Human wellbeing is closely linked to the health of the environment. In fact, the quality of our environment has a direct impact on our wellbeing; a cleaner and pollution free environment is healthier, safer and far more pleasant.[1] As we begin to experience the long-term consequences of exponential industrial growth and energy use, we must act to reverse these effects and prevent further damage, ensuring we have healthy places to live for generations to come.[2]
In recent years, with global economic development, the problem of environmental pollution and ecological damage has become a common concern, worldwide. This is because environmental threats do not recognize national borders and their solutions often requires the collect efforts on international level in order to be solved.
When we speak about the second pillar, it is necessary to point that, “environmental sustainability involves making decisions and employing practices that minimize our degradation of the planet. The following are examples of general environmental sustainability factors: Resource utilization, Materials choice, Resource conservation, Energy efficiency, Emissions reduction, Biodiversity and nature preservation, Water pollution and Air pollution.”[3]
[1] https://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/ (visited on 05.12.2022 at 15:25).
[2] https://sphera.com/glossary/what-is-environmental-sustainability/ (visited on 05.12.2022 at 15:46).
[3] https://greeneventninjas.com/the-dojo/sustainable-events-three-pillars-sustainability/ (visited on 02.12.2022 at 10:54).
Resource utilization
Resource utilization refers to maintaining the long-term use of resources while minimizing environmental impacts.
Materials choice
Materials choice is a complex balance of achieving design requirements, minimizing environmental impact, maximizing product performance and meeting unit cost targets.
Resource conservation
Resource conservation means that those resources on which sustainability depends are conserved and even enhanced by agronomic management.
Energy efficiency
Energy efficiency is maintaining the current operations without jeopardizing the energy needs of future generations.
Emissions reduction
Emissions reduction means reducing the global carbon dioxide emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 from 2010 levels, and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Biodiversity and nature preservation
Biodiversity and nature preservation is the practice of protecting and preserving the wealth and variety of species, habitats, ecosystems, and genetic diversity on the planet, and is important for our health, wealth, food, fuel, and services we depend on.
Water pollution and Air pollution
Water pollution and Air pollution includes programs that are aimed at reducing risks to the environment from contaminants such as hazardous materials and wastes, fuels, and oils.
A healthy environment involves environmental protection at all levels. There cannot be any form of progress without concern for the natural resources and the planet’s wellbeing. The overexploitation of resources not only puts them at risk of exhaustions, but threatens the wellbeing of everyone.
It is important to understand that the terms of “cause and effect” are not straightforward when it comes to nature and natural resources. For example, in Physics, if we look at Isaak Newton’s law of motion, we will see that if you push something, then it moves accordingly to the amount of force you have put into the push. The push is the “cause” and the movement is the “effect”.
Nature is not as simple as this. There are many different interactions between the infinite parts of ecosystems. A push in one place might end up producing a reaction somewhere quite unexpected.
Climate change leads to rising sea levels will flood cities and result in migration. Global warming increases the threat of invasive pest species to agriculture and the spread of disease. Ocean acidification threatens the health of coral reefs and many compromise the fisheries that depend on them.