Sustainability Summer Assignment!!!

What is sustainability? You can look in a book and get the technical definition as how earth "survive[s] and adapt[s] to changing conditions," (Miller, Spoolman 8); but what is it really? Sustainiability is earth's ability to recover from something that happens to it. Whether it is loss of resources or ecological damage, sustainability will make sure that the earth can recover.

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One way the earth sustains itself is by the use of trees to capture harmful carbon compounds in the atmosphere and release pure oxygen. However, as we all know, deforestation, one of the main ecological problems today, is reducing nature's ability to absorb carbon emissions. But all hope is not lost.

According to an international study conducted earlier in the year, although the average size of forests throughout the world is shrinking, a rising forest density in many of those areas is working to offset the small size. The study showed that even though forest area became smaller, on average in North America, the amount of carbon stored in forests has increased in the last ten years, which indicates higher forest density. The reason for the rise in density has been attributed to trees that were planted a few decades ago and are now maturing into fully-grown forests. This rising forest density could help deduce carbon emissions caused by human pollution.

Trees may be able to help absorb carbon in the air, but they are only a short term solution. In order for the earth to truly be sustainable, the human race must lower the amount of carbon they put in the air. One way to do that is to limit one of the elading causes of pollution: product manufacturing. In almost all production, there are machines to gather the materials, machines to combine them, machhines to form the product, and machines to package it. All of those machines run on fuel and that fuel being burnt and used results in carbon emissions.

One of the worst things to produce is cement, but unfortunately, it is everywhere in the city. Making cement in volves heating limestone which releases tons of carbon dioxide and uses massive amounts of fuel. So, is there a way to still produce the useful and sturdy cement and also reduce the environmental toll on our planet? Fortunately, there is.

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A newer and greener production method is in practice in California. By putting the cement production facility next to a power plant, machines can siphon the emissions from the plant. By running that carbon dioxide gas through dirty water, the gas will bond with minerals in the water. The end result is cement without the need for heating limestone and removes mch of the carbon released. Perhaps this production method will set the pace for cement producers world wide. By changing the way that we use our resources, we may truly understand the meaning of sustainability.