What is sustainability?

For our Eco Fun Fund, our October initiative is Sustainable Space.

Human beings are the only species on Earth that have the ability to alter our environment on a grand scale. From issues including Global Warming, Ozone Depletion, Overpopulation, and the need to feed people to Extinction of species, The Laurie Hawkins PS should learn how development and our industrial society can implement changes so that sustainability of our environment is achieved.


Many people question the meaning of sustainability. What does it really mean?

In short, Sustainability is the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.



How can I be more sustainable?

Be energy efficient, reduce waste, travel wisely, shop smart, and support your community. Here is a link that you can visit to get more details about each category and then you can think of ways to implement it in your daily lives.

http://www.sefton.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=6601

Here is an idea that I found on images when I Googled sustainable classrooms.

The Sustainable Classroom: A Ideal Learning Environment For Students

The Sustainable Classroom: A Ideal Learning Environment For Students

This is a link to a site that can give you an idea of a sustainable classroom. It talks about how it was built and what it was made up of.

http://www.ecospacestudios.com/portfolio/schools/

Definition of Sustainability from Wikipedia:

Sustainability is the capacity to endure. In ecology the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time. Long-lived and healthy wetlands and forests are examples of sustainable biological systems. For humans, sustainability is the potential for long-term maintenance of well being, which has ecological, economic, political and cultural dimensions. Sustainability requires the reconciliation of environmental, social equity and economic demands - also referred to as the "three pillars" of sustainability or (the 3 Es).
Healthy ecosystems and environments are necessary to the survival and flourishing of humans and other organisms. There are a number of major ways of reducing negative human impact. The first of these is environmental management. This approach is based largely on information gained from earth science, environmental science and conservation biology. The second approach is management of human consumption of resources, which is based largely on information gained from economics. A third more recent approach adds cultural and political concerns into the sustainability matrix.
Sustainability interfaces with economics through the social and environmental consequences of economic activity. Sustainability economics involves ecological economics where social aspects including cultural, health-related and monetary/financial aspects are integrated. Moving towards sustainability is also a social challenge that entails international and national law, urban planning and transport, local and individual lifestyles and ethical consumerism. Ways of living more sustainably can take many forms from reorganising living conditions (e.g., ecovillages, eco-municipalities and sustainable cities), reappraising economic sectors (permaculture, green building, sustainable agriculture), or work practices (sustainable architecture), using science to develop new technologies (green technologies, renewable energy and sustainable Fission and Fusion power), to adjustments in individual lifestyles that conserve natural resources. Despite the increased popularity of the use of the term "sustainability", the possibility that human societies will achieve environmental sustainability has been, and continues to be, questioned—in light of environmental degradation, climate change, overconsumption, and societies' pursuit of indefinite economic growth in a closed system.^[1][2]

Evergreen.ca Teachers Corner

http://www.evergreen.ca/en/resources/school-ground-greening/teachers-corner/

Working in the Outdoor Classroom

Welcome to Teachers’ Corner, Evergreen's online educators’ resource. Here you will find a wide range of free online resources to help you get the most out of the outdoor classroom by sharing lesson plans from educators across the country who are already integrating greening projects with their curriculum.

Lesson Plans

• Search for Lesson Plans
• Submit Lesson Plans

Teaching Resources

• Tips and Techniques
• Before You Go Outside – Be Prepared
• School Ground Activity Kits
• General Lesson Structure – One Teacher’s Experience

Habitats

Habitats: Awesome National Geographic Link.  Lots of Info!!

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/

Example:
Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture takes many forms, but at its core is a rejection of the industrial approach to food production developed during the 20th century.
This system, with its reliance on monoculture, mechanization, chemical pesticides and fertilizers, biotechnology, and government subsidies, has made food abundant and affordable. However, the ecological and social price has been steep: erosion; depleted and contaminated soil and water resources; loss of biodiversity; deforestation; labor abuses; and the decline of the family farm.
The concept of sustainable agriculture embraces a wide range of techniques, including organic, free-range, low-input, holistic, and biodynamic.
The common thread among these methods is an embrace of farming practices that mimic natural ecological processes. Farmers minimize tilling and water use; encourage healthy soil by planting fields with different crops year after year and integrating croplands with livestock grazing; and avoid pesticide use by nurturing the presence of organisms that control crop-destroying pests.
Beyond growing food, the philosophy of sustainability also espouses broader principles that support the just treatment of farm workers and food pricing that provides the farmer with a livable income.
Critics of sustainable agriculture claim, among other things, that its methods result in lower crop yields and higher land use. They add that a wholesale commitment to its practices will mean inevitable food shortages for a world population expected to exceed 8 billion by the year 2030. There's recent evidence, though, suggesting that over time, sustainably farmed lands can be as productive as conventional industrial farms.