Introduction to Sustainability

Jonathan Tomkin, PhD

University of Illinois
Introduction to Sustainability
Sustainable Prairie Grass Cycle
Diagrams of Sustainability
Limits to Growth
Sustainability Themes
 Sustainability Themes: Introduction
WCED, 1987 NAS-BSD, 1999 Kofi Annan, 2002
Our Common Our Common WSSD:An
Future Journey Achievable agenda
Population Human Population Health
Food Security Agriculture Agriculture
Species & Living Resources Biodiversity
Ecosystems
Energy Energy Energy
Industry Industry -
Urban Challenge Cities -
- - Water
 Sustainability Themes: Population
WCED, 1987 NAS-BSD, 1999 Kofi Annan, 2002
Our Common Our Common WSSD:An
Future Journey Achievable agenda
Population Human Population Health
Food Security Agriculture Agriculture
Species & Living Resources Biodiversity
Ecosystems
Energy Energy Energy
Industry Industry -
Urban Challenge Cities -
- - Water
Sustainability Themes: Food Security
WCED, 1987 NAS-BSD, 1999 Kofi Annan, 2002
Our Common Our Common WSSD:An
Future Journey Achievable agenda
Population Human Population Health
Food Security Agriculture Agriculture
Species & Living Resources Biodiversity
Ecosystems
Energy Energy Energy
Industry Industry -
Urban Challenge Cities -
- - Water
 Sustainability Themes: Species &
Ecosystems
WCED, 1987 NAS-BSD, 1999 Kofi Annan, 2002
Our Common Our Common WSSD:An
Future Journey Achievable agenda
Population Human Population Health
Food Security Agriculture Agriculture
Species & Living Resources Biodiversity
Ecosystems
Energy Energy Energy
Industry Industry -
Urban Challenge Cities -
- - Water
 Sustainability Themes: Energy
WCED, 1987 NAS-BSD, 1999 Kofi Annan, 2002
Our Common Our Common WSSD:An
Future Journey Achievable agenda
Population Human Population Health
Food Security Agriculture Agriculture
Species & Living Resources Biodiversity
Ecosystems
Energy Energy Energy
Industry Industry -
Urban Challenge Cities -
- - Water
 Sustainability Themes: Water
WCED, 1987 NAS-BSD, 1999 Kofi Annan, 2002
Our Common Our Common WSSD:An
Future Journey Achievable agenda
Population Human Population Health
Food Security Agriculture Agriculture
Species & Living Resources Biodiversity
Ecosystems
Energy Energy Energy
Industry Industry -
Urban Challenge Cities -
- - Water
Colony Collapse Disorder
 Sustainability Definition
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs
of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.”
UN definition
Sustainability Consequences
Sustainability Consequences
Reflection: Better Use of Technology
 Wild places

Reflection: Natural World

Reflection: Climate Change

drought
Sustainable Earth
Summary
 References (1)
• NASA. 2002. “Blue Marble 2001-2002.” Wikimedia Commons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BlueMarble-2001-
2002.jpg
• SriMesh. 2008. “Violet Prairie Flower.” Wikimedia Commons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VioletPrairieFlower.JPG
• Lawton, Robert. 2006. “Prairie Grass.” Wikimedia Commons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prairie_grass.JPG
• Meadows, Donella H., et al. 1974. “The Limits to growth: A report for the Club of Rome’s Project on the Predicament of
Mankind.” Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cover_first_edition_Limits_to_growth.jpg
• Appel, Björn. 2007. “Honeybee-cooling.” Wikimedia Commons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Honeybee-
cooling_cropped.jpg
 References (2)
• O’Neill, John. 2008. “2003 Mazda 6 (GG) Classic hatchback.” Wikimedia Commons.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2003_Mazda_6_%28GG%29_Classic_hatchback_01.jpg
• Rauenstein. 2005. “Stone Age village in Damshagen, Germany.” Wikimedia Commons.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kussow,_Steinzeitdorf.jpg
• Veenhoven, Tjeerd. 2011. “Carbon Strand Bike.” Wikimedia Commons.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Carbon_Bike_Tjeerd_Veenhoven.jpg
• Harrison, JJ. 2010. “Three Sisters Sunset.” Wikimedia Commons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Three_Sisters_Sunset.jpg
• Koza1983. 2012. “PS20 and PS10 in Andalusia, Spain.” Wikimedia Commons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PS20andPS10.jpg
• Guttierez, Tony. 2011. “Texas State Park police officer Thomas Bigham walks across a cracked lake bed in San Angelo, Texas.”
USAToday. http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/story/2012-07-10/texas-heat-drought-global-
warming/56132472/1