Download or read book Sustainability Solutions written by Axel Lindfors and published by Linköping University Electronic Press. This book was released on 2020-04-08 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustainable development is one of the most influential visions guiding future societies. Encompassed within its vision are various domains where improvements are desirable such as, social equity, environmental degradation, climate change. In the work towards sustainable development firms, government authorities and individuals face various practical challenges tied to these sustainability domains. When facing these challenges, they may implement sustainability solutions, that is, solutions that are framed in the context of contributing to sustainable development. This thesis deals with a particular sub-set of such sustainability solutions, namely integrative and multi-functional solutions. These solutions are characterized by the ability to provide different functions through value creation within several different sustainability domains and require organisations, or units of organisations, to further integrate material, energy and informational flows in order to implement the solution. Integrative and multi-functional solutions may play an important part in the transition towards sustainable societies since the integration of material, energy and informational flows may bring with it synergistic benefits. Furthermore, the contribution of these solutions to several different sustainability domains reduces the risk of problem shifting, and it may be more cost-efficient to have one multi-functional sustainability solution than to have one for each sustainability- related challenge. However, if integration and multi-functionality are desirable characteristics of future socio-technological systems, we need ways to systematically assess them and facilitate their implementation. When it comes to the assessment, there is a need to find an assessment methodology that can handle capturing the synergistic benefits and multiple functions of such solutions. Furthermore, the methodology also has to conform to the value pluralism inherent to sustainable development. Dealing with this value pluralism when trying to assess which solution, among many, to implement can be challenging as comparative judgements have to handle potentially conflicting value orientations, goals, empirics and ontologies. As for the facilitation of their implementation, integrative and multi-functional solutions tend to be more difficult—or at least different—to implement than traditional single-minded solutions since they require traditionally separate organisations to cooperate Therefore, this thesis aims to contribute to understanding the process of implementing integrative and multi-functional solutions. Specifically the thesis explores how to select indicators for assessment, how assessments may aid decision-makers to deal with the value pluralism of sustainable development when making comparative judgements and how to strengthen the internal capacity of groups of actors to engage in collective action. Regarding the selection of indicators, the thesis suggests two different pathways. Either one may base indicator selections on stakeholder discussions, where stakeholders come to a consensus around which indicators are important to assess, or one may base indicators on operationalising pre-defined sustainability objectives: namely, sorting, contextualising and reformulating pre-defined sustainability objectives so that they fit the purpose of the assessment. A mix of both pathways is also possible, in other words, using both stakeholder discussions and the operationalisation of pre-defined sustainability objectives to motivate and justify the selection of indicators. As for how assessments may aid decision-makers, the thesis advocates for a discursive approach based on the primacy of decision support tools over decision-making tools. Meaning that the tools should support informed decisions but not make them for the decisionmaker. Here, contributions are made in the form of motivations for the discursive, qualitative approach to decision-making and exemplify how decision support tools may be designed, and a method is presented and developed that enables this kind of informed comparative judgements. This method builds on multicriteria decision analysis methodology but makes a few key contributions to the selection of indicators (mentioned previously) and to how to compare different alternatives and judge which of the alternatives is the preferred. Finally, contributions are made to the practice of facilitating integrative and multi-functional solutions through showing how the theory of institutional capacity building can be used to guide design, development and evaluation of interventions aimed at facilitating such solutions. Institutional capacity building represents the ability of groups of actors to engage in collective action, something that seems to be often needed to implement integrative and multi-functional solutions. Historically, this theory has been used to study how different events influenced the capacity of actors to engage in collective action. However, in research performed within the bounds of this thesis, the theory is expanded for use in a proactive manner, thereby contributing with insights and inspiration to others that may seek to facilitate the implementation process of integrative and multi-functional solutions.

Download or read book The Sustainability Scorecard written by Urvashi Bhatnagar and published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers. This book was released on 2022-07-12 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using a rigorous, straightforward scorecard as a guide, this book shows business leaders and innovators how to create breakthrough sustainable products and processes that are good for the planet, human health, and profits. Natural resource inputs to business operations are getting scarcer and more expensive, while climate-change-related economic shocks pose a risk to seamless operations and, more importantly, threaten business continuity. How can organizations integrate sustainable design in their overarching operations and align it with profitability and corporate strategy? Based on Paul Anastas's foundational Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry, the Sustainability Scorecard is the first scientifically rooted, data-driven methodology for creating inherently sustainable and profitable products and processes. By redesigning with sustainability as a key design element, firms open themselves to unexpected solutions, leapfrog innovations, and sources of value that simply don't occur when sustainability is leveraged purely as a risk-avoidance and compliance measure. Urvashi Bhatnagar and Anastas offer dozens of examples of how sustainable operations can yield benefits such as expanding market share, creating new service lines, and transforming supply-chain and sourcing models to drive the most consistent and highest long-term value. With this comprehensive framework, your firm will be able to identify truly innovative, inherently sustainable products as opposed to less bad products and processes that don't provide the exponential value that only breakthrough products can.

