Despite the best efforts of the world’s conservationists, this shocking decline in species sadly shows no sign of slowing down. The habitat destruction and environmental pollution that have caused species to become endangered are extremely entrenched. It will require meaningful action at every level of society to reverse it.

However, despite this bleak outlook, there is always hope. By working together and making simple changes, mankind may slow or stop species loss and promote biodiversity. In this article, we share how to help endangered species with 16 ways anyone can make a meaningful contribution to protecting the world’s most threatened species.

What are endangered species?

Endangered species are groups of organisms that are at high risk of becoming extinct in the near future. The endangerment of a species may be global or in a particular region of the world. Conservationists and other groups with knowledge of the biology, habitat, and population numbers of potentially threatened species reach a consensus option on endangerment.

Who determines which species are endangered?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a Swiss-based international conservation organization comprising over 1,400 governmental and non-governmental organizations. The IUCN produces a Red List, with the assessed status of the world’s most vulnerable species. Charities and NGOs within the IUCN continuously monitor the following:

• Absolute species population numbers
• Habitat loss
• Rates of poaching
• The presence of invasive species

Along with specialist assessments, this data can be used to assess the conservation status of a particular species. Governments and organizations can use the conservation status of species to determine which species require enhanced protection. Remedial activities can be formalized with the creation of a Biodiversity Action Plan.

Governments have legislated to protect endangered species, forbidding hunting or interfering with their habitats. Conservation statuses can also guide other initiatives like captive breeding programs or the designation of reserves and national parks.

More than 50% of the world’s species face the risk of extinction

The IUCN Red List lists more than 3,079 animals and 2,655 endangered plant species. Species are classified by their class, with Near Threatened (NT) and Least Concern (LC) indicating the species with the healthiest populations and Vulnerable (VU) and critically endangered (CR) indicating the most endangered creatures.

Endangered species can also be described as rare or even locally extinct. Not all conservation status data is precise because the extinction of many species may have gone unnoticed for many years.

The paucity of data means some red list entries may be designated as ‘data deficient.’ This is where there is inadequate data and research available to establish the true status of the species.

Examples of vulnerable and critically endangered species include: 

• The Siberian tiger
• Kemp’s ridley sea turtle
• The Siamese crocodile
• The blue-throated macaw
• The brown spider monkey
• The American burying beetle
• The Mexican wolf

Some of these species have left more than 150 living creatures worldwide.

Why are endangered species important?

The rising number of endangered species indicates that whole ecosystems are becoming compromised and may be at risk of collapse. As the population numbers of a particular species fall, the critical interactions that species has with other organisms within its local habitat are reduced, throwing the entire ecosystem out of balance and permanently changing its makeup.

For example, the loss of an apex predator species may lead to the unwanted proliferation of prey species that cause environmental damage through overgrazing, burrowing, or other activities. This can threaten other species in the ecosystem that become pressured, like plants and trees.

Another problem with species endangerment is that the world risks losing medicinal plants that may have future benefits to man. Over a quarter of modern medicines are derived from rainforest plants, and discoveries will be threatened if we let rare plant species go extinct.

Also, there is the sadness of knowing that some of Earth’s beautiful and intriguing creatures could be lost to future generations. Once they are gone, they cannot be brought back. This excellent PBS documentary about the life of Broken Tail, a deceased Royal Bengal tiger in India, highlights the pressures faced by endangered species and their tragic loss:

What can we do to help endangered species?

It’s great to know that there is something everyone can do to help endangered species. This is primarily because species of every type are under threat worldwide. Many aspects of our lives drive continuing biodiversity loss.

Simple changes and efforts, however small, can positively impact this serious environmental issue. Here’s what we can do:

1. Get Informed

When you think about endangered species, the well-publicized plight of animals like tigers, pandas, and rhinos immediately springs to mind. However, according to the WWF, 0.1% of all species go extinct yearly. There are so many unidentified species worldwide that it is impossible to know how many organisms are currently threatened.

This is why learning more about species endangerment biodiversity and the local ecosystems that need to be protected is essential. Learning about wildlife sanctuaries and species in your local area can help you contribute time or money to preserving vulnerable species wherever you are.

2. Be vocal about endangered species

Anyone can be an advocate for endangered species by being vocal about the problem. Raise awareness of the biodiversity crisis in your community by:

• Signing petitions about local habitats that could be threatened by development
• Writing to your local political representative
• Organizing fundraisers for animal conservation charities
• Creating leaflets or flyers to distribute to neighbors, friends, and relatives

3. Support your nearest conservation-accredited zoo

Supporting zoos by visiting them is one of the best things you can do for animal conservation. Zoos are no longer damaging, constrained environments for animals. The conservation of endangered species with education about them is the core activity of a modern zoo. This makes them essential institutions to support to make a difference to threatened species.

Your entrance fees, donations, and memberships fund practical conservation, research, outreach, and advocacy for endangered species. They are expert conservationists who can effectively inform and communicate the need to protect the most vulnerable species on Earth.

Animal biologists in zoos research animal behavior to give their animals the best quality of life in captivity. Modern zoo facilities are often equipped to breed endangered species and may even become involved in rehabilitating them for release into the wild.

4. Volunteer at your local nature reserve or wildlife sanctuary

Many wildlife reserves are vital havens for threatened non-exotic species. You can help protect these creatures by contributing your time to the charities and organizations that manage nature reserves in your community. These reserves and sanctuaries are often havens for rare species like bats, deer, amphibians, and birds which would become extinct without conservation.

Volunteers at wildlife sanctuaries can make a difference through activities that include species surveying and mapping, grounds maintenance, and welcoming visitors. Without the efforts of volunteers, these important reserves allow people to discover and explore the natural world.

5. Make your yard a haven for pollinators

Endangered species come in all shapes and sizes, and it is often the smallest creatures that disappear from the environment fastest. The collapse in numbers of vital pollinator species like bees, butterflies, and moths is a recognized issue.

In recent years, over 20% of pollinator species have shown a strong decline, even threatening the pollination of essential crops. One of the ways in which you can help these endangered species is to encourage pollinators to thrive in your yards. Helpful additions to your yard include:

• Bug hotels: simple wooden structures that have lots of crevices where bee species, beetles, and moths can shelter during the colder months.
• A saucer of fresh water: to safely provide vital hydration for bees and other insects.
• Planting wildflowers: Flowers attract pollinators to your yard and provide them with the nutritious nectar and pollen they need for their hive.

6. Take care when driving to prevent roadkill

Ideally, road infrastructure would include wildlife crossings that provide safe migration routes across major roadways. Unfortunately, more than 5.5 million animals die on roads worldwide every day! In the US, West Virginia has the highest levels of roadkill, with odds of 1 in 38 of hitting a deer. Pensylvania’s elk country is another hotspot.

Taking care when driving can make a massive difference in roadkill rates. Slow down as much as possible so that animals have time to respond to your vehicle. Honking your horn can also deter animals. If you do hit an animal, move it from the road to prevent the corpse from attracting predators onto the road.

7. Don’t buy products made from hunted endangered animals

One of the key drivers of species endangerment is the illegal wildlife trade, a multi-billion dollar industry that spans the entire globe. There is a continual demand for trafficked animal parts eaten, used in traditional medicines, or used as fashion or furnishing. Examples of poached animal products include:

• Ivory products
• Tiger skins and bones
• ‘Bush meat’ including the flesh of primates and rodents

The criminals that kill and sell poached wildlife only do it because people are willing to buy from them. By avoiding products from the illegal wildlife trade, poachers and traffickers are starved of profit and won’t take the risk of harming endangered species.

8. Don’t buy exotic pets

Wildlife crime doesn’t just involve dead animals. There is a demand for living rare and exotic creatures to be kept as pets. This is a particular problem in the aquarium industry, where demand for tropical saltwater and freshwater fish has led to their depletion in their natural habitat.

These animals often struggle to thrive outside of their native habitat. Owners may struggle to care for larger animals like big cats, or poor security may mean that they escape. Despite being threatened, these species may even become invasive in a new environment.

