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Sustainability
is a term that's thrown around a lot these days. In a nutshell,
it means practices that meet the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
environmental, social and economic needs.
Continued
global climate change seriously threatens the possibility of a
sustainable future. Human activities that consume fossil fuels
or deplete natural resources contribute to global warming by increasing
the amount of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, in the
atmosphere.
Local
Environmental Efforts
Environmental efforts at the local level can go a long way to
reduce harmful emissions and foster sustainability. For example:
- Land
use decisions that discourage sprawl development conserve open
space and reduce the burden on natural resources caused by commuting,
land clearing, construction, road building and maintenance;
- Protecting
trees and other vegetation helps absorb carbon emissions and
insulate buildings to reduce cooling loads;
- Protecting
natural water bodies helps ensure the continued availability
of drinking water while reducing the need for energy-intense
processing and transportation of drinking water supplies;
- Designing
communities with energy efficient, green buildings, easy access
to mass transit and safe lanes for walking or biking around
town helps reduce reliance on fossil fuels that cause carbon
emissions;
- Preventing
invasive species from degrading biodiversity and planting native
species that require fewer resources to thrive helps to foster
a healthy, resilient ecosystem.
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