improve maternal health 6. To combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases 7. To ensure environmental sustainability[1] 8. To develop a global partnership for development[2] 17 Sdgs 1) End poverty in all its forms everywhere * 836 million people still live in extreme poverty * About one in five persons in developing regions lives on less than $1.25 per day * The overwhelming majority of people living on less than $1.25 a day belong to two regions: Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa * High poverty rates are often found in small, fragile and conflict-affected countries * One in seven children under age five in the world has inadequate height for his or her age * Every day in 2014, 42,000 people had to abandon their homes to seek protection due to conflict * By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day * By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions...
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...WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT? The question is: what kind of development would be sustainable? What would be the main characteristics of sustainable development? Lots of people everywhere are searching for solutions. These are people who are concerned, who care and who are brave enough to ask serious questions, brave enough to challenge the big and powerful, the greedy and ruthless. Isn't it incredible that the so-called educated, scientific, modern, rich people are leading the world to disaster and it is the poor, the so-called uneducated people who are shouting "Stop this madness". A Latin American activist/thinker said recently "My people do not want development. They only want to live." One wonders who is more "advanced", those who are totally divorced from nature and who are destroying the planet with their unsustainable life style or those who are still trying to live in harmony with nature? Who are global citizens? The jet set types zipping across the world or those who consume little and do not contribute to ecological disaster? Who should be the experts now, the scientist, economist and politicians who have brought the world to the brink of disaster or those women and men whose knowledge, wisdom, life styles were declared "backward"? What do we have to do so that everyone can live? Some things are already quite clear. They will get clearer as we move forward on the path of sustain- able development. Oiu" concern is not just for the present generation should hand...
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...Culture & religion for a sustainable future Introduction Culture shapes the way we see the world. It therefore has the capacity to bring about the change of attitudes needed to ensure peace and sustainable development which, we know, form the only possible way forward for life on planet Earth. Today, that goal is still a long way off. A global crisis faces humanity at the dawn of the 21st century, marked by increasing poverty in our asymmetrical world, environmental degradation and short-sightedness in policy-making. Culture is a crucial key to solving this crisis. Source: Preface, World Culture Report, UNESCO Publishing, Paris, 1999. Our cultural values, which often include particular religious beliefs, shape our way of living and acting in the world. Module 11 on Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability explores the importance of indigenous values and spirituality in providing guidance for sustainable living. Such principles and values encourage a spirit of harmony between people, their natural environments and their spiritual identities. The principles for living sustainably that flow from these and other cultural and religious beliefs vary between groups and countries. They have also changed over time as circumstances demand. Despite this diversity, many principles for living sustainably are shared, not only among indigenous peoples, but also between different religious traditions. This module explores the role of culture and religion in providing guidance on ways...
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...Writing Assignment Unit 4 Introduction Water is an essential component for life on Earth, shaping landscapes, sustaining ecosystems, and supporting human civilizations. The water cycle, also known as the hydrological cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface. It is a dynamic process driven by solar energy and natural forces, which redistributes water throughout the planet, replenishing freshwater sources and regulating the Earth's climate. Understanding the water cycle is crucial for addressing challenges related to water availability, quality, and management, especially in the face of climate change and increasing human demands. By delving into the intricacies of this fundamental natural process, we can gain insights into how water sustains life and ecosystems, and how human activities impact the delicate balance of the water cycle. The most considerable impact I can make to address the issues highlighted about the water cycle and freshwater availability include: Conserving Water: Implementing water-saving...
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...INTRODUCTION In our report, we will be discussing on one of the major driving force for the long-term profitability and competitiveness of a firm, i.e. Sustainable Supply Chain Management. This has become one of the most recognized strategic goals by the leading global organizations in the world. Sustainability in Supply Chain Management refers to the fact that organization should not only fulfill the wants and expectations of their stakeholders, but also avoid actions that reduce the ability of the interested parties, including the future generations to meet their needs. In order to elaborate, how a leading global organization takes Sustainable Supply Chain Management as a strategic goal, we have prepared our report on GSK’s Sustainability elements. GSK is one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, developing and supplying medicines to a huge global market. The company employs more than 97,000 people in over 100 countries and has an extensive worldwide supply chain. GSK’s mission is to help people do more, feel better, live longer. They do this through investing in R&D, adopting flexible approaches to pricing, promoting open innovation, and strengthening healthcare systems. By growing their business and extending access to their medicines, GSK ensures long term commercial success as well as creating value for its shareholders and delivering economic benefits to the wider society. GSK contributes directly and indirectly to the economic...
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...environmental problems] depends on our ideas of the man-nature relationship. More science and more technology are not going to get us out of the present crisis until we find a new religion or rethink and old one. --Lynn White Jr. When it comes to modern civilization, few topics could be as relevant as the one we face in climate change and how our relationship with the earth has brought this state of affairs to be. Mr. White, a professor of medieval history and ecology, hits on a critical point (Vetlesen). Perhaps now is the time to investigate older beliefs and how they might allow us to adapt to our current situation, and perhaps improve it. The term “Native Americans” covers a wide range of individuals, tribes, ethnic groups, and geography. Despite these differences, many Native Americans share a similar belief regarding the treatment of the land and all that lived on it: that the land is sacred and should be respected and treated in a sustainable manner. It is this viewpoint that will be the focus of this paper: demonstrating the effect of European settlers on the United States’ ecology, some of the sustainable practices of Native Americans, and how this may have influenced modern society to practice sustainability. Body According to the dictionary, the term ecology refers to a branch of biological science involving the “relations and interactions between organisms and their environment, including other organisms” (Dictionary.com). In the United States’ ecological history there...