9. Go plastic-free

Plastic is one of the world’s most pernicious pollutants. Over 14 million tons of plastic enter oceans and waterways annually, forming over 80% of all marine debris. Plastic is not only ingested by diverse marine organisms and can also be a potent endocrine disruptor.

This means that our addition to single-use non-recycled plastic products threatens the health and reproductive capacity of endangered marine species. Avoiding these cheap and convenient plastic products is not always easy, but reducing plastic use can improve marine environments and biodiversity.

If you end up using plastics, recycling them will help keep them out of landfills and the sea.

10. Reduce your use of synthetic chemicals

Synthetic chemicals like cleaning agents, dyes, and personal care products are a part of daily life. Though humans largely tolerate them, many of the chemicals we use can cause significant environmental damage if they get into lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Aquatic life, including rare and threatened species, is harmed by many household products that are washed into surface water and persist in these fragile marine ecosystems. An example is the nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) used in the textile industry. The long-term ecological effect is environmental degradation and a loss of biodiversity.

Make the switch to using environmentally-friendly alternatives of household products like laundry detergent, dish soap, surface cleaners, and personal care products. Many of the best eco-friendly products feature natural ingredients that biodegrade quickly before they can harm living things.

11. Boycott companies that damage our environment

People are increasingly recognizing the industrial, commercial, and financial activity that is damaging our environment, leading to the loss of species worldwide. These corporations continue their activities because it has remained profitable for them to do so. Attempts for reform in this area are often little more than ‘green-washing‘.

One of the most effective ways to hold big polluters to account is by boycotting their products and services. Circular Magazine says some of the world’s biggest polluters include McDonald’s, PepsiCo, and Coca-Cola.

Efforts to switch to eco-friendly alternatives that operate more ethically would send a clear message that they must change their polluting ways. It may initially be more expensive and less convenient, but if enough people say no, the message is sent. You can even write to the CEOs to let them know your concern about the environmental harm they are causing.

12. Reduce, reuse, recycle!

Mankind’s insatiable demand for natural resources has led to the destruction of the ecosystems that are home to many endangered species. Demand for raw materials like oil and gas, wood, minerals, and precious metals has meant that the habitats of many animals have been removed to make way for industrial development.

This leaves vulnerable populations of creatures without safe environments to live, hunt, and breed. Even where there are pockets of land that are left intact, there are no wildlife corridors that facilitate the movement of animals from one region to another.

The exploitation of natural resources only continues at the rate it does because of demand. By reducing the number of new items purchased, reusing, repairing, and recycling them at the end of their usable life, you can drive down demand for raw materials and allow valuable ecosystems to recover.

13. Avoid invasive species

Invasive species are plant and animal species that have been introduced to an ecosystem where they are not native. They include animals, amphibians, and fish kept as pets, plants, and even seeds that can escape into the local environment and proliferate. This makes them a massive threat to local wildlife!

Invasive species are tricky because the alien organism may have a selection advantage that enables it to outcompete native organisms and dominate the ecosystem. If the spread of invasive species is not curtailed, native species can quickly become threatened or even eradicated by them.

You can help to reduce the spread of invasive species by:

• Only plant native plants in your yard and opt for active house plant species.
• Learning the common invasive species in your region and reporting them to environmental agencies if you see them anywhere.
• If you travel, clean your footwear, luggage, and other equipment to prevent potentially invasive plant seeds and debris from being introduced to your locality.
• If you go camping, purchase firewood near your campsite rather than bringing it from home.

14. Avoid foods and products that use palm oil

Palm oil consumption is a massive driver of habitat destruction and environmental degradation that endangers multiple South East Asian species like the Sumatran rhino, pygmy elephants, and orangutans.

Palm oil is derived from the flesh and kernels of the fruit of the oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis). It originated in Africa but is now heavily cultivated in Asia. Over centuries this oil has been extremely useful to man and is currently used in almost everything we buy including.

• Soaps and detergents
• Cooking oil
• Processed foods
• Cosmetics
• Chocolate
• Peanut butter
• Toothpaste
• Biofuels

Because the oil palm tree is a lucrative crop that is very quick and easy to grow, many people are cutting down and burning valuable rainforests to use the vacant land to cultivate it. This prolific deforestation has largely destroyed the habitats of many species, which have now become endangered. Without reform of this sector, the damage will continue unchallenged.

One of the ways in which you can help these endangered animals is by not buying products that use palm oil or switching to palm oil products that come from a certified sustainable source. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil  (RSPO), founded in 2004, certifies palm oil sources as being sustainable and not contributing to deforestation.

15. Become a sustainable tourist

In many parts of the world, species become endangered because it is simply more lucrative for locals to poach them than keep them alive. One way of contributing to animal conservation is by participating in sustainable tourism that profits local communities and empowers them to be stewards and protectors of their natural environments and species.

Going on safaris, snorkeling trips, or sustainable tours means local populations can earn a good living by caring for vulnerable species and promoting their welfare. Choosing sustainable tourism helps reduce the tourist industry’s negative impacts and alleviates poverty, demonstrating to local communities how valuable their natural resources are.

16. Eat locally and sustainably produced food

Agriculture is essential for feeding the world, but some methods are more damaging than others. One effect of globalization has been the massive number of food miles clocked up but the things you eat before they get to your place. Extensive air, rail, sea, and road freight of food is not only polluting but also drives:

• Deforestation and cash crop farming
• Mega farms and their devastating monoculture
• Genetically modified crops
• Heavy pesticide use destroys vital pollinators and disrupts ecosystems 

Another way that everyone can help endangered species is by eschewing these damaging forms of agriculture and opting for eating locally and seasonally. Local producers who farm organically and use non-intensive agricultural methods are great stewards of the environment.

Their food may be more expensive in the short term, but it is often better quality and more nutritious. If enough people change the way they eat, these environmentally friendly forms of farming could go mainstream:

Rounding up

Reducing the detrimental environmental impact of our modern way of life can give the world’s most endangered species vital breathing space to recover.

If everyone makes the small changes outlined above, there may be enough momentum gained to effect real and lasting change in how we steward the environment. This should allow species of all kinds to flourish in their natural habitats and be appreciated by all.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the causes, effects, and solutions for urbanization, including a breakdown of the sustainable cities strategy and how future current and future generations might implement this.

What is urbanization?

Urbanization is the phenomenon of the sustained mass movement of people from the rural areas of a country or region to cities and suburbs.

What is an urban area?

The US Census defines an urban area as a continuously built-up region with a population of 50,000 or more. These towns and cities usually have a central built-up area with a surrounding densely settled urban fringe.

The urbanization phenomenon

Due to this massive population shift to cities, their size had grown, leading to an increasing proportion of land being requisitioned and developed for housing and amenities for an expanding urbanized population. Conversely, rural populations have gradually declined as more and more people leave for the cities.

Urbanization is taking place all over the world. It is as common in more economically developed countries as it is in lesser economically developed countries. According to the World Bank, more than 56% of the world’s population lives in cities. This means that more than 4.4 billion people call some part of a city their home. The urbanization trend is set to continue, with a peak of over 70% of people living in urbanized environments by 2050.

The scale of the urbanization issue

Urbanization is a global issue that has led to a marked change in how people work and live.

But this is changing quickly. By clicking on any country shown in the World Data map, you can see how urbanization rates change with time. For many countries, you see a rapid migration of populations into towns and cities.

It’s all about people

Urbanization is primarily about the movement of people rather than the buildings and infrastructure that they inhabit. This phenomenon is really about people leaving to seek better living conditions, work and opportunities, and an environment that appears to offer them.

Money moves to cities, too

The expectation of a better life by moving to cities is understandable, as more than 80% of global GDP is generated in cities. Urbanization is a key characteristic of global economic development. Wealth and productivity are concentrated in cities, leading to an uplift in the per capita level of income for residents and trickle-down rises in the standard of living.

Cities are hubs of regional infrastructure, often with industrialized districts where manufacturing and other productive activity take place. This industrialization of economies was historically the primary driver of net migration from rural communities to cities, as plentiful work was available.

In countries with a service-based economy, the industry is not the primary pull, but the migration for job opportunities has continued.

What are the causes of urbanization?

