| Under the big topic of environmentalism, there are | | | | Haiti harvested 50 million trees per year for |
| sub-divisions that are actually a major area of | | | | charcoal production. This practice has greatly |
| science in their own right. To properly understand | | | | impacted the country leaving much of the land |
| that concept of sustainability, it is vital to | | | | without trees. In Sept 2004, tropical storm Jeanne |
| understand that sustainable issues are inextricably | | | | sent walls of mud and water raging though a city |
| tied to the best use our resources, whether | | | | of 300,000, and 3,000 people died. As an island of |
| locally or worldwide. To build a better distinction, I | | | | much more limited resources, Haiti serves as a |
| have long suggested that this is a BLUE topic | | | | classic lesson in sustainability that has literally |
| rather than GREEN. Green as described elsewhere | | | | devastated this country and impoverished the |
| is primarily a concern for the Health Impact of our | | | | people. Note as well, the lack of diversity for this |
| actions, whether locally or worldwide. And though | | | | problem, and understand that alternatives are the |
| these two sub-categories of environmentalism are | | | | better answer to pending issues. Poverty and |
| complimentary, they are distinct and substantial | | | | crisis is the result of a failure to find other |
| areas of the greater environmental picture. | | | | resources and panic sets in followed by despair. |
| Sustainable issues start with the panoramic view | | | | Under the subject of sustainability are other |
| of the full lifecycle of our consumerism. In fact, | | | | important issues of the harvesting of resources is |
| the ideas of the three R's have provided an easy | | | | called the upstream concern for the resources |
| way to address sustainable issues. The three R's | | | | taken, the manufacturing process, shipping, |
| of sustainability are: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. | | | | bottling/packaging, and transportation of |
| Over the years of plenty, the tendency is to | | | | commodities that we use routinely. Most people |
| become wasteful and gluttonous. We are | | | | do not think or care about the upstream issues |
| consumers, but so is every living thing on this | | | | that it takes to get what they need until it |
| earth. So, consumerism is not a bad concept. | | | | washes a problem up to their doorstep. |
| Admittedly, any good thing has its abuses. I | | | | During our period in the "Chain of Custody" of |
| oppose the thought that people are a light on this | | | | these resources, we are told to reduce our |
| earth while understanding that we are capable of | | | | demand. Reduction and resuse of commodities |
| making stupid as well as smart decisions. | | | | can be as simple as paperless office processes, |
| As consumers, we can take more than we need, | | | | flow restrictors in the bathrooms, and energy |
| not properly use all that we have, and too often | | | | savings devices. Reusing items calls for some |
| throw away the excesses of our lifestyle. The | | | | creativity and extra effort to make more uses |
| radical approach is the aesthetic, agrarian lifestyle | | | | for things we use like gray water systems used |
| making sod houses and turning to the vegan diet. | | | | to flush commodes, better us of paper at the |
| This is not my choice. The practical approach is to | | | | copier, and looking at the trash to see what we |
| follow the three R's in a more dedicated way | | | | might have used better. Recycling is a better |
| knowing that we will reduce the strain on our | | | | understood program of reducing our waste |
| resources and that these resources will last longer. | | | | disposal by turning them back into raw products |
| Therefore, the larger environmental movement | | | | for manufacturers. |
| calls for people and industry everywhere to install | | | | Downstream sustainable concerns looks at what |
| better practices in what seems like and endless | | | | happens when we dispose of our trash and waste |
| line of urgent causes and problems, but there is | | | | products. Cities are now trying to raise their |
| no logic or organization to the compliance | | | | recycling program to remove more than 30% of |
| expected of us. My complaint is the | | | | the waste headed for landfills. What we pour |
| disorganization of demands, problems, and | | | | down the drains, toss in the trash, and generally |
| expectations made of each of us, not the | | | | discard are still part of that chain of custody. At |
| non-concern of the people in the marketplace. | | | | each level of this custodial chain (upstream, use, |
| Sustainability is an economy of scale tied to a | | | | and disposal), the sustainable question must be |
| different standard than the ubiquitous monetary | | | | asked, and that question is, "Are we doing the |
| value. We all tend to value things by their price, | | | | best we can do with these resources?" The |
| but there are other values in life that we might | | | | tougher part of that question is the cost of |
