Living
in a Sustainable World
An environmentally sustainable future is one that meets
the needs of the current population, while not depleting or destroying existing
resources for future generations (Reubold, 2014). It is difficult to imagine
what an environmentally sustainable future will be since many current,
convenient agricultural, energy, and manufacturing practices are damaging to
the environment, but the current consumption and pollution levels are not
sustainable for the Earth’s organisms or ecosystems. It will have no trash or
water pollution. The future populations will rely on alternative wind and solar
energy sources with zero reliance on petroleum. Future diets will consist of
more grains and produce rather than meat and animal products. Forests will stop
being destroyed for agricultural purposes as cattle and poultry farms no longer
require the land. Instead of using nature and its resources, humans recognize
they are a part of nature and strive for a harmony. A future that is
environmentally sustainable is attainable and necessary for continuity.
There will be no endangered or near-extinct wildlife
lists in the future, nor are trophic cascades creating an imbalance in the
ecosystems. Animals will not be removed from their natural habitats because of
disturbances such as drilling for oil, fracking, or deforestation. People will
stop clearing forests for more land for agricultural purposes and begin
planting and maintaining more forests. New forests will reduce carbon in the
atmosphere that causes the Greenhouse Effect by processing carbon dioxide,
storing the carbon, and providing oxygen. Greenhouse gases will no longer
contribute to global warming because people will no longer rely on fossil fuels
for energy. Since governments and residents protect the rainforest, the
weather patterns in these ecosystems aid in cooling the entire earth (Bensel
& Turk, 2014). The ozone layer will heal because the gases that once
damaged the ozone layer no longer seep into to atmosphere (Sidder, 2016).
Without man intervening, nature will maintain the delicate balance within each
ecosystem. While the timing of El Niño and La Niña weather patterns is
unpredictable, perhaps the restoration of natural resources will decrease the
impact of these events.
Agricultural production will change drastically in the
future. People will adopt a Mediterranean diet which consists of primarily
whole grains, fruits, and vegetables while eating meat sparingly. The demand
for meat will be low, and in turn, meat production will no longer use thousands
of acres of land. People will be healthier since this diet will decrease common
health problems associated with eating meat such as heart disease, stroke,
& cancer, and lower less-severe complications with obesity and diabetes
(Thomas, 2010). Since aquaponics and hydroponic systems are more efficient for
growing vegetables and fruit, farms will require less land. Since farming with
soil involves the addition of many delocalized fertilizers, whereas aquaponics
farms do not, run-off and pollution are no longer a threat to the water supply.
Currently water pollution, demand, and outdated or non-existent structures make
access to safe water unobtainable for millions. Whether the water continues to
be managed privately or by municipalities in the future, all people will have
access to safe, clean drinking water. People will conserve water usage, so the
demand is not greater than the surface water supply available. Dietary changes
will reduce the amount of water used for processing meat. Pollution from farm
run-off will decrease. Currently, water treatment plants remove around 95 to 98
percent of the pharmaceuticals in the water through standard purification
methods of coagulation, filtration, and chloramines, but low-levels of these
compounds remain in the water supply (Boerner, 2014). Healthier diets have
reduced the need for many medications and more effectively absorbed medications
decreased the number and concentration of pharmaceutical compounds that once
entered the water supply. In the future, water treatment plants have better
ways to remove impurities from the water, but also minimal pollution enters the
waterways.
Currently, the earth relies heavily on fossil fuel for energy, which is not
only devastating to the environment, but the supply is dwindling. In the
future, solar, water, and wind energy will be the primary energy sources. The
use of electric cars is already gaining popularity, but in the future, no
vehicles will run off petroleum. Electric vehicles will reduce the number of
emissions released into the environment. The air will be cleaner, the threat of
global warming will be reduced, and oil leaking into the water supply will
cease. Since there is no longer a demand for oil, manufacturing and drilling
will no longer threaten ecosystems or the environment. The ocean will no longer
be at-risk for large oil spills like the Deepwater Horizon or Exxon
Valdez.
Waste management in the future will focus on recycling
and reusing. Recycle centers will pick up plastic, glass, paper, and aluminum
waste. Styrofoam, which takes years to biodegrade, is no longer manufactured.
All food products will go into compost bins rather than a landfill. People bring
old items to thrift stores for others to use instead of disposing of them.
Currently, the world creates 3.5 million tons of trash per day (Stromberg,
2013). In the future, there is no need for a landfill as waste is practically
zero.
It is wonderful to imagine an environmentally sustainable world. Environmental
sustainability is not impossible to achieve, but many obstacles can hinder
progress. Socially, people will have to change their lifestyles to one that is
more environmentally friendly. It is convenient to drive oneself to work every
day, rather than take mass transportation or carpool. It is convenient, and
costs less, to eat a diet high in processed food. Economically, manufacturing
foods and other goods create numerous jobs and market growth. Businesses must
consider job losses and the creation of new jobs that promote environmental sustainability.
Some of the cheapest-produced products are the worst for the environment, yet
the most profitable. The global economy will suffer if companies do not prepare
for an environmentally sustainable future. Companies must slowly transition
from convenience to environmentally responsible to avoid financial impact.
Politically, the issue of global warming and glacier melting is almost a
bipartisan issue and aligning people with differing political beliefs is
challenging. Everyone must work towards the goal of environmental
sustainability to attain it.
References
Bensel,
T., & Turk, J. (2014). Contemporary
environmental issues (2nd ed.). Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu
Boerner,
L. (2014, May 14). The complicated question of drugs in the water. PBS.org. Retrieved from
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/body/pharmaceuticals-in-the-water/
Reubold,
T. (2014, February 18). Opinion: What does a sustainable future actually look like.
Ensia.com. Retrieved from
https://ensia.com/voices/what-does-a-sustainable-future-actually-look-like/
Sidder,
A. (2016, June 30). Climate 101: Ozone depletion. National Geographic. Retrieved from
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/antarctic-ozone-hole-healing-fingerprints/
Stromberg,
J. (2013, November 18). Trashing the earth: We’ll soon make 11 million tons of
solid waste a day. The Washington Post.
Retrieved from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/trashing-the-earth-well-soon-make-11-million-tons-of-solid-waste-a-day/2013/11/18/fc243210-4626-11e3-bf0c-cebf37c6f484_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.b43970b0045a
Thomas,
P. (2010). Healthy planet eating. Friends
of the Earth, 1-32. Retrieved from http://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/healthy_planet_eating.pdf
(accessed 30 April 2014).
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