There are significant drivers of urbanization that are similar throughout the world. Here are the leading identified causes for the population shift to towns and cities:

1. The industrialization of economies

The 18th-century industrial revolution that was born in Great Britain has been gradually exported around the world. As countries industrialize their economies, they build infrastructure to process raw materials and manufacture various goods for domestic use and export.

This necessitates the creation of jobs to supply the manpower for factories and other industrial facilities. Industrial workers also need nearby housing and amenities, drawing other workers to establish urban communities.

The industrial district also develops infrastructure related to the movement of goods, trade, and commerce. This catalyzes the development of towns and cities around areas of industry.

2. Employment opportunities

A city is a man-made ecosystem that is driven by human activity. Continuous labor is required for every aspect of urban existence, with jobs spanning administration to waste management. This means plentiful job opportunities enable incomers to establish themselves quickly in cities.

Urban jobs typically pay a regular wage that is usually higher than can be earned in the countryside. This is a powerful draw for people living a physically demanding rural lifestyle, which is seasonal and often has unpredictable earnings.

3. Infrastructure and amenities

Another cause of urbanization is the attraction of the advanced infrastructure that urban areas contain. Towns and cities are developed environments where sustained investment has created robust networks of roads, telecommunications, power, fresh water access, sanitation, and sophisticated supply chains for the products and services that city dwellers require.

People want to move to cities to take advantage of these services that may not be available in many rural parts of the world. Urban areas provide residents with access to key amenities like schools, hospitals, shops, and entertainment and recreational facilities that can provide residents with a better quality of life.

4. Centralization of commerce

Through industrialization and the manufacture and trade of goods, cities quickly become commercial centers, with people heading into them to buy and sell. The high and concentrated population increases the demand for goods and services which can be delivered to the population for profit.

The high level of financial transactions in cities and towns necessitates the presence of banks and other financial institutions that concentrate wealth. Many cities even have their own stock exchange or markets for the large-scale trading of commodities and other investments.

5. Centralization of education, culture, and government

Urbanization has offered people a massive uplift in their quality of life, enabling them to pursue pursuits beyond subsistence living. Cities are often well-designed and government, making them centers of political power.

In addition, leading academic institutions use the infrastructure and amenities to educate the population and attract the leading thinkers within a nation. Entertainment venues like theaters, bars, and sports facilities shape a cohesive identity and culture for a city’s inhabitants. These factors make the concept of a city aspiration to many people.

6. Modernization

Urban areas are also attractive because they are associated with a modern way of life. Cities attract a highly literate, savvy, and well-informed population with access to the most advanced technology a nation can offer its people. New fashions, political ideas, and creativity often come from urban districts, which may be more liberal due to their wealth and opportunity.

Cities absorb large numbers of people who want to live an urbanized lifestyle. Many people are even prepared to endure living in slum-dwellings for many years to escape rural poverty, and to obtain the chance for social advancement.

7. Displacement of peoples

People do not always voluntarily find themselves living in urban areas. Throughout history, the displacement and concentration of people have been associated with war, famine, land grabs, and slavery.

As people disperse from rural areas, the agricultural and natural resource potential of rural areas is concentrated in the hands of fewer and fewer people. The world’s five biggest landowners, including the Roman Catholic Church, Australian mining magnate Gina Rinehart, and Mudanjiang City Mega Farm own nation-sized quantities of land.

8. Natural resource exploitation

Previously underdeveloped rural areas can be rapidly transformed into urbanized communities through the discovery of valuable natural resources like precious metals, minerals, or oil. Resource exploitation requires massive investment infrastructure that attracts workers and their dependents.

The increased productivity and wealth creation of mining towns can lead to them becoming cities, with diversified real estate, like commercial buildings and shops, and robust transport links (road, rail) to other urban areas.

9. Population increases

Global population growth accelerated in the second half of the 20th century and currently stands at over 7.8 billion people. Many nations house most of their population in urban areas because it offers the opportunity for high-density housing that can accommodate large numbers of people in a relatively small area rather than lower-density rural housing.

The key effects of urbanization

Towns and cities attract people because of their opportunities and convenience. But urbanization has numerous advantages, and the disadvantages of rapid and often unplanned urban growth. are increasingly recognized. Here are some of the most important effects of urbanization:

An uplift in living standards for many

Cities can significantly uplift living standards for larger populations of people than rural areas. This is primarily because of the centralization of a region’s economic and human resources, driving wealth creation and innovation.

Cities provide ready access to essential services like education and healthcare. In particular, studies have shown that infant mortality is significantly reduced in urban areas because of quick access to health services.

Authorities and private companies can also easily provide cheaper access to fresh water, sanitation, and utilities in the city than in expansive underdeveloped rural areas.

The development of slums and squatter settlements

One of urbanization’s most important negative effects is the development of slum districts. These are unofficial extensions to towns and cities that offer the cheapest housing opportunities for poor people who have migrated to an urban area.

Slums are found worldwide but are most concentrated in developing countries. The UN has suggested that up to a third of urban inhabitants live in slums. These urban districts are characterized by the following:

• Poor housing is often erected using discarded materials.
• Overcrowded high-density neighborhoods.
• Few utilities and amenities as the neighborhoods are informally erected or squatter communities.
• No waste disposal or sanitation facilities, leading to disease outbreaks.
• Few public services creating impoverished, segregated communities with little hope of improving their circumstances.

Increased demand for water and sanitation

Though access to water and sanitation is one of the key benefits of urbanization, the rate of urbanization can outstrip these essential resources. Many poorer countries not only have to provide water to metropolitan areas but also have to meet rising demand from slums and other informal urbanized settlements.

A continuous rise in urban population leads to a massive increase in the demand for water, stressing reservoir and groundwater supplies. In addition, municipal authorities have the challenge of dealing with the wastewater generated by a large and concentrated population. Many developing countries have little to no sewage infrastructure in place.

Providing sanitation infrastructure for slums is difficult because the neighborhoods are unplanned and heterogeneous. Any pit latrines or septic tanks that are installed are often inadequate and can become a health risk, contaminating freshwater supplies or overflowing and spreading disease.

Generation of waste and pollution

The concentrated human population in urban areas negatively affects the surrounding environment significantly. This is not because of the people themselves but because of how they live. Urban lifestyles consume natural resources and generate waste and pollution. Negative effects include:

• Air pollution: Traffic in urban areas is often congested, leading to increased air pollution and a sustained deterioration in air quality in urban centers. Air quality is also degraded by burning wood for heat and cooking, and exhaust fumes from industrial activity.

• Water pollution: In many developing countries, surface water and watercourses in urban areas become open sewers and polluted with solid waste. Without regulation and enforcement, businesses will also discharge pollutants into waterways, leading to long-term contamination of surface and groundwater supplies. 

• Municipal solid waste: The waste generated by urban populations needs to be carefully managed, or it will pollute the environment. Many urban areas and slums are affected by the open dumping or burning of waste. This releases pollutants that are extremely hazardous to human health. 

Damage to human health

Though people in towns and cities often have ready access to healthcare facilities, urbanization can have devastating long-term effects on human health. The main adverse health effects of urbanization come from the pollution and waste that is generated by the artificially concentrated population.

Poor urban inhabitants face the health challenges that come with degraded living conditions and limited clean water and sanitation. But poor air quality or waterborne disease outbreaks can affect city-dwellers of all socioeconomic levels. Sadly, the youngest and most vulnerable members of urbanized communities are often affected most.

Pressure on food supplies

The massive movement of people to cities places pressure on the supply and distribution of food. People living in cities are no longer producers of their own food. As consumers, they are reliant on purchased food that needs to be brought into the city.

Food security in urban areas is vulnerable to the market prices for different foods. As demand rises, food can become expensive, especially as the availability of agricultural land is increasingly eroded by urban sprawl. Freshwater pollution can also harm fish stocks that urban communities may rely on for food.

Social problems

Urban environments can also foment entrenched social problems, often driven by socioeconomic deprivation and slum proliferation. Built-up urban environments that are not properly managed and secured can allow criminal activity like drug abuse and prostitution to proliferate and dominate specific parts of a town or city.