| appreciate. Health is more valuable than wealth | | | | improving these processes because we can push |
| because you can't enjoy your wealth without | | | | so hard at environmental issues as to price them |
| your health, but it is possible to enjoy your health | | | | out of the market. This is hard-headed |
| without your wealth. Sustainable issues are valued | | | | environmental concern that fails to understand |
| in appreciation of the shared need of all people | | | | that we must digest and progress through these |
| and systems of our world. The need to act | | | | challenges as feasible. |
| responsibly in light of the collective demand is | | | | Concerns that China is presently in a booming |
| reasonable and responsible concern. This is not the | | | | industrialization period has caused this country to |
| same concept as socialism or communism. It is | | | | almost totally ignore the Kyoto Agreements on |
| the ethical side of voluntary initiatives taken in the | | | | environmental concerns, global warming, and |
| face of honest concern for ourselves, other | | | | pollution while America, Australia, and other |
| people, and future generations. | | | | advanced countries nearly cripple their industries |
| Consider the Great Law of the Native American | | | | to adhere to the Kyoto limitations. This is |
| Iroquois Indians that said," In every deliberation, | | | | incredibly shortsighted and wrong. If this is a world |
| we must consider the impact on the seventh | | | | problem, everyone must join in and if provisions |
| generation." Native Americans lived off the land | | | | for technology and charity are necessary, they |
| and seemed to understand that they needed to | | | | should be brought in conjunction with |
| preserve their resources for generations to come. | | | | environmental changes. So, there is a haunting |
| This is the foundation for sustainability issues. | | | | concern at the anti-business, anti-American, and |
| Notice that while sustainability issues compliment | | | | socialistic tendencies of the environmental |
| pollution, conservation, and health issues, each is a | | | | movement that has rife in the sustainable and |
| distinctly different subject of concern. Rather than | | | | pollution promotions. |
| socialistic, the ideas are more in the vein of | | | | Business should not stand by waiting for |
| charitable, ethical, and responsible actions that | | | | government to solve the problem by making |
| require an awareness of the need rather than a | | | | expensive and misguided regulations. Taking the |
| governmentally enforced requirement (socialism). | | | | proactive stance of Going Green will improve the |
| Recent years has brought the use of fossil fuels | | | | health issues of the business, and Going Blue will |
| to the forefront. One issue has been pollution and | | | | address the sustainable issues that have broader |
| hydrocarbons. The other issue is whether we can | | | | implications for the resources that we all need. |
| maintain our lifestyle without depleting the oil | | | | Figuring it all out is more than difficult, and finding a |
| supplies yet in the earth. So, oil presents a dual | | | | reasonable path to compliance is even more |
| environmental concern (pollution and sustainability), | | | | difficult. This requires the inclusion of a Green |
| and should be addressed on separate levels. | | | | Consultant who understands the breadth of the |
| Energy conservation is an effort to reduce the | | | | issues facing businesses in America, and who can |
| demand for oil by using less and finding | | | | provide analysis and a progressive (yet very |
| alternatives. This is logical and reasonable, but | | | | affordable) plan for environmental friendliness for |
| needs to be done in a way that will not destroy | | | | any company. Any business can earn its Green |
| society. Though 2008 saw the enormous | | | | Business Certified status by acquiring points in an |
| manipulation of speculators and governments to | | | | easy-to-follow monthly installments. Green |
| contrive a shortage and force up the price of gas | | | | Consultants are not just a single-issue carbon |
| to $4.00 per gallon, we also saw a free market | | | | credit salesperson, solar panel promoter, or |
| response that tore the bottom out of the artificial | | | | solicitor for a Green charity. A Green Consultant |
| bubble and brought prices back to less than $2.00 | | | | will do a comprehensive assessment that will |
| a gallon. | | | | provide a clear path toward improvement in |
| Wood and water are other natural resources that | | | | sustainable issues, health of the facility for |
| we can deplete. The island of Haiti and Dominican | | | | employees, pollution reduction strategies, and |
| Republic were once large producers of charcoal. | | | | conservation ideas for the world at large. Finally, |
| Though a larger island in the Caribbean, there was | | | | there is a measure of clarity in a very clouded |
| only so much wood available for harvesting for | | | | and unorganized worldwide issue that works for |
| charcoal production. According to the Miami Herald, | | | | everyone. |