Implementing A Sustainable Planning For Healthy, Thriving Rural And Urban Areas For Present Day And Future Years

In this letter, I will discuss the current environmental sustainability project, specifically its coal policy, its strengths and weaknesses, and the areas that can be improved. With numerous

In Hawaii, economic and environmental choices often go hand-in-hand. Our state’s location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has created a natural paradise which draws people from all over the world who, in turn, bring economic prosperity to the state through our tourism industry. However, it is also undeniable that sustainability and clean energy are essential to Hawaii due to our bearings in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Tourism and development demand tremendous amounts of energy, land, and resources. Some argue that we must continue to exploit our land and resources for tourism and development, which supports us financially. Not only does Hawaii’s economy depend on others, but Hawaii as a whole is pathetically dependent on others in every aspect. The dependence on imports that we are currently imprisoned to threatens our resources and our way of life. Currently, 95% of Hawaii’s energy comes at great cost from imported fossil fuels. Every year, 47.2 million barrels of oil, or roughly 34 barrels per person in Hawaii, are

B. Thesis Statement: California has gone beyond national policies setting higher environmental standards than required making it one of the most energy efficient states in the world while producing 15% of the nation’s renewable energy.

Lester Browns Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization is one of a few books published that reveals in depth planning to ecological sustainability. Lester Brown is the President of a non-profit research organization titled “Earth Policy Institute,” which he founded in May of 2001. Mr. Brown has developed a four step plan to make the Earth a cleaner and better place. Throughout this paper we will be weighing the pros and cons of Lester Browns four step plan. Lester Brown’s plan has lots of upside but remember; nothing is free, everything produced has an opportunity cost. Mr. Brown is an intelligent human being, but fails to recognize the damage that can be made in producing “environmental-friendly” objects such as electric cars and windmills. It is also important to understand that every plan created for achieving ecological sustainability will have tremendous downsides. It is a good start, but humans are still decades, maybe even centuries away from creating the correct plan to achieve ecological sustainability. To understand the entirety of Lester Brown’s plan, you must break down each step individually. It is also important to comprehend that Lester’s results from each step could very well be correct but the process of each could do more harm than good.

Rural areas through the country are facing the triple threat, the biggest defeat that can ever happen. Triple threat consist of three of the biggest fears that any company, rural community would ever want to face. Carr and Kefalas persuade small business owners, farmers and ranchers, and communities, that they aren 't the only ones facing the fear. “ No one would deny that finding work in today’s countryside means facing a triple threat: a failing farm and factory-based economy, rising unemployment, and shrinking wages and benefit” ( Carr and Kefalas 21). As a citizen for rural area, I am noticing are town is slowly getting hit by the triple threat. Generation farms are having to shut down, due to the low finical income that is coming. Each day goes by, there is a increases of “ Help Wanted” signs being put into the windows of a small thriving business. Creating business to have to shut down earlier due to low employment, not being able to work long hours. Which in the long run creates a finical burden, due

In respect to the environmental pillar of sustainability, the two stakeholders that show the greatest interest in upholding it are the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC). DEC is the main regulatory overseer and permit distributor of oil drilling in New York State. DEC “conducts a rigorous permitting process which protects the environment and landowner”(Marcellus Shale - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation n.d.). Therefore, DEC, with its interest in conserving environmental pristine, can be seen to appeal to the environmental pillar of sustainably, and, with its interest in protecting landowners, it can also be seen to appeal to the social pillar. Similarly, SRBC appeals to the social and environmental pillars of sustainability are encapsulated in its mission statement: “to enhance public welfare through comprehensive planning, water supply allocation, and management of the water resources…” (SRBC n.d.). SRBC is able to uphold this statement during fracking operations, as it “must review and approve water used for hydraulic fracturing projects in the Marcellus Shale.” The other two state-level stakeholders (Broome County Highway Division (HD), Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce (COC)) are most invested in the economic and social pillars of sustainability. HD affirms this with their mission statement: “to provide a

