Chapter 14 Sustainability
Chapter 14 Sustainability
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OBJECTIVES
PRE-TEST: ESSAY
Directions: Explain each in five (5) sentences.
WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?
Sustainability is our society’s ability to exist and develop without depleting all of
the natural resources needed to live in the future. Sustainable development
supports this long-term goal with the implementation of systems, frameworks,
and support from global, national, and local entities.
The concept of sustainability is built on the notion that natural resources on Earth
are finite, so supporting sustainable practices helps maintain a balance between
environment, economy, and equity. It’s the movement and energy behind
ensuring that Earth can continue to be live able, all the while controlling and
reducing resource depletion.
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ability of future generations to fulfill their own needs. Sustainability as a concept
recognizes that the environment is an exhaustible resource. Therefore, it is
important to use the environment and its resources rationally and protect it for the
good of the Earth, our environment, humanity, & all living things.
How Clean the World is Doing Our Part to Drive Sustainability Globally
One of the most compelling reasons for embracing sustainability is the urgent
need to preserve our planet for future generations. Climate change,
deforestation, and pollution threaten the delicate balance of Earth’s ecosystems.
By adopting sustainable practices, such as reducing carbon emissions,
conserving resources, and protecting biodiversity, we can ensure a healthier
planet for our children and grandchildren.
Here at Clean the World, we do our part through our hospitality recycling
program, supporting over 8,000 hotel partners. Through our program, we recycle,
sanitize, and repurpose discarded soap and plastic bottled amenities,
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transforming them into life-saving resources for communities in need. Since
2009, Clean the World has distributed over 80 million bars of soap to
communities around the world and has diverted over 25.2 million pounds of
waste from landfills.
Through Clean the World’s impact reporting system, we can accurately track and
measure the impact of our recycling operations. Additionally, through our
recycling program and the cooperation of our partners, we are responsible for a
reduction of over 10 million kg of CO2e entering the atmosphere.
Our planet’s resources are finite, and their rapid depletion poses significant
challenges. Sustainability encourages the responsible use of natural resources,
such as water, energy, and raw materials. By adopting eco-friendly habits like
reducing waste, recycling, and choosing products made from sustainable
materials, consumers can help preserve resources for future generations.
The hospitality industry produces around 287 million tons of waste annually, with
plastic waste making up a considerable amount. Here at Clean the World, we
recognize the importance of a circular economy. We are actively turning trash
into treasure, recycling discarded soap and plastic waste into new life-saving
products.
Sustainability encompasses not only environmental aspects but also social and
ethical dimensions. Consumers have the power to support companies and
brands that prioritize fair trade, workers’ rights, and ethical sourcing. Consumers
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can encourage businesses to adopt sustainable and ethical practices throughout
their supply chains by making informed purchasing decisions and demanding
transparency.
Clean the World recycles soap from over 1.4 million hotel rooms daily. This soap
would otherwise end up in landfills, but Clean the World turns this discarded soap
back into a life-saving resource for communities in need, following a thorough
recycling and sanitation process. To date, Clean the World has supported over
15 million individuals, highlighting our commitment to supporting the social
element of sustainability.
While sustainability is driven by the desire to protect the planet and its
inhabitants, it can also offer personal benefits. Often, adopting sustainable
practices leads to long-term cost savings for organizations, known as “economic
sustainability,” where organizations take a conscious approach to their
purchasing activities, taking into consideration a triple-bottom-line “people, profit,
planet” approach that can serve to increase the longevity and sustainability of a
brand in various ways. For example, hotels can partner with Clean the World to
implement our hospitality recycling program, which, at a fractional cost to
partners, can provide many advantages, explained further in the article “Why Do
Hotels Need to Recycle? And Why Clean the World is the Perfect Recycling
Partner.”
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According to Waste Zero, the U.S. spends $200 billion on waste management
and lost resources from trash disposal. By diverting waste from landfills and
reducing the overuse of natural resources, Clean the World is working to offset
the damage caused by waste.
The concept of sustainability sprouted from the movement that grew out of the
notions of social justice, ecological conservation, and globalism toward the end of
the 20th century.
In 1983, former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland was asked to
run the World Commission on Environment and Development for the United
Nations. Many countries were still in poverty after decades of industrialization
which had come at a cost to social equity and the environment. The Brundtland
Commission’s report Our Common Future defines the need for sustainable
development, a holistic approach that considers the environment, economy, and
equity.
