Sustainability, Environmental

This is about protecting and improving the abundance and diversity of the natural environment, both living and non-living, for the present and future generations.

There are many features which are encompassed within environmental sustainability, including:
• Improving the quality of human life: health, welfare and well-being.
• Taking responsibility for decisions and actions which impact on the environment.
• Conserving natural resources.
• Protecting wildlife.
• Increasing and improving biodiversity.
• Not exceeding the carrying capacity of a resource.
• Not degrading the environment.
• Meeting current need without compromising the needs (expected or perceived) of future generations.
• Involving all generations in decision making.
• Minimise waste being deposited into the environment.
• Minimising pollution of the environment.
• Ensuring longevity of the natural environment.
• Using products with low, or least, environmental impacts.
• Using technologies and working practices which have the least environmental impact.
• Promoting the use of renewable energy.
• Using available resources equitably.
• Using and managing resources and services within the carrying capacity of the supporting ecosystem.
• Understanding interconnections with social sustainability and economic sustainability.
• Continually improving process to minimise environmental impacts.
• Internalise waste and pollution costs.
• Increase transparency of environmental accounting of products and services.