Download or read book Sustainability in Transition written by Travis Gliedt and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-06-25 with total page 498 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustainability in Transition: Principles for Developing Solutions offers the first in-depth education-focused treatment of how to address sustainability in a comprehensive manner. The textbook is structured as a learning-centered approach to walk students through the process of linking sustainable behavior and decision-making to green innovation systems and triple-bottom-line economic development practices, in order to achieve sustainable change in incremental to transformational ways. All chapters combine theory and practice with the help of global case study and research study examples to illustrate barriers and best practices. Each chapter begins with learning objectives and ends with a check-on-learning section that ties the main points back to the core themes of the book. Chapters include a section focused on measuring progress and a box comparing international research or case studies to the North American focus of the chapter. A list of additional academic sources for students that complement each chapter are included. Building sustainability tools, techniques and competencies cumulatively with the help of problem- and project-based learning modules, Sustainability in Transition: Principles for Developing Solutions is a comprehensive resource for learning sustainability theory and doing sustainability practice. It will be essential reading for advanced undergraduate and graduate level students who have already completed introductory sustainability classes.

Download or read book Demystifying Sustainability written by Haydn Washington and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-02-11 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is sustainability? Much has been said about the terms ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ over the last few decades, but they have become buried under academic jargon. This book is one of the first that aims to demystify sustainability so that the layperson can understand the key issues, questions and values involved. Accessible and engaging, the book examines the ‘old’ sustainability of the past and looks to the future, considering how economic, ecological and social sustainability should be defined if we are to solve the entwined environmental, economic and social crises. It considers if meaningful sustainability is the same as a ‘sustainable development’ based on endless growth, examining the difficult but central issues of overpopulation and overconsumption that drive unsustainability. The book also explores the central role played by society’s worldview and ethics, along with humanity’s most dangerous characteristic – denial. Finally, it looks to the future, discussing the ‘appropriate’ technology needed for sustainability, and suggesting nine key solutions. This book provides a much-needed comprehensive discussion of what sustainability means for students, policy makers and all those interested in a sustainable future.

Download or read book Design for Sustainability written by Janis Birkeland and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-05-04 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With radical and innovative design solutions, everyone could be living in buildings and settlements that are more like gardens than cargo containers, and that purify air and water, generate energy, treat sewage and produce food - at lower cost. Birkeland introduces systems design thinking that cuts across academic and professional boundaries and the divide between social and physical sciences to move towards a transdiciplinary approach to environmental and social problem-solving. This sourcebook is useful for teaching, as each topic within the field of environmental management and social change has pairs of short readings providing diverse perspectives to compare, contrast and debate. Design for Sustainability presents examples of integrated systems design based on ecological principles and concepts and drawn from the foremost designers in the fields of industrial design, materials, housing design, urban planning and transport, landscape and permaculture, and energy and resource management.

Download or read book Sustainable Solutions written by Robert G. Jones and published by American Psychological Association (APA). This book was released on 2022 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his newest book, Robert G. Jones uses applied psychology to argue that unique human adaptive strategies can be leveraged to enable sustainable decisions and mitigate the current climate crisis.

