Environmental Sustainability

EnvironmentalSustainabil

ity

Sustainability is the ability to continue a

defined behavior indefinitely. To define what environmental sustainability is we turn to the experts.

Herman Daly,one of the early pioneers of

ecological sustainability, looked at the problem from maintenance of natural capital viewpoint. In 1990 he proposed that:

1. For renewable resources, the rate of harvest should not exceed the rate of regeneration (sustainable yield);2. [For pollution] The rates of waste generation from projects should not exceed the assimilative capacity of the

environment (sustainable waste disposal); and 3. For nonrenewable resources the depletion of the nonrenewable resources should require comparable development of renewable substitutes for that resource.

The list can be shortened into a tight definition. Environmental sustainability is the rates of renewable resource harvest, pollution creation, and non-renewable resource depletion that can be continued indefinitely.

Basically the world's standard definition of environmental sustainability is sustainable development, which means sustainable economic growth, which is an oxymoron.

No form of economic growth can be continued indefinitely. Furthermore, all economic growth today is terribly environmentally degrading.

Environmental sustainability involves making decisions and taking action that are in the interests of protecting the natural world, with particular emphasis on preserving the capability of the environment to support human life.

It is about making responsible decisions that will reduce your business' negative impact on the environment. It is not simply about reducing the amount of waste you produce or using less energy, but is concerned with developing processes that will lead to

businesses becoming completely sustainable in the future.

Businesses are expected to lead in the area of environmental sustainability as they are considered to be the biggest contributors and are also in a position where they can make a significant difference.

Businesses can potentially cause damage to all areas of the environment.

Some of the common environmental concerns include:

• damaging rainforests and woodlands through logging and agricultural clearing.• polluting and over-fishing of oceans, rivers and lakes

• polluting the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels.• damaging prime agricultural and cultivated land through the use of unsustainable farming practices.

Environmental sustainability forces businesses to look beyond making short term gains and look at the long term impact they are having on the natural world. You need to consider not only the immediate impact your actions have on the environment, but the

long term implications as well. For example, when manufacturing a product, you need to look at the environmental impact of the products entire lifecycle, from development to disposal before finalizing your designs.

Go Green is a sustainable environmental program to revitalize the Philippine ecosystem and sustain the Philippine fashion accessories industry.  It is an initiative of the Fashion Accessories Manufacturers And Exporters Foundation Philippines, Inc.

Green Philippines was formally launched last October 2007 at the Manila FAME International Show in response to the need to preserve the natural environment.  An initiative of Cebu FAME Foundation, Go Green has a 3-fold objective:

• RECYCLE natural components to ensure continuing natural sources.• REPLENISH what is used to use what has been replenished.• REVITALIZE nature and breathe new life to the communities.

The areas to be covered by Go Green as proposed by the DENR Region VII are as follows:• Forest Management - planting of pangantuon (white wood) trees, as well as other trees such as ipil and sibucao (red wood) trees, buri propagation and bamboo planting.

• Coastal Environmental Program - protecting of coral reefs and establishing sea shell sanctuaries.• Livelihood Projects - helping rural communities through livelihood programs and skills training and education that can also support the fashion jewelry industry.

Go Green is focused on forest management.  The island of Cebu, from which most of the raw materials used in the Philippine fashion accessories industry are sourced, has a forestland of 142,000 hectares.

The trees to be planted and cultivated are the wild mamalis (pangantoan) trees.  A preferred source of white wood because they dye and shape with flawless precision, these trees are heavily used by the fashion accessories industry.

Go Green is seeking the support and involvement of the international community.  This is why for a minimum purchase made by buyers from a FAME Foundation member, the member will donate 100 trees to the project in the name of the buyer.

Go Green is FAME Foundation’s way of contributing to a sustainable environment and promoting corporate social responsibility in the industry.