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...designing. This new approach has become known as sustainable design. Sustainable Design is a design philosophy that seeks to maximize the quality of the built environment, while minimizing or eliminating negative impact to the natural environment. In others words designing physical objects with the idea of creating under the principles of ecological sustainable compositions. This type of design is being having great advance and advertising during the last couple of years, therefore is becoming a new alternative in terms of designing and construction in both architecture and urban planning areas. There are several factors to consider when creating a sustainable design. They are ecological sustainability, built environment, economic sustainability and social responsibility. In our daily life there are basics principles that can be found in this new movement of designing. For example in order to create a sustainable house of building the architect has to be aware of the resources of nature and at the same time understand them and learn how to use them in favor of his design; there has to be coexistence between human and nature; accept responsibility for the consequences of the architect design's decisions; always trying to design in order to create objects of long term value; and a very important and basic: recycle and reuse. However there are a several principles of sustainable design that should be a significant part of our daily lives: 1. Use non-toxic, sustainably produced...
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...us to share our sustainable activities and encourage us to act sustainably in everyday life. I learned that everyone can contribute to the society’s sustainability by taking some small actions, like reusing water bottles, unplugging, and etc. These small sustainable activities we can do in daily life cause big effects to the society and they are critical. If everyone keeps doing these sustainable actions ever day, we could change the world a lot. In class, we learned that sustainability is to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. By taking this exercise, I think that sustainability is not only a responsibility of corporations but also a responsibility for everyone in the society. Everyone should contribute to sustainability by taking these small actions. 2. Discuss the administration of Small Steps? Where directions adequate from Ron, Liz or Net Impact National? Was the program easy to follow? What would you ask us to do differently next semester? How about incentives (extra credit, cash, great interview story, etc – discuss)? The administration of Small Steps is good and it was easy to follow the exercise. My contributions to sustainability by taking these small steps are shown clearly on the website. It is easy to see the impacts to the society caused by my small sustainable actions, like CO2 I reduced, money I raised and etc, and it can encourage us to do more sustainable actions. Also,...
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...Done by: Shary Medina Principles of Sustainable Development (ESCI 199) Assignment #1 Galen University Presented to: Mr. Victor Alegria 02/02/2016 Done by: Shary Medina Principles of Sustainable Development (ESCI 199) Assignment #1 Galen University Presented to: Mr. Victor Alegria 02/02/2016 Development may be defined as the act or process of growing or causing something to grow or become larger or more advanced (Merriam Webster). Development has made us as humans face a whole new set of socioeconomic, technological, and global forces that have brought us to where we are today. The renaissance fuelled by these forces will continue to dwarf any we have experienced until now. It has dramatically altered the way we live in our communities, their form and function, and, most critically, the way we plan and develop our way of life. In the reference to the documentary of “Ancient Futures” from Ladakh, Norberg-Hodge presented the term “development” as a movement from one situation to another. She added that she saw development in Ladakh as a process in the industrialized world with progress of the evolutionary force which created a “sudden change”. Such development may seem inevitable because as time passes by there is always a change whether it is economic, political or religious influence. All this might not be totally avoided, but there can be efforts if our Local governments place interest in understanding the forces and move one step ahead, using the key knowledge...
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...nothing more than a rusty brake drum, black iron pipe and an old blender fan. From that I pounded demented railroad spikes and horse shoes into beautiful works of art such as picture frames, coat racks, and knives. I have been hooked ever since finding ways to not only live, but thrive off the land by working in harmony with it. Tapping sugar maples to make my own syrup, hunting and trapping for food, clothing and income, and creating a hydroponic tower to produce my own fruits and vegetables. My goal has always been to live on my own terms and provide myself with all my needs through ingenuity and hard work instead of using currency. I had heard of self-sustainable living and that was what I was aiming for until I came upon the term “Permaculture” while surfing through some articles. It means living in a manner in which you coincide with nature and use it as a model to create sustainable cycles in which you can nourish yourself and the environment around you in a positive manner. I then asked myself some questions, “How did Permaculture originate and how popular is it today?”, What is the true meaning behind the term permaculture?”, and “How much does one sacrifice to become a permaculturist?. I found that Permaculture has only been around for approximately four decades and still widely unknown to most of the world’s population. There are an...
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...truly in the midst of an environmental existential crisis. The average Australian’s ecological footprint is 7.8 global hectares per capita, which amounts to three Earths, to sustain the lifestyle we have at present (Network, 2012). This statement is rather confronting, as it prompts the thought of a possible diversion from the direction that humanity has followed in the past. It is a wakeup call to those that inhabit this planet, as this is a crucial time for making changes that are sustainable; one does not have the luxury of time for deep contemplation. Now is the time for acting. Potentially the most effective way to ensure that the resources, social and economic stability and the environment of the present day will be sustained for future generations is through educating present and future generations in conservation, sustainability and incorporating an ecological approach into our curriculum and pedagogy. The value of education for sustainability (EfS) is increased awareness of all who live on this land, communities, educational institutes and government agencies working together through education of sustainability to shift peoples thinking. This includes generations of young people who can make a positive difference. Burch, (2012) agrees that it is an investment tool for present and future generations. Early guidance and the understanding of cause and effect must be embedded in the foundation of a practical...
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