Download or read book Drawdown written by Paul Hawken and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2017-04-18 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: • New York Times bestseller • The 100 most substantive solutions to reverse global warming, based on meticulous research by leading scientists and policymakers around the world “At this point in time, the Drawdown book is exactly what is needed; a credible, conservative solution-by-solution narrative that we can do it. Reading it is an effective inoculation against the widespread perception of doom that humanity cannot and will not solve the climate crisis. Reported by-effects include increased determination and a sense of grounded hope.” —Per Espen Stoknes, Author, What We Think About When We Try Not To Think About Global Warming “There’s been no real way for ordinary people to get an understanding of what they can do and what impact it can have. There remains no single, comprehensive, reliable compendium of carbon-reduction solutions across sectors. At least until now. . . . The public is hungry for this kind of practical wisdom.” —David Roberts, Vox “This is the ideal environmental sciences textbook—only it is too interesting and inspiring to be called a textbook.” —Peter Kareiva, Director of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA In the face of widespread fear and apathy, an international coalition of researchers, professionals, and scientists have come together to offer a set of realistic and bold solutions to climate change. One hundred techniques and practices are described here—some are well known; some you may have never heard of. They range from clean energy to educating girls in lower-income countries to land use practices that pull carbon out of the air. The solutions exist, are economically viable, and communities throughout the world are currently enacting them with skill and determination. If deployed collectively on a global scale over the next thirty years, they represent a credible path forward, not just to slow the earth’s warming but to reach drawdown, that point in time when greenhouse gases in the atmosphere peak and begin to decline. These measures promise cascading benefits to human health, security, prosperity, and well-being—giving us every reason to see this planetary crisis as an opportunity to create a just and livable world.

Download or read book A Practical Guide to Plastics Sustainability written by Michel Biron and published by William Andrew. This book was released on 2020-04-18 with total page 691 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Practical Guide to Plastics Sustainability: Concept, Solutions, and Implementation is a groundbreaking reference work offering a broad, detailed and highly practical vision of the complex concept of sustainability in plastics. The book's aim is to present a range of potential pathways towards more sustainable plastics parts and products, enabling the reader to further integrate the idea of sustainability into their design process. It begins by introducing the context and concept of sustainability, discussing perceptions, drivers of change, key factors, and environmental issues, before presenting a detailed outline of the current situation with types of plastics, processing, and opportunities for improved sustainability. Subsequent chapters focus on the different possibilities for improved sustainability, offering a step-by-step technical approach to areas including design, properties, renewable plastics, and recycling and re-use. Each of these pillars are supported by data, examples, analysis and best practice guidance. Finally, the latest developments and future possibilities are considered. - Approaches the idea of sustainability from numerous angles, offering practical solutions to improve sustainability in the development of plastic components and products - Explains how sustainability can be applied across plastics design, materials selection, processing, and end of life, all set alongside socioeconomic factors - Considers key areas of innovation, such as eco-design, novel opportunities for recycling or re-use, bio-based polymers and new technologies

Download or read book From Summits to Solutions written by Raj M. Desai and published by Brookings Institution Press. This book was released on 2018-07-24 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A positive agenda for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 All 193 member nations of the United Nations agreed in September 2015 to adopt a set of seventeen "Sustainable Development Goals," to be achieved by 2030. Each of the goals—in such areas as education and health care —is laudable in and of itself, and governments and organizations are working hard on them. But so far there is no overall, positive agenda of what new things need to be done to ensure the goals are achieved across all nations. In a search of fresh approaches to the longstanding problems targeted by the Sustainable Development Goals, the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Global Economy and Development program at Brookings mounted a collaborative research effort to advance implementation of Agenda 2030. This edited volume is the product of that effort. The book approaches the UN's goals through three broad lenses. The first considers new approaches to capturing value. Examples include Nigeria's first green bonds, practical methods to expand women's economic opportunities, benchmarking to reflect business contributions to achieving the goals, new incentives for investment in infrastructure, and educational systems that promote cross-sector problem solving. The second lens entails new approaches to targeting places, including oceans, rural areas, fast-growing developing cities, and the interlocking challenge of data systems, including geospatial information generated by satellites. The third lens focuses on updating governance, broadly defined. Issues include how civil society can align with the SDG challenge; how an advanced economy like Canada can approach the goals at home and abroad; what needs to be done to foster new approaches for managing the global commons; and how can multilateral institutions for health and development finance evolve.

Download or read book Gastronomic Sustainability Solutions for Community and Tourism Resilience written by Bhartiya, Shivam and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2024-04-15 with total page 333 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the rapidly changing landscape of global tourism and community dynamics, a pressing challenge emerges — the delicate balance between gastronomy tourism, community development, and social impact. As communities grapple with the consequences of unchecked tourism, the need for a sustainable approach becomes vital. Gastronomic Sustainability Solutions for Community and Tourism Resilience is a groundbreaking exploration illuminating the intricate interplay between food, culture, and socio-economic aspects. This comprehensive work identifies the challenges and presents innovative solutions that transcend traditional paradigms, ensuring the long-term well-being of both host communities and the ever-evolving world of travel. Gastronomic Sustainability Solutions for Community and Tourism Resilience is a transformative narrative revealing sustainable gastronomy practices' power. As communities seek avenues for economic growth and cultural preservation, this book charts a course toward genuine, mutually beneficial travel experiences. Through compelling case studies and theoretical insights, readers are guided through a journey showcasing how gastronomy tourism's convergence can revitalize local economies, celebrate cultural heritage, and foster cross-cultural understanding. The book proposes a paradigm shift in how we approach travel and provides tangible strategies for community leaders, businesses, and individuals to embrace a more sustainable and responsible future.