Here are 10 examples of sustainability in the workplace that any business can
adopt:
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• Food waste programmes
• Recycling programmers
• E-waste recycling
Many companies use production materials that originate from recycled material.
This can help reduce the business’s need for new materials, which typically
require mining, logging or some other form of environmental destruction to
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acquire, refine and ship. By using recycled materials, companies also help set a
strong example for employees by displaying their commitment to change and
sustainability outright. Consumers may also appreciate this approach and
become more conscious about what they buy, choosing companies that use
recycled materials instead to promote more sustainability and environmental
awareness.
Some companies adopt plastic ware reduction initiatives, which helps influence
employees to reduce how much plastic-ware, or disposable silverware, they use
at work. Companies can post flyers and reminders or outright ban plastic-ware in
the workplace. Providing an alternative to plastic ware might help employees be
more receptive to the idea, and many companies either provide a washing station
for normal silverware or provide silverware made from alternative materials like
bamboo, paper or wood. These measures can help reduce the amount of plastic
that employees throw in the garbage throughout each workday and reinforce
environmental awareness.
• Environmental activism
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sustainable business practices can show the business is honest and committed
to keeping the environment safe and functional, and may also help employees
develop a sense of pride in working for such a committed business.
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Tips for improving sustainability in the workplace
Here are some tips for improving sustainability efforts in the workplace:
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POST TEST: IDENTIFICATION
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________3. Encouraging employees to adopt more sustainable practices
may be easier if the company provides the necessary tools to adopt new
practices. For example, if a company bans single-use plastics from the
building, providing alternatives made from different materials might help
employees adjust more quickly.
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_______8. E-waste is any waste that originates from electronics, such as
phones, computers or other devices. E-waste is a common inhabitant of
landfills, accounting for a large percentage of all trash items. By providing
recycling bins for e-waste, companies can help encourage employees to
recycle their old phones or devices instead of throwing them away. Many
of these devices contain reusable parts and components that can become
new phones, TVs and computers. A simple way to implement an e-waste
recycling program is by purchasing specialized e-waste recycle bin for the
office or production floor where employees can deposit old electronics.
________10. Our planet’s resources are finite, and their rapid depletion
poses significant challenges. Sustainability encourages the responsible
use of natural resources, such as water, energy, and raw materials. By
adopting eco-friendly habits like reducing waste, recycling, and choosing
products made from sustainable materials, consumers can help preserve
resources for future generations.
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KEY ANSWERS :
Post-Test
1. Climate change
2. Focus on education and awareness
3. Provide the tools for improvement
4. Recognize company’s environmental impact
5. Environmental activism
6. Make sustainability mandatory
7. Sustainable business practices
8. E-waste recycling
9. Recycling programmers
10. Protecting natural resources
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References:
https://www.activesustainability.com/sustai
nable-development/what-is-
sustainability/?_adin=02021864894
https://bluglacier.com/why-is-sustainability-
important/#:~:text=Being%20committed%2
0to%20sustainability%20will,clean%2C%2
0more%20healthy%20living%20conditions.
https://cleantheworld.org/blog/why-is-sustainability-important/
https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/examples-of-
sustainability
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Sustainability
vs. Stability
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OBJECTIVES
PRE-TEST:
1. Show the differences and similarities of sustainability and stability
using venn diagram.
WHAT IS STABILITY?
ASPECTS OF STABILITY
1. Economic Stability
➢ The matter of preventing economic and financial crises, as well as
significant swings in economic activity, high inflation, and excessive
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volatility in foreign currency and financial markets. Uncertainty can
increase, Investment can be discouraged, economic progress can be
stifled, and living standards can be reduced when there is instability
(IMF.2021).
➢ Entails a method of production that can meet the demands of the
current levels of consumption without sacrificing the requirements of the
future (Basiago. 1999).
➢ In this context, “green” refers to techniques that encourage long-term
economic growth without having a negative influence on the social.
Environmental, or cultural components of the local community
(University of Mary Washington).
2. Political Stability
➢ The state of the government in which there is no likelihood of an
uprising occurring since there is right governance in place, citizens are
happy with their lives, leaders are not corrupt, and citizens profit from all
of the policies.
➢ The tendency of a government to fall, either as a result of internal strife
or as a result of excessive competition between the various political
parties is referred to as political instability (Hussain, 2014).
➢ Stability in the political system has a significant impact on the rate of
economic growth because of the sort of governance it makes possible
(Hussain.2014).
3. Environmental Stability
➢ Interacting with the earth in a responsible manner so as to preserve its
natural resources and avoid risking the ability of future generations to
satisfy their requirements is essential (Evans, 2020).
