last update: Sept 11, 2010

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Community Sustainability Network Home Page

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Mission Statement

To use today's technology to facilitate the sharing of knowledge needed for the efficient use of our natural resources, for both present and future generations.

Goals

• To promote Community Sustainability through examples. These examples can bring us closer to a better vision of Community Sustainability. Before anyone can elect to choose alternatives, one must first know what the alternatives are.
• To develop a pilot program demonstrating the advantages of a Community Sustainability Program. Our pilot program will demonstrate how environmental improvements will also provide economic stimulus.
• To provide links so better decisions can be made regarding Community Sustainability. Making no decision is making a decision in itself. With the direction of the economy and environmental changes, decisions must be made. These links will reveal what others have done and are doing.

Everyone should learn what Sustainability is all about. It will effect us as individuals, corporations and communities. Those communities that take the initiative will be better prepared for things to come.

Try to define it. Dictionaries provide more than ten meanings for sustain. There are invisible chemical cycles that redistribute water, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon through the world's living and non-living systems (see left column). They have sustained life since the beginning of time. As the earth’s human population has increased, natural ecosystems have declined and changes in the balance of natural cycles has had a negative impact on both humans and other living systems. [wikipedia]

[Chart source: A Better Energy Plan

The U.S. is the leading emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world. With five percent of the world’s population, it is generating 20 percent of energy-related emissions. On a per capita basis, U.S. carbon emissions are about twice as high as Western Europe and Japan and five times higher than the world average. [Population Resource Center]

Sustainability is often defined as a balance of the three E's: the environment, the economy, and social equity. [planetizen] Although it appears that most companies concentrate on profit (economic), there are many companies who direct their goals toward a balance of the sustainability principles. "At Walmart, we know that being an efficient and profitable business and being a good steward of the environment are goals that can work together." [Walmart]

So why are companies and the government making Sustainability the topic of discussion? There are two major concerns why Sustainability is so important. The first concern is the world's population, it continues to grow and a larger percentage of the population will be using more energy.

"The facts speak for themselves. The UN estimates that the global population will rise from 6.8 billion in 2009 to 8.3 billion by 2030, with much of the increase in the poorest countries, notably sub-Saharan Africa, which is set for a 51 per cent increase in the same period – four times that of the UK..."

"World food production will have to increase by 50 per cent to meet rising demand; water availability will have to increase by 30 per cent; and global energy demands by 50 per cent. Politicians may think that science and technology will provide what is needed, as it has done in the past at a cost to the environment, but many scientists are not so sure." [The Independent - Science Monday, 14 June 2010] Steve Connor: We need a global debate on population.

Professor Al Bartlett summed it up in his paper: 'Forgotten Fundamentals of the Energy Crisis' when he wrote: "Many people find it hard to believe that when the rate of consumption is growing a mere 7% / yr, the consumption in one decade exceeds the total of all of the previous consumption."

For Further Information about Population:

• Population Reference Bureau Understanding and Using Population Projections
• population action Mapping the Future of World Population

The second concern is the depletion of our resources. It is important that we understand the concept that our resources are limited. The chart to the right reflects one of our main resources slowly diminishing. Government and corporate leaders need to adjust their policies with this knowledge in place.

For Further Information about Peak Oil: • Wikipedia: Peak Oil

In 1950, the United States’ population reached 152 million, and its total primary energy consumption was 34.6 quads; by 2009, the United States’ population increased to 307 million, and its total primary energy consumption grew to 94.9 quads. Two sectors of the economy accounted for 90% of this increase in primary energy consumption. First, the primary energy consumed for electric generation increased 33.8 quads during the period (from 4.7 quads in 1950 to 38.5 quads in 2009). And second, the primary energy used by the transportation sector rose from 8.4 quads to 27.2 quads (an increase of 18.8 quads) during the same period. U.S. energy consumption was nearly 7 quads (7%) lower in 2009 than it was in 2007 due to the severe recession which began in 2008. [source: Penn Energy US Energy Consumption: How much do we use?

Education. Many schools are already making environmental issues part of their curriculum as well as applying the principles of environmental and social stewardship. Nationally, the sustainability movement is sweeping across campuses. The NACUBO, the SCUP, the APPA and The Chronicle of Higher Education have embraced and endorsed campus sustainability principles and serve as a major force on the national scene. [Vanderbilt]

The signatories of the ACUPCC, and the higher education industry as a whole, are leading society by driving the thought and defining the cutting edge of what is necessary and what is possible in effectively fighting climate change... As of September 2010, they were 674 signatories for the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment [ACUPCC].

Sustainability also provides career opportunities. Every company of some relative size will need a full or part time sustainability officer [green business views]. Executive Order #13514 requires Federal agencies to set a 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target within 90 days; increase energy efficiency; reduce fleet petroleum consumption; conserve water; reduce waste; support sustainable communities; and leverage Federal purchasing power to promote environmentally-responsible products and technologies [Fed Center.gov].

Conclusion: The US is going to face two challenges: a larger global population with even a larger percentage of the world competing for the world's energy sources, and; a reduced supply of our natural resources. This could result in increased costs such as a carbon tax - [Carbon Tax Center]) for wasting resources. There will be consequences and we all need to educate and prepare ourselves for what is already unveiling. We cannot rely on the six o'clock news, its up to us.

Reducing Food Waste & Promoting Food Recovery

Because of potential liability issues, many stores throw food out. This is food that might have been on the shelf too long. Example: fried chicken has to be taken off the shelf after so many hours. The store can either turn it into chicken salad or throw it out (they get charged for this). This waste can be reduced, resulting in decreased store expenses and providing food to the needy. This example reflects an important aspect of Community Sustainability.

In October 1996, the President signed Public Law 104-210, The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. This Act promotes food recovery by limiting the donor's liability to instances of gross negligence or intentional misconduct. The act states that absent gross negligence or intentional misconduct, persons, gleaners, and nonprofit organizations are not subject to civil or criminal liability when donating foods to help reduce hunger.

• Free Government Information (FGI) reduce, reuse, and recycle... food
• USDA Hunger and Food Aid
• Feeding America Locate a food assistance organization in your community.
• PCMA's Network for the Needy (NFTN) NFTN has now grown into an organization-wide educational program for industry professionals to become educated in how to give back to their communities through meetings.
• http://www.p2pays.org/ref/02/01388.pdf NORTH CAROLINA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE

In Florida, there is no longer any danger for food establishments to donate food to non-profit organizations. Both Florida and the Federal government have laws protecting donors from liability issues.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist - food establishments can donate food to charitable or nonprofit organization... with greater immunity against liability.
search: House Bill 256 - 2008_hb276.pdf April 2008

Links ( search also for: Gleaning ):

• "The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act" pdf in its entirety
• "The Jack Davis Florida Restaurant Lending a Helping Hand Act" pdf in its entirety
• The Official Florida Govenor's Letter pdf "According to the US Department of Agriculture nearly 36 million Americans go hungry every year, including 12 million children - and the numbers are rising. With over 43,000 licensed public food service establishments in Florida, the ability to donate leftover food could have a significant impact to those in need."

Pilot Program

One of our goals is to develop a pilot program demonstrating the advantages of a Community Sustainability Program. Our pilot program is twofold:

1. eliminating the disposal of waste cooking oil and
2. making biodiesel (an alternative fuel) from that waste cooking oil.

The advantages and methods will be reviewed. Pilot Program

Learn what's happening in the 'green environment'. Here's an interesting link for Sustainability News. It covers a full sprectum of 'green topics': sustainabilityninja

We will be expanded this section to include links that were just added.

Links may allow you to leave the CSN site. The linked sites are not under our control. CSN has not reviewed, approved and is not responsible for the content of any linked site or any links contained in a linked site. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement. This information and these products, services, and links are provided only as a convenience to the users of this site.

To open the CSN Links Page

It's ironic that the oil industry who is blamed for global warming finds itself dealing with it first hand. Lower temperatures in Alaska are causing an unstable footing for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.
for more information: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center Global Warming - Frequently Asked Questions.

"The people who manage the state's (Alaska's) largest piece of infrastructure — the 800-mile-long Trans-Alaska Pipeline — have also had to adjust to rising temperatures. Engineers responsible for the pipeline, which carries about a million barrels of oil a day and generates 17 percent of the nation's oil production, have grown increasingly concerned that melting permafrost could make unstable the 400 or so miles of pipeline above ground. As a result, new supports have been put in, some moored more than 70-feet underground."
Alaska, No Longer So Frigid, Starts to Crack, Burn and Sag NY Times, By Timothy, Egan June 16, 2002

 

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