Poorer residents of cities may find themselves working long hours, leading to strain on family and community relations. Overcrowding and poor living conditions deteriorate the quality of life, health, and prospects of younger urban dwellers. In developing countries, neglected children may become street children missing out on education.

Are there solutions for urbanization?

Organizations like the World Bank and the UN have partnered with governments and stakeholders to investigate and develop solutions for urbanization. The current consensus is that a new type of urban environment known as a sustainable city should be developed.

What is a sustainable city?

Sustainable cities and communities are a reimagined form of urbanization with environments that have been deliberately created to be environmentally and resource sustainable. Governments have the aspiration that sustainable cities will be resilient and productive environments with impeccable green credentials.

According to the Energy and Environmental Building Alliance, sustainable cities have the following characteristics, which each serves as solutions to the problems caused by urbanization: 

1. A safe and accessible public transportation network with city-wide coverage encourages people to leave their cars at home.
2. Neighborhoods that are easily biked or walked, for a reduction in short car journeys, which are the most polluting. 
3. A network of electric car charging stations to increase the adoption of electric vehicles in urban environments.
4. Integration of renewable energy sources.
5. Development of energy-efficient, sustainable architecture that features living roofs, solar panels, insulation, and smart building management technology.
6. Infrastructure to maximize the recycling of waste.
7. Access to green spaces and community gardens for the cultivation of food.

In line with the UN’s sustainable development goals, sustainable cities will be inclusive, going a long way to ending the extreme poverty that still affects many parts of the world. Organizations are currently investing and lending money to kickstart the creation of these cities, with the World Bank funding over 230 projects with $33.9 billion in loans and investment project financing.

How sustainable cities are being created

The transition towards sustainable urban environments is already underway. Many of the Sustainable Development Goals are currently being integrated into governmental policy and legislation with little public consultation. However, here are the strategies that are currently being used to develop sustainable cities:

1. Develop new planning policies

A key driver of sustainable cities will be the planning policies used to create and shape them. Urbanization problems like sprawl and slums have arisen because of an absence of urban planning, zoning, or governance.

The movement for sustainable cities is therefore targeting municipal authorities with training, white papers, and diagnostic tools that can help them make better-informed planning decisions. With strengthened planning systems, cities can manage their assets better and develop the sustainable urban environments of the future.

2. Release funding for sustainable development projects

Transforming existing urban environments into sustainable cities and developing new ones will require trillions of dollars, far beyond most countries’ GDP, including the US. This means that financial resources for these cities will have to be raised through borrowing money from banks like the IMF and World Bank. 

The financing costs for sustainable urbanization are estimated to cost more than $5 trillion per year, especially if efforts are made to develop low-emission infrastructure. Developing countries will require the most funding, which could lead to them becoming indebted if they do not derive an economic advantage from the development.

3. Build infrastructure to connect regions and distribute wealth

The centralization of wealth, administration, and governance has long been a feature of cities. However, to ensure that the economic uplift of sustainable cities benefits an entire nation, infrastructure should promote interconnectivity between settled regions.

Strategists specializing in territorial and spatial development advise that infrastructure should level up inequalities within cities and lagging regions to accelerate growth and make jobs accessible to workers without migrating over long distances. By harnessing agglomerations, nations can leverage the productivity of key cities to boost economic growth!

4. Build for environmental resilience

Cities in many parts of the world are vulnerable to the damaging effects of natural disasters like tornadoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Developing countries are most affected, with natural disasters costing their economies at least 1% of their GDP annually.

Sustainable cities will feature architectural design and engineering that can withstand disaster conditions. City authorities also have to upgrade their building regulations to ensure they are built in line with the most advanced construction standards.  

The hazardous environments and precarious housing conditions of slums mean that they suffer the most damage if a natural disaster occurs. Urban housing development needs to consider slum communities and embrace an inclusive home-building approach.

5. Invest in the poorest and most marginalized communities

Tackling marginalization is key to creating more productive and inclusive urban environments. Stakeholders are keen to target investment at eradicating entrenched urban poverty and slums. Architects and designers will be required to develop safe and secure housing that can accommodate people who will be displaced as slum neighborhoods are redeveloped.

An important issue has been the lack of service access and connectivity access that slum and informal settlement communities face. By investing in internet access, and other services, these city residents can participate in the digital economy and find opportunities to lift themselves out of poverty.

Another area where inclusivity will be integrated into sustainable cities is accessibility for people with visible and hidden disabilities, maximizing participation by everyone in these innovative urban environments.

In conclusion

The urbanization trend shows no sign of slowing down. As cities become the predominant setting for human life and activity, these built-up environments need to change to be safe, and sanitary and lessen their environmental impact.

However, countries are likely to become heavily indebted to international banks to achieve the sustainable cities proposed as the solution for urbanization. Without a reasonable return on investment, through economic growth and shared prosperity, sustainable cities cannot be sustained.

In this article, we share the causes, effects, and solutions for urban sprawl and how it will impact the implementation of sustainable cities in the coming years.

What is urban sprawl?

Urban sprawl is the uncontained spread of urbanized areas into undeveloped land and greenspaces. Sprawl can often be recognized by its development aesthetics and street patterns that may be inconsistent with the city. It is also known as urban encroachment or suburban sprawl.

The massive expansion of urban areas has taken place without thought given to the wider social and environmental impact. As the sprawl spreads outwards from the city the buildings often become more haphazard, lower-density, and poorly planned and integrated with the city.

The origins of urban sprawl

Throughout the previous great civilizations, notable cities of antiquity like Rome, London, and Jerusalem were contained and walled. This fortification was routine to protect against enemy invasion and continued well beyond the middle ages.

As history progressed, changes in warfare, increases in trade, and, most importantly, the industrial revolution led to the loss of city walls and the growth and outward spread of cities. People began to migrate from rural areas to urban centers to take advantage of plentiful and consistent work.

Major industrialists often provided housing for their workers, creating the beginnings of urban sprawl. This phenomenon has been seen globally as major cities have risen to become nations’ primary commercial and employment centers.

Urban sprawl continues in the United States

America is home to some of the world’s largest conurbations, including BOSNYWASH (Boston, New York City, and Washington), and Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land, the fifth most populated region in the U.S. However, how America’s urban zones are expanding could jeopardize the environment and the community cohesiveness on which the nation has thrived.

Scientists and policymakers have long-standing concerns that these sprawling suburban development patterns are destroying the environment through diminishing greenspaces and natural habitats, and the pollution of land, air, and water. As there is a concerted move towards more sustainable communities in the 21st century, a consensus is emerging that urban sprawl will have to be addressed.

Key features of urban sprawl

There is no universally agreed definition of urban sprawl but the following features are noted in many urban areas that have spread uncontrollably:

1. Spiral outward growth pattern

Studies of large conurbations and urban sprawl have characterized a spiral growth pattern, with arms fanning outwards along the main routes out of the city. Compared to the true city which is relatively compact, the sprawl is lower density.

This is corroborated by a study that found that the majority of new housing built in the US (80%+) are single-family dwellings sited outside urban areas on an acre or more of land.

2. A haphazard development pattern

Urban sprawl shows an irregular pattern of spread with dispersed construction that eats further and further into rural areas. Within the sprawl, variously sized pocks of undeveloped land lead to much more land becoming urbanized than if a town planner coherently organized the construction.

3. Strips

Another feature of sprawl is strips of ribbon development that springs up on either side of a major arterial road leaving the city. This type of development is unnaturally linear and presents a road safety hazard as communities have to cross high-speed highways to access shopping, restaurants, and other local amenities.

These neighborhoods primarily cater to drivers and may leave non-driving residents without adequate access.

4. Low-density dwellings

The properties that spring up in urban sprawl are largely detached single-family homes. This type of property is part of the American dream and an aspiration for many growing families in America. Developers make huge profits on building these large-lot single-family homes on an acre or more of simply landscaped land.

This has led to the majority of land development in the U.S. being either:

• Urban expansion
• Large-lot development

The problem is that these properties are forming the majority of U.S. property development and consuming large amounts of previously productive land. However, with careful design, homes can be extremely resource efficient and minimize their harm to the environment through reduced consumption of natural resources.