The Annapolis city government has aimed to reduce emissions by 75% by the year 2025 as well as achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2050 (Savidge 2010). In order to achieve these goals, the city government has committed to reducing energy usage by 10% in public facilities by 2017 and 15% by 2020 (Savidge 2010). The city government also plans to achieve 25% of their energy from renewable sources as well as providing greener and more energy efficient upgrades to public facilities and city transportation (Savidge 2010). The Annapolis community has aimed to reduce emissions by 50% by the year 2025 as well as achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2050 (Savidge 2010). The community has been and will continue to actively encourage locals to purchase green and renewable energy, use alternative forms of transportation, increase recycling and reduce trash production, and to preform energy efficiency upgrades (Savidge 2010). Such efficiency upgrades could take place in the form of financing home energy improvements, energy efficient mortgages, energy smart schools, or zero interest loans for energy conservation and “green energy projects (Roseland 2012).” Mark Roseland published a paper on sustainability “solutions for citizens and their governments” that outlines the benefits that simple energy efficient upgrades can achieve (Roseland 2012). He states examples where residents can save over $1000 each year on oil, gas, and electric bills while reducing their emissions through local

In the absence of federal legislation, states have the liberty to address climate change and formulate policies that mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Texas and California have similar deregulated energy markets and economic goals, yet have pursued different policies, providing a fitting opportunity for Texas to analyze, compare and consider California’s comprehensive law and regulations designed to mitigate GHG emissions. Key focus areas include electricity generation and use , transportation, and industry . Given the comprehensive focus of energy policies, this report specifically emphasizes electricity generation and use. ,

My understanding of underserved rural environments is limited to what I have read and what I have observed while visiting the Pacific Northwest and the Appalachian region. However, my familiarity with more urbanized underserved regions is much keener. I have discovered a common theme in many of these underserved areas.

One of the most vigorously debated topics is the issue of sustainability. These include climate change, overpopulation, pollution, and ignorance to the damage being done to the environment. The climate that all living things have come to rely upon is changing because of global warming. Today, sustainability has become a focal point and a significant part of life. Sustainability is defined as the ability to meet current environmental, ecological, economics, social and cultural needs without risking the ability of future generations to meet those same needs. What does the Best American Science Wtg. 2014 teach us about sustainability, and what makes the paradigm shift to a sustainable planet? These different authors explain with example how sustainability can be achieved and also the different points of views that exist. “TV as birth control,” by Fred Pearce, “Why the brain prefers paper,” by Ferris Jabrs, “Bringing them back to life,” by Carl Zimmer and “A race to save the orange by altering its DNA”, by Amy Harmon’s – reveals that cultural sustainability involves efforts to preserve the actual and evasive cultural elements of sociality such as heritage, educational opportunities and public policies, in way that promote environmental, economic and social sustainability.

As a Barrio Logan native I have seen the lack of affordable and environmentally friendly resources due to language, education, and socioeconomic barriers. These obstacles restrict long-term behavioral changes and are often ignored in government policies. Therefore, my goal as a first-generation college student is to become a policymaker that will bring clean, green and sustainable resources to low-income communities in San Diego.

Sustainability planning should be made on the local, national and international levels. We need to be able to utilize our economic and natural resources in a way that will enhance

I think it is very necessary for a small towns or business to consider a sustainability plan. For starters to see how much waste they are producing. By eliminating the amount of waste produced, they could save money and contribute to cleaning up the environment. For small towns resources are limited, having a sustainability plan set in place can extend the resources. For businesses having a sustainability plan can also help with limited resources and the reputation of the business.

Executive Summary: With the passage of the Sustainable Futures Act (SFA), a clear message has been sent to both the Nation and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The SFA bans coal extraction, crucial to the Kentucky economy, while it does provide job training and economic support for those in coal mining areas, the bill will not be enough to spur new green growth in the Commonwealth. The two proposals:

Urbanization, which is becoming a buzzword during the last few decades, is enlarging at a booming speed. It is predicted that 93 percents urban growth will occur to the year 2020, in the developing world (Elliot J.A, 1999). Generally speaking, more than half of the people around the world have been moved to cities, which led to a series of “matters” connected with people’s life that changed in a dramatical way. In this period, sustainable development, another buzzword during the past few years, came into people’s view and gradually became the mainstream of society development. Its definition is to make the development continue in a long term, which means allowing appropriate economic growth and industrialization without