Tuesday, April 27, 2010
What is sustainability?
Sustainability is a term used to define actions and human activities that aim to address the current needs of human beings, without compromising the future of coming generations. In other words, sustainability is directly related to economic development and material without harming the environment, using natural resources wisely so that they remain in the future. Following these parameters, humanity can ensure sustainable development.
Benefits
The adoption of sustainability actions ensures the medium to long term, a planet in good condition for the development of different life forms, including humans. Guarantees the necessary natural resources for future generations, enabling the maintenance of natural resources (forests, woodlands, rivers, lakes, and oceans) and ensuring a good quality of life for future generations.
Economic sustainability
The concept is also reducing as the economic resources must be preserved as well as the scope for future generations. Furthermore, ecological sustainability can be achieved only by companies that develop economically sustainable behaviors. Its principles lie mainly:
• the organization of long-term economic structures that must respond to demands for stable systems;
• the preservation of real capital, as infrastructure and buildings;
• stabilize the monetary value by preventing inflation;
• the fact that the costs of benefits and services should be paid by the generation benefiting;
• restriction on partial or total debt, as each generation should at least preserve his own royal capital received from their parents' generation and pass it to the next generation;
• effective use of resources;
• ensuring all economic services should be produced in a transparent manner and taking into account all the costs;
• the fact that taxes paid by citizens and businesses should be targeted for their ability to pay.
• the organization of long-term economic structures that must respond to demands for stable systems;
• the preservation of real capital, as infrastructure and buildings;
• stabilize the monetary value by preventing inflation;
• the fact that the costs of benefits and services should be paid by the generation benefiting;
• restriction on partial or total debt, as each generation should at least preserve his own royal capital received from their parents' generation and pass it to the next generation;
• effective use of resources;
• ensuring all economic services should be produced in a transparent manner and taking into account all the costs;
• the fact that taxes paid by citizens and businesses should be targeted for their ability to pay.
Social sustainability
This social dimension of stability emphasizes the role of individuals and society, and is closely tied to the notion of well-being. The principles of social sustainability clarify the role of individuals and the organization of society and, with the objective of social stability also benefit future generations. These are:
• the guarantee of self-determination and human rights of citizens;
• the provision of security and justice through an independent and reliable judicial system;
• the constant struggle to improve the quality of life, which should not be reduced to material well-being;
• promoting equal opportunities;
• the inclusion of citizens in the processes of social decision, the promotion of solidarity and autonomy of the self-help of citizens;
• the guarantee of fundamental means of social protection for individuals in need.
• the guarantee of self-determination and human rights of citizens;
• the provision of security and justice through an independent and reliable judicial system;
• the constant struggle to improve the quality of life, which should not be reduced to material well-being;
• promoting equal opportunities;
• the inclusion of citizens in the processes of social decision, the promotion of solidarity and autonomy of the self-help of citizens;
• the guarantee of fundamental means of social protection for individuals in need.