5. Short-car journeys

In suburban sprawl, the car is king, and residents have a massive reliance on their cars for even the most basic journeys. Sprawl areas consist of vast residential areas with few shops or neighborhood amenities because homeowners drive their cars everywhere.

Residents drive in and out of the residential areas by car. Nothing is within walking distance, but short car journeys are the most polluting.

6. Blurred boundaries with true rural areas

Urban sprawl has led to a blurred boundary between urban and rural areas. Between 1960 and 1990 more than a million acres of rural land were taken for housing development. These massive amounts of land impact current and future agricultural productivity.

Massive consumption of agricultural land may not be easily discerned with one or two developments in a single rural locality, but the sprawl becomes apparent when viewed at a regional level.

7. Development is single use

Sprawl areas developed with specific areas being reserved for single-family housing, with roads connecting the different areas. Residents in sprawl neighborhoods live in expansive areas that only have new-build housing. They then need to travel to retail parks and malls to shop or enjoy entertainment. The excessive use of land expands to large lawns and golf courses.

What are the causes of urban sprawl?

Urban sprawl is driven by the movement of people with distinct socioeconomic drivers for the demand for sprawl housing. Here are the main causes of urban sprawl:

Cheaper land

The biggest driver of sprawl developments is the lower price of suburban and rural land. A single-family home in the ‘burbs is often cheaper than a cramped city apartment. The lower land means that families can get much more space for their dollar, which motivates them to leave city centers, moving further and further out of the city.

Lower municipal taxes

Another motivation for buying property in sprawl developments is the lower local tax rates in suburban areas. This reduces the cost of living in the sprawl compared to the city center.

Improving incomes and social mobility

The post-war years have seen a sustained rise in incomes and living standards. This has enabled increasing numbers of people to afford a property further out of town.

The search for a better quality of life

Given a choice, higher-earning families opt to live in low-density neighborhoods with much more space. Out-of-town sprawl developments offer larger properties with more living space and locations on the margins of the nearest metropolitan area.

The preference for living at the urban fringe has not changed for decades with several generations pursuing the American dream of home ownership and raising a family in new-build low-density neighborhoods.

Congested living in inner-city neighborhoods

Urban areas have continued to be densely populated as people are drawn to them for work and lifestyle. Increases in the population of cities cause them to grow beyond their capacity, pushing people outwards. Many sprawl-dwellers are motivated by a desire for green spaces, trees, and safer neighborhoods that have been neglected in urban planning.

Availability of nearby commuter solutions

Residents are attracted to these sprawling suburban neighborhoods by the availability of infrastructure (road, bus, rail) that can take commuters back into the city for work. Decreasing commuter costs and the relatively low price of gasoline make life outside of the city easy. The cheaper commuter costs add to the appeal of suburban sprawl living.

The effects of urban sprawl

Heavy marketing of the white picket fence lifestyle of suburban living continues to drive urban sprawl more than 60 years after marketers dreamed up the ad images. But now, sprawl is increasingly attracting opposition, particularly because of its marked environmental effects.

Consumption of land

The acceleration of urban sprawl has consumed massive amounts of agricultural land. Big increases in urban populations have led to the aggressive spread.

An example is Chicago’s growth which had growth of 48% within 45 years but land coverage in excess of 160%. Also, in Boston, the amount of land developed in the last four decades exceeds the last 330 years of inhabitation.

This makes sense when you consider that the number of farms in the United States has fallen more than 63%, with just 2 million farms in 2000 compared to 7 million in 1930. Another trend is the movement of commercial buildings to out-of-town locations. South Florida only has 13% of its office space located in its central business district (CBD).

Environmental effects

The environmental effects of sprawl are wide-ranging, with consequences for wildlife and residents. Key environmental issues in urban sprawl include:

• Air pollution caused by excessive commuter traffic.
• Water pollution caused by increased surface run-off from newly built-up areas.
• Habitat and biodiversity loss, with the loss of natural corridors used by wildlife to move from place to place.
• Creation of man-made barriers to wildlife and increased roadkill from the expansion of the road network.
• Loss of environmentally sensitive areas like wetlands.
• Decrease in open, natural spaces like woodland, plains, or moorlands
• Raised flood risk, as many developments are built on known flood plains.

Public expenditure for infrastructure and services

The expansion of suburban neighborhoods necessitates increased public spending on infrastructure and services for the newly formed communities. Depending on location, money may have to be spent on flood defenses for properties.

Increased traffic and pollution

These disparate suburban neighborhoods are reliant on cars for even the shortest journeys. This mass movement of vehicles into and out of city centers during rush hour leads to a marked deterioration in air quality alongside increased fossil fuel consumption.

Homogeneity of communities

Urban sprawl has also highlighted social issues because the communities that develop in sprawl are generally upwardly mobile with residents of the same income or social group. This may lead to the polarization of communities and the ghettoization of inner city areas, where only socially disadvantaged people remain.

What are the solutions for urban sprawl?

The effects of urban sprawl are undeniable, but finding a solution to the increasing spread of urbanized neighborhoods is a real challenge.

Academics, environmentalists and policymakers that have explored this issue agree that there is no single solution for mitigating urban sprawl. Change must be delivered using a multifaceted strategy. Here are some elements that may work:

Better town planning

Local and regional planning policies are central to preventing the continued spread of urbanized areas. Municipal authorities can lead in guiding the growth of communities so that they have less environmental impact and concentrate resources in specifically designated areas that spare rural settings, like brownfield development.

A more formal approach to town planning with the development of smart growth or compact development, much like the Garden City Movement in the early 20th century, can help safeguard rural areas while offering homeowners the quality of life they are looking for.

Implementation of sprawl reduction policies

Local authorities can also implement more assertive policies like zoning provisions, specific building permits, and boundaries that direct new developments away from rural or ecologically important land.

Incentivizing redevelopment of existing urban areas

Tax breaks, development density bonuses, and providing development opportunities in urban areas such as ex-industrial or brownfield land may encourage developers to invest in improving urban districts rather than the country.

Authorities can also direct public investments toward the redevelopment of urban areas so that their amenities and housing quality can improve. By improving urban districts, people will be more inclined to stay in them, alleviating pressure on the periphery of cities.

Proactive land acquisition

Local, regional, and state governments can implement land acquisition, purchasing important habitats and parcels of land for conservation purposes.

A new generation of state parks, wildlife reserves, and open spaces could help to educate communities about the importance of preserving green spaces and ensure that ecologically critical areas are protected in perpetuity.

In conclusion

Urban sprawl and its drivers represent a failure in town and city planning amidst market forces that make it advantageous for families to move to newly built suburban communities. The sprawl represents a compromise between the accessibility of work, convenient amenities and entertainment in the city and open spaces and a slower pace of life.

However, in the future, homeowners may have to decide to be either city slickers or country bumpkins!

Ocean acidification has the potential to do catastrophic damage to the marine environment and threaten human livelihoods, nutrition, and well-being. In this article, we will look at the carbon dioxide problem in our seas and explore the ocean acidification solutions that could prevent CO₂‘s devastating effects.

What is ocean acidification?

Ocean acidification is simply a sustained fall in the average pH of seawater in the world’s oceans. In the last seven decades, scientists have monitored a steep fall in the pH of oceans from 8.15 to 8.0. This may not seem much, but the pH scale is logarithmic, meaning that a small numerical drop represents a massive swing in acidity.

pH measures the concentration of the hydrogen ions (H⁺) that give seawater its acidity. The more hydrogen ions present in the seawater, the greater the acidity of oceans. A change in pH of just 0.1 means that hydrogen ion concentrations have climbed more than 26%.

Marine scientists routinely monitoring pCO₂ and pH levels in oceanic waters worldwide have identified this disturbing trend. Open ocean voyages provide the opportunity to sample seawater using specialist equipment submerged for real-time readings.

Precision measurements can then be compared with scientists globally who have made similar measurements. Since ocean acidification has been identified and recognized, mitigating its effects is a key part of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.

What causes ocean acidification?

The primary source of these excess H+ ions is atmospheric carbon dioxide. Though carbon dioxide is gas, it is also soluble in water. Normally CO₂ is cycled between the atmosphere and oceans with high uptake in biologically active parts of the ocean, and release in warmer and less active marine environments. Learn more about carbon cycle steps.