Download or read book Solutions for Sustainability written by Rafael Leal-Arcas and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-09-04 with total page 470 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores links and synergies between international trade and two of the most urgent challenges of the 21st century: achieving sustainable energy (i.e., energy that is affordable, secure, and clean) and mitigating climate change. It takes the unique approach of not only examining how international trade can help achieve energy and climate goals, but also the impact of emerging tools and technologies such as smart grids and demand response, and the potential role and impact of citizens and prosumers. The book analyzes energy- and trade-related regulations in a range of jurisdictions to assess how conducive the regulation is towards achieving sustainable energy, and identifies gaps and overlaps in the existing legal framework.

Download or read book Environmental Solutions written by Franklin J. Agardy and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2010-07-19 with total page 475 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In our changing world, society demands more comprehensive and thoughtful solutions from environmental engineers, environmental consultants and scientists dealing with the degradation of our environment. Lead by Nelson Nemerow and Franklin Agardy, experts in business, academia, government and practice have been brought together in Environmental Solutions to provide guidance for these environmental professionals. The reader is presented with a variety of solutions to common and not so common environmental problems which lay the groundwork for environmental advocates to decide which solutions will work best for their particular circumstances. This book discusses chemical, biological, physical, forensic, medical, international, economic, political, industrial-collaborative solutions and solutions for rural and developing countries giving readers the freedom to evaluate a variety of options and make informed decisions. End of chapter questions and additional resources are included making this an invaluable teaching tool and ideal reference for those currently involved in improving and preserving our environment. - Contributions by international experts in government, industry, and academia. - Editors are recognized as the editors of Environmental Engineering, the best selling title published by John Wiley. - The first action-oriented book for environmental engineers.

Download or read book Building and Delivering Sustainability Solutions Insights Methods and Case Studies written by Nathaniel K. Newlands and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2019-10-18 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustaining ecosystems to deliver what people need and value, while mitigating and adapting to global climate change and extreme event impacts, presents a complex set of environmental, economic, and social challenges in ensuring resilient and sustainable food production. The Climate Smart Landscape (CSL) approach has emerged as an integrated management strategy to address the increasing pressures on agricultural production, ecosystem conservation, rural livelihoods, climate change mitigation and adaptation. Deploying cheaper, more accurate, and efficient technology enables the harnessing of big data for use in solving sustainability challenges. With improved integrated analytical frameworks, statistical approaches, spatially- explicit models and indices, the CSL approach can be further developed and applied for more resilient, productive, and sustainable ecosystems. This eBook brings together original research, review, hypothesis, theory, and technology report articles, involving 87 authors from 9 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America. These articles present new methodological and technological innovation, findings, and insights across four themes: (1) landscape productivity and crop suitability, (2) variable crop requirements for water and nutrients, (3) crop health status, phenology, and phenotyping, and (4) crop disease assessment and prediction under integrated pest management (IPM).

Download or read book Designing for Sustainability written by Tim Frick and published by "O'Reilly Media, Inc.". This book was released on 2016-08-23 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pixels use electricity, and a lot of it. If the Internet were a country, it would be the sixth largest in terms of electricity use. That’s because today’s average web page has surpassed two megabytes in size, leading to slow load times, frustrated users, and a lot of wasted energy. With this practical guide, your web design team will learn how to apply sustainability principles for creating speedy, user-friendly, and energy-efficient digital products and services. Author Tim Frick introduces a web design framework that focuses on four key areas where these principles can make a difference: content strategy, performance optimization, design and user experience, and green hosting. You’ll discover how to provide users with a streamlined experience, while reducing the environmental impact of your products and services. Learn why 90% of the data that ever existed was created in the last year Use sustainability principles to innovate, reduce waste, and function more efficiently Explore green hosting, sustainable business practices, and lean/agile workflows Put the right things in front of users at precisely the moment they need them—and nothing more Increase site search engine visibility, streamline user experience, and make streaming video more efficient Use Action Items to explore concepts outlined in each chapter