4. Social Stability
➢ Concepts pertaining to equity, empowerment, accessibility,
participation. Sharing, cultural identity, and the establishment of stable
institutions. It intends to achieve its goal of preserving the environment
through fostering economic expansion and working toward the
elimination of poverty (Basiago, 1999).
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WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
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Post-Test
1. It is meets the need of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.
2. It refers to techniques that encourage long-term economic growth without having
a negative influence on the social.
3. Concepts pertaining to equity, empowerment, accessibility, participation.
4. Means the ability of the system to keep it in the given parameters.
5. According to ________ environmental stability is Interacting with the earth in a
responsible manner so as to preserve its natural resources and avoid risking the
ability of future generations to satisfy their requirements is essential.
6. refers to the ability of a system to maintain balance and thrive over the long term,
without depleting resources or causing harm to the environment or future
generations.
7. This complex stability Ukrainian scientists name __________.
8. The state of the government in which there is no likelihood of an uprising
occurring since there is right governance in place, citizens are happy with their
lives, leaders are not corrupt, and citizens profit from all of the policies.
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KEY ANSWERS:
Post-Test
1. Sustainable development
2. Green
3. Social stability
4. Stability
5.Evans, 2020
6. Sustainability
8. Political stability
Pre-Test
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References:
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/universidad-de-
manila/the-contemporary-world/sustainable-
development/32840927
https://www.scribd.com/document/625318876/Contemporary-
World-Topic-9-Sustainability-vs-Stability
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OBJECTIVES:
PRE-TEST: ESSAY
Most national and international problem solving efforts focus on only one pillar at
a time. For example, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the
environmental protection agencies (EPA) of many nations, and environmental
NGOs focus on the environmental pillar. The World Trade Organization (WTO)
and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) focus
mostly on economic growth, thought the OECD gives some attention to social
sustainability, like war reduction and justice. The United Nations attempts to
strengthen all three pillars, but due to its consensual decision making process
and small budget has minor impact. The United Nations focuses mostly on the
economic pillar, since economic growth is what most of its members want most,
especially developing nations.
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However, as the Great Recession of 2008 demonstrated, weakness in the other
pillars can directly weaken the environmental pillar. Many nations and states are
cutting back or postponing stricter environmental laws or investment, since their
budgets are running deficits. Many environmental NGOs are seeing their income
fall. If the Great Recession grew substantially worse and morphed into another
Great Depression, you would expect the environmental pillar would get severely
less attention, since eating now is a priority over saving the environment.
The social pillar Is critical too. Once a war breaks out environmental sustainability
has zero priority. If a nation lives in dire poverty, the environment is pillaged with
little thought for the future.
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
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For companies, social sustainability issues include problems such as health,
safety, diversity, wellness, human rights, equitable labor practices,
empowerment, philanthropy, and more.
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Social sustainability issues are focused on mitigating concerns like racism and
discrimination in social communities, schools, and workplaces. Moreover, it helps
in the creation of a diverse community that presents equal opportunities for
healthcare to all.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
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What is Environmental Sustainability and Why Is It Important?
Even if you are committed to the fight against climate change, you may be
unsure of the answer to “what is environmental sustainability?” The standard
definition of environmental sustainability equates to environmentally sustainable
development, but what does that mean on a practical level? It means there must
be a balanced relationship between the natural resources available to us and the
human consumption of those resources:
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• For pollution, the rates of waste generation shouldn’t exceed the
capacity of the environment to assimilate that waste. This is known as
“sustainable waste disposal.
For the future of our planet and the humans who populate it, it’s vital to weigh the
competing needs of environmental protection and human development so both
the natural world and society are able to flourish. Striking this delicate balance is
challenging—though not impossible—and issues surrounding sustainability, the
environment, and society have been the focus of scientists, philosophers,
politicians, and policy experts for decades.
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1. Environmental protection: conserving ecosystems, air quality, integrity, and
sustainability of our resources to provide a clean and healthy environment.
2. Economic development: providing a satisfactory level of economic well-
being today while not compromising the ability of future generations to
enjoy the same financial benefits.
3. Social development: providing access to basic resources to ensure a high
level of social fulfillment, including the end to poverty and hunger, better
standards of education and healthcare, and improved sanitation and water
quality.
When all three pillars are solid, the needs of both the planet and human society
are being met in a way that guarantees the survival of both. That said, of the
three pillars, the first tier is environmental sustainability, as social and economic
sustainability is ultimately dependent upon a clean and healthy environment.