As CO₂ emissions have risen, the world’s oceans have absorbed the excess. When the ocean absorbs CO₂, it becomes carbonic acid (H2CO3). Carbonic acid further dissociates to become a bicarbonate ion (HCO−3) and a hydrogen ion (H+).

Though the oceanic pH is falling, it remains alkaline for now. Still, the effects of acidification are felt by organisms like mollusks and corals that need an abundance of calcium carbonate to build their shells and skeletons.

Increased H+ reduces vital carbonate ion levels, especially in colder and higher latitude waters that can absorb greater concentrations of CO₂.

Ocean acidification is based on an average pH reading, but this phenomenon can be localized in certain areas of increased gaseous exchange between the atmosphere and the ocean.

What are the effects of ocean acidification?

Ocean acidification has wide-ranging effects. Some are poorly understood, but the consensus amongst scientists is that a reduction in oceanic pH will harm marine life. Here is a closer look at the effects:

Harm to marine organisms

The primary concern is the increased seawater pH’s effect on marine biology. The diverse ecosystems within oceans are sensitive to water chemistry, and even a slight derangement of parameters like pH could devastate populations of the most sensitive organisms. Biologists are concerned about the following multifaceted effects on marine organisms:

• Reduced calcification of corals, exoskeletons, and shells due to decreased carbonate levels in seawater.
• Increased predation of mollusks, corals, and other organisms with exoskeletons because their shells are weaker.
• Uptake of carbonic acid by fish leads to metabolic acidosis, a condition where the acid builds up in the blood and affects the metabolism. The acid acts as a stressor and compromises the growth and reproductive functions of the fish.
• Depression of marine organisms’ biological systems and functions leads to depressed metabolism, reduced reproduction, and increased susceptibility to disease.
• Disruption of the process by which larval corals and other organisms migrate to an optimal marine environment to grow.
• Larval urchins have been found to struggle to digest their food in acidic conditions.
• Phytoplankton and other marine microorganisms may struggle to reproduce if ocean pH becomes too deranged.
• The growth of seaweed and marine vegetation may also change, altering the composition of many coastal ecosystems.

Destruction of marine ecosystems

The smallest marine organisms are foundational to the food chains and biological systems that make up marine ecosystems. If left unchecked, ocean acidification could lead to the extinction of the most sensitive marine species. This would produce a catastrophic collapse in the availability of organisms critical to the marine food chain.

Collapse of fisheries

The fisheries that are sustained by normal ocean biochemistry are also under threat. Though larger organisms may be able to tolerate the acidification for longer, the loss of smaller marine organisms creates food stress that can lead to the dwindling of fish stocks.

The impact will be felt by the fishermen and other people who rely on fisheries for their livelihoods, currently estimated at more than a billion people. The devastations of oceans will also be felt in regions that attract tourists to visit their unique marine ecosystems.

Ocean acidification solutions: what can be done to mitigate this issue?

The issue of ocean acidification can be remedied by methods that tackle the levels of atmospheric free carbon dioxide in our environment. Climatologists say that the atmospheric carbon dioxide level has never been more than 300 parts per million. In the last 70 years, free CO₂ has climbed by just under 50% to approximately 420 parts per million.

The legacy levels of carbon that we find in our environment after 250 years of industrialization need to be tacked with the removal and sequestration of excess atmospheric CO₂. This has been the primary driver of ocean acidification; therefore, any steps that can be taken to reduce CO₂ emissions should positively affect this ongoing marine problem.

Scientists, environmentalists, technologists, and engineers are exploring various methods for recovering this excess CO₂. Strategies range from planting trees to advanced air-capture plants that can strip carbon dioxide from the environment. Though many solutions are currently proposals, their successful implementation could kickstart an economic revolution that can clean up our skies and seas.

Right now, CO₂ reduction methods are broadly grouped into direct methods using oceans as a potential carbon sink for the sequestration of CO₂, or indirect methods that reduce the rate of harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Let’s take a look at strategies that are currently being proposed.

Direct methods of reducing ocean acidification

Direct methods that are being explored for the reduction of acidification of the oceans leverage the oceans’ ability to sequester vast amounts of carbon dioxide. Oceans are the planet’s largest carbon sink. These massive bodies of water and the marine life within them can draw CO₂ out of the atmosphere and use it to support marine life or store it in the oceanic depths.

The complex biological and biogeochemical processes by which oceans remove CO₂ to the deep ocean are only just being understood. If they can be safely exploited, they can transform the upward trajectory of CO₂ concentrations and mitigate the acidification that is currently damaging our seas.

Direct solutions for ocean acidification comprise novel, ocean-based Negative Emissions Technologies (NET) that can actively remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. This is a completely new and underdeveloped area of environmental science, so the suggested solutions may or may not help to stabilize atmospheric CO₂ levels.

The most promising area of ocean-based NET is the nascent field of Ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR). It has a suite of technologies and solutions that utilize existing oceanic biological and geological processes to absorb and store CO₂ within marine life, ocean geology, or the Challenger Deep at depths of more than 35,876 feet (10,935 meters).

Here are the five key Ocean-based carbon dioxide removal methods to watch:

1. Cultivating seaweed for carbon sequestration

Seaweeds are marine macroalgae that thrive on CO₂, removing it from the water and converting it into the sugars that drive their growth! Cultivation of seaweed could sequester vast amounts of carbon dioxide and, depending on the seaweed species used, provide a delicious and extremely nutritious food source that does not require fertilizers for its growth.

A notable advantage of this ocean acidification solution is the rapid growth rate of many seaweed species, which can see some kelp varieties grow more than 2 feet (60 centimeters) in a single day, meaning that carbon removal could be accelerated by using the right species.

Scientists also propose that the seaweed could be converted into biochar, bioplastics or simply sunk in the ocean depths. Engineers are seeking to automate the seaweed cultivation process using floating oceanic platforms with robotics for harvesting, the creation of bales, and sinking the seaweed into the deep ocean for long-term sequestration.

2. Use of phytoplankton cultivation for carbon sequestration

Phytoplankton are the microalgae at the bottom of the marine food chain. These microscopic organisms may be tiny, but they use CO₂ to drive rapid growth, taking it out of the atmosphere and water. Scientists believe that even a small rise in the overall mass of phytoplankton could impact CO₂ levels and provide marine life with an abundant food source.

Proposals have been made to harness phytoplankton for CO₂ fixation by promoting the ideal environment for microalgae growth in specific ocean areas.

Specific areas of the ocean could be targeted for phytoplankton blooms by using wave-powered pumps to bring nutrients from deeper seawater to the photic zone where these microalgae can thrive.

3. Enhancement of ocean alkalinity

This method primarily seeks to mitigate the effects of acidification by introducing alkaline minerals that can help water pH move towards neutral. This method accelerates natural rock weathering or adds alkaline material to seawater. It is hoped that this will alter oceanic biochemistry to generate chemical reactions that overall lead to the movement of CO₂ to deeper levels of the ocean.

4. Supporting the growth of blue carbon ecosystems

More and more people realize that carbon dioxide emissions can be mitigated by simply putting carbon back where it belongs. A great example of this is the blue carbon ecosystem.

These marine ecosystems can capture and store more CO₂ per unit of area than forests. Coastal areas are now being recognized for the large amounts of CO₂ they can fix and use, keeping it out of the atmosphere and creating fertile habitats for wildlife. These can include:

• Salt marshes
• Estuaries
• Mangroves
• Seagrass meadows

Marine biologists believe that the destruction of these valuable ecosystems has contributed to CO₂ release and ocean acidification.

5. Direct ocean capture

This industrialized and energy-intensive solution would see pumped sea water being stripped of its CO₂ using electrochemistry in a dedicated facility comparable to a desalination plant. The CO₂ removed would then be stored in deep rock layers. Alternatively, the CO₂ could be used to blast alkaline rocks to boost ocean alkalinity, enabling seas to absorb more atmospheric CO₂.

Indirect methods of reducing ocean acidification

Indirect methods of reducing ocean acidification are all aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions. The great thing about these methods is that everyone can play their part. By making simple lifestyle changes, we can help to slow the rate of CO₂ emissions, reducing the burden on our oceans.