Download or read book Water Reclamation and Sustainability written by Satinder Ahuja and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2014-05-15 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many hydrological, geochemical, and biological processes associated with water reclamation and reuse are poorly understood. In particular, the occurrence and effects of trace organic and inorganic contaminants commonly found in reclaimed water necessitates careful analysis and treatment prior to safe reuse. Water Reclamation and Sustainability is a practical guide to the latest water reclamation, recycling, and reuse theory and practice. From water quality criteria and regulations to advanced techniques and implementation issues, this book offers scientists a toolkit for developing safe and successful reuse strategies. With a focus on specific contaminant removal techniques, this book comprehensively covers the full range of potential inorganic/organic contaminating compounds and highlights proven remediation methods. Socioeconomic implications related to current and future water shortages are also addressed, underscoring the many positive benefits of sustainable water resource management. - Offers pragmatic solutions to global water shortages - Provides an overview of the latest analytical techniques for water monitoring - Reviews current remediation efforts - Covers innovative technologies for green, gray, brown and black water reclamation and reuse

Download or read book Sustainable Transportation and Smart Logistics written by Javier Faulin and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2018-11-13 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustainable Transportation and Smart Logistics: Decision-Making Models and Solutions provides deterministic and probabilistic models for transportation logistics problem-solving and decision-making. The book presents an overview of the intersections between sustainability, transportation, and logistics, and delves into the current problems associated with the implementation of sustainable transportation and smart logistics in urban settings. It also offers models for addressing complex structural problems and procedures for estimating transportation externalities such as environmental and social impacts, both in industrial and government arenas, as well as decision-making models from operational, tactical, and strategic management perspectives. Sustainable Transportation and Smart Logistics also covers best practices for practical corporate policy implementation, making it a comprehensive and vital resource for researchers, graduate students, practitioners, and policy makers in transportation, logistics, urban planning, economics, engineering, and environmental science. - Examines various modes of transportation - Includes mathematical models for decision-making in a wide variety of situations - Presents public transportation and smart cities use cases

Download or read book Sustainability Challenges and Solutions at the Base of the Pyramid written by Prabhu Kandachar and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-09-08 with total page 549 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Around the turn of the millennium it had become painfully evident that development aid, charity or "global business-as-usual" were not going to be the mechanisms to alleviate global poverty. Today, there is little dispute that poverty remains the most pressing global problem calling for innovative solutions. One recent strategy is the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) concept developed by Prahalad and Hart, which relies on entrepreneurial activity tapping into the previously ignored markets of the economically most disadvantaged. It is a process requiring innovations in several disciplines: technological, social and business.This book covers a number of areas. First, much of the current BoP discussion emphasises targeting products to the needs of the poor. But do we actually know what the real needs of the poor are? This book takes a bottom-up human-centred approach and examines examples that truly engage the poor in BoP product and service development. What types of needs assessment methodologies are indicated considering the cultural differences in BoP countries? Are the existing methodologies adequate? Do they need to be redefined and redeveloped? Second, the book considers how we can balance poverty alleviation and stimulate economic growth without stressing the ecosystem. Tragically, the poor are hardest hit by the adverse effects of environmental deterioration such as water shortages, climate change or the destruction of habitats. While the economic welfare of the poor is critical, the BoP approach must balance its inherent paradox of encouraging greater consumption while avoiding further pressures on environmental sustainability. The link between the BoP approach and sustainable development is a key feature of this book. Third, it looks at innovation and asks what kinds of"bottom-up" innovation (open source, technological, social and business) support BoP initiatives (and sustainable development)?Fourth, the book deals with the relationship between development assistance and BoP. Is a BoP strategy the antithesis to development aid or can these two co-exist or even complement each other?Finally, the book raises questions about the relationship between corporate responsibility and BoP. Is BoP a new form of corporate neo-colonialism or a new form of corporate responsibility? Although the BoP concept has unleashed an extensive and generally enthusiastic response from academics, businesses, NGOs and governments, the knowledge domain around this concept is still in the early stages of development. This book addresses that need with a focus on the needs of the end-users – the poor – as a starting point for BoP products and innovations. With contributions from both supporters and critics, it provides a treasure trove of global knowledge on how the concept has developed, what its successes and failures have been and what promise it holds as a long-term strategy for alleviating poverty and tackling global sustainability.