The World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission), defined "sustainable development" as follows in the report Our Common Future (Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1987):
"Sustainable development is development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs. It contains
within it two key concepts: the concept of "needs", in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs."
Sustainability can encompass many things and can be pursued on several different levels and scales. This section of the Open Directory addresses global-scale sustainability, regional and community sustainability, and sustainable living in daily lives. ("Think globally, act locally.")
Please submit only websites that have English language content to this category and its subcategories. If your site is in a language other than English, please submit it to the appropriate category of World.
Agroforestry is the intentional growing of trees and shrubs in combination with crops or forage. Agroforestry also includes tree and shrub plantings on the farm or ranch that improve habitat value or access by humans and wildlife, or that provide woody plant products in addition to agricultural crops or forage. Agroforestry is distinguished from traditional forestry by having the additional aspect of a closely associated agricultural or forage crop.
To help create a more sustainable world by encouraging the evolution and widespread adoption of thinking and practices which are socially responsible, environmentally sound, and economically viable.
Please submit only sites dealing with community sustainability in this category including organizations, companies, articles & books, and other related material. Please identify the correct category carefully -- not all environmentally related sites fall into this category. Carefully, discern between the options.
This category deals with environmental sustainability on a global geographic scale Some starting points for the topic of environmental sustainability in general:
ACTIVITIES ARE SUSTAINABLE WHEN THEY:
Use materials in continuous cycles.
Use continuously reliable sources of energy.
Come mainly from the non-destructive use of materials (ie. creativity, communication, coordination, appreciation, and spiritual and intellectual development.)
ACTIVITIES ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE WHEN THEY:
Require continual inputs of non-renewable resources.
Use renewable resources faster than their rate of renewal.
Cause cumulative degradation of the environment.
Require resources in quantities that undermine other people's well-being.
Industrial ecology is the shifting of industrial process from linear (open loop) systems, in which resource and capital investments move through the system to become waste, to a closed loop system where wastes become inputs for new processes.
Please submit your site to the most appropriate category. Submitting to an incorrect category may delay review of your site. Please submit only websites that have English language content to this category and its subcategories. If your site is in a language other than English, please submit it to the appropriate category of World.
Permaculture is an integrated design system for sustainability. The word "permaculture" is a contraction of
"permanent agriculture" or "permanent culture."
Its roots are in the design of productive ecosystems for farms and gardens. A central theme in permaculture is the design of ecological landscapes that produce food. Emphasis is placed on multi-use plants, cultural practices such as
sheet mulching and trellising, and the integration of animals to recycle nutrients and graze weeds. Permaculture concepts also reach beyond farming and gardens that into designs for all types of resilient, sustainable structures, both physical and social.
It is a philosophy of maximum effort at the design stage to allow minimum effort and side-effects once the system is running, instead of the conventional method which is often the reverse.
Sustains: encourages, endures, holds up, nourishes, supports.
Sustainable living provides a nourishing environment for life in a renewable cycle that supports life today and preserves natural resources for future generations of life. Sustainable living conserves an ecological balance by minimising the depletion of natural resources. The three R's - Reduce, re-use and recycle can be used as a guide toward sustainable living.
The goal of this category is to help individuals and organizations find the information they need to live simpler, more sustainable, and environmentally friendly lifestyles.
Before submitting a site to this category, please make sure it wouldn''t be a better fit in "Business > Energy and Environment > Consulting" or "Business > Construction and Maintenance > Building Types > Sustainable Architecture".
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