In most industrialized countries, more than 80% of carbon dioxide emissions are generated by:

1. Energy generation
2. Transportation
3. Buildings

By focusing on these areas, tangible progress can be made in curbing the upward trajectory of CO₂ emissions. Here are some methods that may prove effective.

1. Building insulation

In 2022, the US energy sector generated at least 4,970 million metric tons (MMmt) of CO₂ emissions. This massive amount could be reduced by preventing the significant energy wastage that comes from heat loss via poorly insulated buildings.

Investing in properly insulating your property means that less energy is required to heat it. Not only does this reduce the consumption of oil, coal, and natural gas that is burnt for energy generation, you’ll save on bills too.

2. Energy-efficient lighting and appliances

Electricity generation accounts for at least 31% of the US energy sector carbon emissions, so anything you can do to reduce your electricity consumption will positively affect carbon dioxide emissions. There are so many ways you can use less electricity:

• Switch incandescent light bulbs for low-energy LED bulbs.
• Choose energy-efficient domestic appliances like your refrigerator or microwave.
• Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
• Switch off appliances at the socket.
• Complete a home energy audit to identify energy-inefficient appliances.

If enough people take these simple actionable steps, there will be a tangible reduction in the demand for electricity and the generation of carbon dioxide emissions.

3. Renewable energy

Renewable energy sources harness wind, water, sun, and geothermal energy to generate electricity by burning fossil fuels or wood. Though none of the major renewable energy technologies can meet current energy demands, they make a significant contribution to energy generation that reduces CO₂ emissions in many countries around the world.

4. Leave the car at home

Short car journeys are not only fuel-inefficient, but also incredibly polluting. If you own a car, it is convenient to use it for every journey. However, by skipping driving for walking, cycling, or public transport, you can reduce the amount of CO₂ your vehicle releases by burning fuel. Again, it is a simple lifestyle change that not only gets you some exercise and saves you dollars, but also drives down needless CO₂ emissions.

5. Reducing food miles

Shockingly, most meals in the U.S. will have traveled more than 1,500 miles to get to your plate. Transporting food by road, rail or air takes energy and releases CO₂, with air freight being the most polluting.

A switch to eating local, seasonal food may be expensive and inconvenient at first, but it makes a real difference in cutting the long distances our food has to travel. In many parts of America, people are choosing to support local farmers and producers by buying at least some of their groceries from a farmers’ market.

6. Repair, reuse, recycle

Oceans are not just suffering because of CO₂ but also the microplastics and other waste that is entering them daily. Consumer lifestyles consume natural resources, with purchases like fast fashion having a big carbon footprint.

This type of disposable culture is unsustainable long-term, prompting various business owners and stakeholders to look for an alternative approach that will minimize carbon dioxide emissions and place less pressure on natural resources.

One such solution is the circular economy, where the lifespan of products is prolonged through repairing and reusing items that would have been discarded, along with recycling them at the end of their lifespan.

7. Protect natural environments

As mentioned earlier, massive emissions of CO₂ are being generated by the destruction and degradation of ecosystems that would have fixed and stored it. Countries must be proactive about protecting their natural environment so that the ecosystems that function as natural carbon sinks are not disturbed.

These important ecosystems need to be protected with robust legislation that forbids activities like logging, construction, and intensive agriculture on them. In some countries, organizations are investing in the rewilding of open spaces so that they mature into biologically diverse ecosystems that can remove significant amounts of CO₂.

8. Turn down thermostats

This is another simple but impactful act that can help to reduce the CO₂ emissions generated by everyday household activity. Thermostats are everywhere in your home. Turning back the temperature of your furnace, hot water, washer-dryer, dishwasher, or air conditioning will save massive amounts of energy and reduce demand.

Rounding up

There are a variety of technological, biological, and initiative-led solutions that can help solve the ocean acidification problem. Experts from a variety of disciplines are working together to develop and test these and other carbon-reducing solutions. To achieve tangible change, governments, NGOs, and policymakers are exploring how they can support and invest in ocean acidification solutions to accelerate their implementation and embed long-term change.

Disposing of nuclear waste and managing natural and manufactured radiation sources in our environment is difficult. If inadequately contained, radioactive waste and pollution can cause serious health problems and long-term environmental contamination.

To help you understand the serious implications of nuclear radiation and radioactive pollution, this article closely examines the causes, effects, and solutions to nuclear radiation.

What is radioactive pollution?

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) defines radioactive pollution as the unintended or undesirable presence or deposition of radioactive substances on surfaces or within solids, liquids, and gasses. For this article, radioactive pollution and radiological contamination will be used interchangeably. 

The contamination of land, air, seas, and freshwater with radioactive contaminants introduces these environments and the living things within them to ionizing radiation generated by the decay of radioactive material.

The unstable nuclear state of radioactive elements leads to their degradation releasing hazardous energy in the form of alpha, beta, and gamma rays along with free neutrons.

Radioactive waste and pollutants vary in their level of radioactivity and capacity to harm. But sustained contact with the bodily organs of humans and animals can lead to tissue damage, disease, genetic mutations, cancers, and death.

One of the big problems with radioactive pollution is that it is persistent, with radioactive substances releasing damaging radiation for decades or even centuries after the contaminating incident depending on the half-life of the contaminant.

Radioactive waste is a major source of nuclear radiation pollution

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are five types of radioactive waste:

1. High-level waste

High-level nuclear waste is the most dangerous and toxic form of nuclear waste. Only 1% of all radioactive waste is high-level waste. Its hazardous nature means that it is usually stored at the facility where it is generated. High-level nuclear waste primarily comes from two sources:

1. Solid spent nuclear fuels: the majority of high-level waste.
2. Liquid high-level waste from defense activities.

2. Transuranic waste

Transuranic waste is a special category of radioactive waste derived from manufacturing nuclear fuels and weapons. This type of waste is generated by man-made radioactive elements with an atomic number of 92 or higher. This waste is so dangerous that disposable items associated with its development must be stored at a remote Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

3. Mill tailings 

As mentioned below, mill tailings are solid wastes left over from uranium and thorium processing. These highly radioactive discarded materials require sealed storage at a dedicated facility.

4. Technologically enhanced naturally-occurring radioactive material (TENORM)

TENORM materials are naturally occurring radiological materials (NORM) that man has enhanced through processes like enrichment, with various uses in industry. TENORM materials are less potent than high-level waste but require careful disposal in-line with state regulations.

5. Low-level waste

Low-level radioactive waste is generated by industry, healthcare, and defense. Low-level and very low-level waste account for over 95% of the total amount of radioactive waste generated.

It usually consists of disposable items in contact with radioactive materials or sources. Though they are not as dangerous as the other classes of radioactive waste, they still require disposal by specialist companies at a designated disposal facility.

Key sources of radioactive waste and pollution

Nuclear radiation has wide-ranging positive and negative applications in the modern world. Radioactive waste is a byproduct of its use. As 10% of the world’s energy consumption is nuclear generated, radioactive elements, materials, and waste are found in every continent, along with the potential for significant pollution.

 Here are the most important sources of radioactive waste today:

1. The nuclear energy sector

Nuclear energy generation generates radioactive waste, which can be low-level or high-level. Nuclear waste is a pernicious and environmental pollutant that comes from the following sources in the production of nuclear energy:

A. Uranium mill tailings

Uranium-235 is the primary driver of the nuclear reaction that is used to generate electricity. Uranium ore is milled to purify it for use in the energy sector. However, this process generates mill tailings, a waste product with more than 85% of the radioactivity of the original ore.

Tailings have only recently been recognized as high-risk radioactive waste. This means that disposal plans for mill tailings were inadequate for many decades, leading to pollution of the surrounding environment.

B. Spent nuclear reactor fuel

Once nuclear fuel has been exhausted through use in a reactor, it is known as spent fuel. The uranium oxide used to generate nuclear energy is packaged in tiny ceramic pellets stacked with metallic rods known as fuel rods.

Spent rods are solid when removed from a nuclear reactor and require particular disposal in a spent fuel tank at the nuclear power plant. In the US, over 2,000 tons of spent fuel is generated each year, a volume that could fill half of an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

C. Tools and equipment

Any equipment that comes into contact with radioactive dust or particulate matter at nuclear processing facilities and power plants also requires careful disposal.

2. Nuclear accidents

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) defines nuclear accidents as events where large amounts of radioactive material are dispersed, leading to significant consequences to nuclear facilities, the environment, and people.

Nuclear accidents vary in severity and impact on the environment. In major nuclear accidents like the 1986 Chornobyl disaster and the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, the core of a nuclear reactor has been damaged, leading to the massive release of radioisotopes into the surrounding environment.

Since Chornobyl, there have been more than 57 nuclear accidents and severe incidents worldwide. 60% of these have taken place in the United States. Though many risk mitigation procedures are in place at nuclear power plants, facilities, and nuclear submarines, human error remains a major cause of nuclear accidents.

Nuclear accidents have a massive ecological impact that can have immediate and long-term effects. The radioactive pollution of land, water, and air can take decades to clean up and bring to safe levels.

3. The defense sector

In countries that have a military with nuclear capabilities, defense activities will generate nuclear waste which is usually uranium or plutonium-based but not the products of nuclear fission.

Nuclear weapons, submarines, and other military equipment become significant nuclear waste sources when decommissioned.

Radioactive pollution from nuclear testing

Nuclear testing has been an infamous cause of radioactive pollution. Though the last ‘known’ nuclear tests were carried out by America, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union in the 1990s, the pollution of land, water, and airspace can be persistent.

This is because 15% of the total energy of a nuclear explosion is radiation, with the dispersal of radionuclides that emit radiation as they degrade. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed in 1996.

3. Radon gas emissions

Radon gas is a naturally occurring source of radiation. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Radon is one of the largest contributors to background radiation and is leached from uranium present in granite, shale, and other rocks. In regions that have high concentrations of radon, the gas can build up in properties, increasing the risk of cancer.

There is a strong association between radon gas and lung cancer. Alaska, South Dakota, and Pennsylvania have some of the highest radon gas concentrations in the U.S.

4. Radioactive sources used in industry

One of the most vulnerable areas to radioactive pollution and significant human harm is the use of radioactive sources in industry. Radioactive sources used in industry have caused numerous fatal incidents because of improper storage, handling, and loss, like the Mexico City radiation accident (1962) and the Rio Tinto Western Australian radioactive capsule incident in 2023.

Radioactive sources and capsules are used in industry in the following ways:

A. Inspection

Radioactive sources are used in various manufacturing industries to inspect the integrity of fabrication, such as welding. Like an X-ray, the radioactive source is placed on one side and a detector on the other to look at how materials are penetrated. This provides a convenient and portable method for inspecting items without risking internal damage.

B. Tracers

Industrial tracers use radiation to monitor the flow of fluids and the efficiency of industrial processes such as refining. The short-lived radioisotopes that are used present minimal risk to the environment. The tracer radioisotopes are mixed in with flowing or filtered materials to track their movement and identify leaks or blockages.

C. Gauges 

Gamma sources are used as gauges to monitor levels of a variety of solids, liquids, and gasses used in industry. They are advantageous in extremely hazardous environments where extremes of temperature or corrosive substances make the use of direct contact gauges impossible.

5. Medical radioisotopes from nuclear medicine

Radioactive waste is also generated by tertiary hospitals that have a nuclear medicine department. The following radioisotopes are used in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures:

• Technetium-99m (Tc-99m)
• Iodine-131(I-131)
• Carbon-14(C-14)
• Iodine-125 (I-125)
• Tritium (H-3) 
• Fluorine-18(F-18)

This medical application of radiation generates not only used isotopes, but also contaminated syringes, vials, needles, swabs, vials, and dressings. Clothing and items handled by patients that have received high doses of radioisotopes may also have to be disposed of as radioactive waste.

6. Milling and mining 

The mining and milling of uranium are important causes of radioactive pollution. Radioactive waste is generated in this industry via the following extraction methods:

• Open and closed-pit mining with the digging of soil and rocks out of open pits to extract uranium ore, known as carnotite.

• Leaching: a common and extremely polluting method that uses pumped chemicals to dissolve and extract uranium from rocks. The generated uranium-rich leachate is then processed to purify and extract uranium.

The waste generated from uranium mining is called tailings if it is solid and raffinates if it is liquid. This waste requires careful storage as it is some of the most hazardous waste.

In addition, the mining of any rock generates raised concentrations of radon gas that can cause lung cancer. To mitigate this radiation hazard, radon gas must be pumped out of mines, with some miners requiring breathing equipment to protect their lungs.

7. Improper radioactive waste disposal

Radioactive waste that has been improperly disposed of is an immediate environmental hazard. The disposal of radioactive waste is undertaken at secure specialist facilities that are regulated by the EPA, The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and  The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Standards regarding the disposal and long-term storage of radioactive waste are so stringent that incidents of improper disposal have been rare recently. In the early 20th century, significant radioactive pollution was caused by the inadvertent spread of radioisotopes by radium watch dial painters, miners, and scientists like Marie Curie.

A major concern remains the longevity of storage arrangements for radioactive materials due to materials such as plutonium and uranium remaining radioactive potential for thousands of years. Earthquakes, explosions, and improper documentation have been cited as causes of radioactive waste leakages.

What are the effects of nuclear waste and radioactive pollution?

Radiation pollution is harmful because of its pervasive effects on living things. Even physically small quantities of highly radioactive materials can deliver a dose of radiation that can kill. Solid, liquid, and gaseous radioactive substances contaminate the areas where they are present and, if uncontained, will disperse through the environment.

Here are the main effects of radiation:

Effects of ionizing radiation on human health

Ionizing radiation releases radiation that penetrates human tissues and can damage the genetic material within a cell’s nucleus. The severity of these effects depends on the radiation dose and exposure duration.

Acute effects of radioactive contamination

Exposure to large doses of radiation causes Acute Radiation Syndrome, also known as radiation sickness. The energy delivered can be large enough to cause visible reddening and burns, followed by nausea, vomiting, inflammation, bleeding of the mucous membranes, hair loss, and death. The dose of radiation delivered would have to exceed 18,000 chest X-rays.

Chronic and long-term effects of radiation pollution

Sustained or chronic exposure to raised radiation levels is a significant health risk. Even if the dose is low, the proximity to a source of ionizing radiation leads to cellular and DNA damage that raises the risk of developing cancer or infertility.

Chronic effects can be experienced through occupational exposure, living in an environment, or ingesting food contaminated with radioactive materials.

Effects of radiation pollution on wildlife

Wildlife that comes into contact with nuclear fallout or the radioactive discharges from nuclear disasters can be affected similarly to humans. Genetic damage to animals can lead to mutations, especially in rodents and other small, fast-multiplying creatures.

Dispersal of radioactive particulates on grass and other vegetation can lead to radioactive materials entering the food chain and becoming concentrated in humans and apex predators.

Effects of radioactive pollution on marine life

Radioactive pollution can also harm marine environments and be dispersed through water systems over wide distances. A serious consequence is that radioactive isotopes like iodine are absorbed by seaweeds and phytoplankton, entering the marine food chain and becoming concentrated in fish and seafood.

Currently, this is one of the major concerns of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant incident. Thousands of tons of radioactive water have been released into the Pacific Ocean, with a temporary fishing ban in waters off the northeastern coast of Japan.

Despite being diluted by massive volumes of ocean water, tuna caught off the U.S. West Coast were found to have raised levels of ¹³⁴Cs in their tissues.

Contaminated land

Nuclear incidents in a specific geographical area can render land unusable for decades. The soils, water, and vegetation become contaminated, leading to raised background levels of traditions that are unsafe for human habitation. Even where cleanup efforts have been successful, a geographical region may be associated with pollution and avoided by people.

Solutions for managing nuclear waste and radioactive pollution

There is no way in which radioactive pollution or waste can be physically cleaned or destroyed. Where there is contamination or a spill, ‘clean up’ efforts focus on stripping and containing contaminated materials, including buildings, vegetation, and soils. This makes careful management of radioactive waste essential. