What is sustainability?

The problem

The number of people living on earth has doubled over the last century. At the moment, a small number of these people use huge amounts of the earth's resources like land, energy and water. Unless we share these more fairly around the world, we are going to run out of resources.

The solution

To behave in a way that not only makes our lives better today, but also means that people in the future will be able to live well.
This is called sustainable development.

Why is technology so important?

Our lives are shaped by technology. Not just new technologies like mobile phones and computers, but also the traditional technologies that we use to make food, homes and clothes. So if we are going to live in a sustainable way, the technology that we use has to be sustainable.

By thinking about sustainability when we design, choose and use technology, we can play an important part in building a better world for the future.

http://www.stepin.org/?id=sustainabilityexplained

Sustainability means delivering not just economic profitability but environmental performance and social well-being. Only when all three elements are balanced together is a business truly sustainable.

Sustainability refers to the long-term well-being of society. In simple terms it means living in a way that ensures everyone has and will have the same or greater freedoms, resources and lifestyle choices that we enjoy today.

While the name sustainability is relatively new, the basic idea has been around for many years. Some enlightened 19th Century companies were built on the principle that a business should be a ‘force for good’ in the world.

It’s all about balancing the fulfilment of human needs with the protection of the natural environment. Businesses have a vital role to play in tackling the biggest environmental and social challenges facing the world today and we’re proud to be leading the way.

http://www.edfenergy.com/sustainability/our-vision/what-is-sustainability.shtml