Economic Sustainability
Competition can mean a race to the bottom but it also drives betterment. The
more businesses that are received well due to their green credentials, the more
other businesses will adopt this approach. New businesses will more likely set
themselves up for putting sustainable practices into every aspect of their new
venture, instead of as an afterthought. In turn, success will breed success.
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Economic sustainability will positively boost your profits, efficiency, and customer
satisfaction.
Improvement of lives
Planet preservation
If the above reasons aren’t enough- how about saving the planet? Everyone
knows and has now accepted that if we continue down this current trajectory, we
will run out of the planet’s limited resources by 2040. Therefore it isn’t really a
choice anymore. We all must take action. We all must find new ways of running
things that actually regenerate the earth.
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POST-TEST: WRITTEN WORDS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
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KEY ANSWERS:
POST-TEST
1. Social sustainability
2. Economic sustainability
3. Environmental sustainability
4. Refuse
5. Reduce
6. Reuse
7. Recycle
8. Rot
9. Quality of life
10. Equality
11. Diversity
12. Governance and democracy
13. Social cohesion
14. Renewable resources
15. Non-renewable resources
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References:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-economic-sustainability-your-
business-lumenstream
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-economic-sustainability-your-
business-lumenstream
https://www.cooleffect.org/the-importance-of-environmental-sustainability
https://www.se.com/ww/en/work/campaign/articles/social-sustainability-
issues-a-comprehensive-
insight.jsp#:~:text=Social%20sustainability%3A%20explained&text=It%20en
sures%20the%20survival%20of,impacts%20of%20businesses%20on%20pe
ople
https://www.thwink.org/sustain/glossary/ThreePillarsOfSustainability.htm
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17 Sustainable
Development Goals
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OBJECTIVE:
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_______7. Member states of the United Nations recognized the concepts
of Global / Universal Human rights for “Strategic Stability” after WWII;
mainly to help prevent future global warfare.
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5. Gender equality: ensure equal rights, as well as universal access to
reproductive health.
6. Clean water and sanitation: ensure universal access to safe drinking
water and provide adequate sanitation facilities to maintain proper
hygiene.
7. Affordable and clean energy: improve energy productivity by investing
in clean energy sources.
8. Decent work and economic growth: stimulate sustainable economic
growth by increasing productivity and types of innovation.
9. Industry, innovation, and infrastructure: reduce the digital divide and
promote sustainable industries by increasing investment in research
and innovation.
10. Reducing inequalities: improve market regulation and promoting
migration and mobility of people.
11. Sustainable cities and communities: ensure access to safe housing
and investing in public transportation and urban management.
12. Responsible production and consumption: meet consumption needs
by creating more efficient production chains and reducing food waste.
13. Climate action: adopt measures to reduce the risk of natural
disasters and prevent the global average temperature from rising.
14. Underwater life: protect marine and coastal ecosystems from land-
based pollution.
15. Life of terrestrial ecosystems: preserve natural habitats and
biodiversity.
16. Peace, justice, and strong institutions: exchange ideas to find lasting
solutions to conflicts and promote human rights.
17. Partnership to achieve the goals: promote cooperation and support
international trade to achieve a universal system that benefits all.
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Repsol and Sustainable Development.
At Repsol, we are committed to the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the 17
Sustainable Development Goals. We integrate them into our strategic line,
transfer them to all levels, and materialize them in concrete actions such as:
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POST-TEST: MULTIPLE CHOICE
Direction: Choose the BEST answer for the following questions. Write only
of the correct answer.
1. Agenda 2030 is regarded as the global treaty of the future because the
17 goals ensure that
A. People are living in peace
B. The climate change is stopped
C. The world is becoming suitable for grandchildren
2. 193 states, all members of the UN, have signed the Agenda 2030. But
there are more states in the world, what about them?
A. Their status is controversial, e.g. Kosovo is not recognized by the
UN as an independent state.
B. They are against the agreement
C. They do not want to be a member of the UN.
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6. What does transformation mean?
A. Abrupt turnaround
B. Basic reorganization
C. Minimum adjustment
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KEY ANSWERS:
Pre-Test
1. True
2. True
3. True
4. False
5. False
6. True
7. True
8. True
9. True
10. True
Post-Test
1. C
2. A
3. B
4. A
5. C
6. B
7. A
8. B
9. C
10.B
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References:
https://www.repsol.com/en/energy-and-the-
future/future-of-the-world/sustainable-
development/index.cshtml
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