The development of society has focused on obtaining natural resources from the environment, being used as raw materials for the production of products necessary for daily life. Due to this, tools focused on the protection of resources were established, in the following article we will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of sustainable development for society.
Sustainable development
Natural resources represent all those goods found in the environment, they are considered one of the main sources of raw materials that man obtains for development and consumption in society. It is well known of the overexploitation of these resources, causing deterioration in nature and loss of ecosystems. Therefore, policies and laws arise for its conservation, some of the definitions used in this case is sustainable development.
It is a term that refers to the ability to meet the demands of society in the consumption of natural resources, using a set of measures in the efficient administration of all of them. With the objective of preserving the ecological balance between man and the environment.
Sustainable development is born due to the excessive consumption of natural resources, without having a commitment in their availability for future generations, this is attributed to the lack of control in the acquisition of resources, destructive human practices and polluting processes. In addition to not respecting the necessary regeneration times of environments such as the soil, plant species, water, among others.
The felling of trees, consists of the process of cutting and tracing trees for the elaboration of different products, this type of practice is considered a sustainable activity as long as a repopulation of the cut species is carried out. Otherwise, with the acquisition of oil, it is not considered a sustainable activity, since crude oil does not have an immediate regeneration time for the following generations, therefore, policies are established to control the consumption of the resource.
Sustainable development refers to a set of policies used by countries to conserve natural resources and ensure their acquisition in the coming years. There are advantages and disadvantages regarding the application of this methodology, which will be described below.
Advantages
The main objective of sustainable development is to conserve the natural habitats of the planet, through control of economic, social and environmental aspects; with the purpose of generating sustainable products and services that will provide optimal environments for living beings. It is directly focused on the governments of each country, establishing terms of responsibility and awareness for all its citizens.
These advantages present the evolution of the economy without compromising nature, employing actions that reduce polluting gas emissions, reduce global warming and conserve natural species, but maintaining access to clean and equally effective energy. In this way, a better future is guaranteed by preventing natural resources from being depleted or being adequately renewed.
Sustainable development is present in the major decisions of government entities, such as the establishment of laws for the management of crude oil, for the disposal of wastewater, among others. But in everyday life, decisions related to sustainable development are made, such as the disposal of garbage, the planting of plants, among others. All these sustainable activities are focused on the comfort and well-being of society with the environment.
One of the sustainable development activities is choosing where to establish your home or where to live, being a very important aspect, since it influences the lifestyle of each person; It is necessary to take into account different factors such as comfort, tranquility and access to the best conditions for daily life, but without excluding the environment.
Some nations have developed sustainable measures, mainly those developed countries, one of these inventions are sustainable apartments, ideal for the search for the well-being of people together with the environment, corresponding to an architecture built taking into account the nature that is around. Some of its advantages are the following to highlight:
- Saving water
The sustainable apartments are built with water-saving valves, have a rainwater collection system and also a gray water treatment, the latter is used for irrigation and bathroom drainage.
- Energy saving
They are designed to capture the greatest amount of sunlight, this is due to the type of location where its infrastructure is located, favoring ventilation in all its corners.
- Urban Connectivity
Carbon dioxide (CO2) that come from means of transport, is considered one of the main pollutants that affects the atmospheric layer. Therefore, sustainable infrastructures are located in strategic areas, taking into account the urban sectors of work, health and entertainment. In this way, less car use is encouraged, saving time and polluting less.
- Peace of mind
They create a very quiet and pleasant acoustic environment, allowing you to forget about the hustle and bustle of the city that causes noise and visual pollution, resulting in stress and health problems.
- Health Care
Some of the sustainable homes have green areas, spas and even a gym; favoring the health of each person by exercising daily.
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Sustainable activities fulfill their function by maintaining their value for a long time, therefore, these infrastructures use high quality materials and long durability, providing security of being inhabited and meeting the desired environmental conditions.
- Take care of the environment
There are numerous companies focused on this type of construction, complying with legislation related to environmental issues, one of its main elements is to use high quality materials with low ecological impact; in addition to making the houses in nearby sectors, avoiding the use of transport and reducing environmental pollution due to the emission of carbon dioxide.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of sustainable development lie in global production and human consumption that is contrary to the laws based on sustainable development. There is a great variety of tools created with a sustainable principle, they have a favorable objective for the environment but they present certain drawbacks, described below.
- Carrying out infrastructure changes, changes in habits and variation in industrial processes can become very costly for companies and countries.
- Unemployment in some areas, industries may be affected by not being able to acquire the usual amount of resources, working partially or completely paralyzing, causing a high percentage of unemployment.
- Fragile commitment, the participation of society, government entities and businessmen is necessary; being a factor that is not fulfilled in its entirety, since the results are obtained in the long term.
- Change of mentality, requiring a transformation in society of its habits and way of life for the conservation of the environment.
Sustainable Development Goals
There are agreements and forums in order to have a sustainable approach with respect to natural resources, therefore, a set of basic principles reported in the 2030 Agenda were established, described below:
- Reduce poverty and hunger in underdeveloped countries.
- Offer a healthy life and safety to all living beings on the planet.
- Use a quality education, taking into account adequate economic work.
- Have access to all basic services (water, electricity, gas, among others) necessary for daily life.
- Breaking down social stereotypes and promoting gender equality.
- Provide access to clean and non-polluting energy.
- Offer innovations for companies in the environmental field.
- Have sustainable infrastructures in several cities and communities.
- Maintain responsible production and consumption of natural resources.
- Protect the life of marine species and maintain the conditions of ecosystems.
- Promote alliances to achieve all the necessary objectives between countries and institutions.
Countries Involved with Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is a topic carried out in different areas of society, involving industries, companies and societies from different countries. Due to this, the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) was established. It is an indicator that takes into account all the factors to be a much greener nation. Among the countries that stand out for their advances in sustainable techniques are Switzerland, Australia, Luxembourg, Singapore, Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic, Austria, Sweden and Norway. .
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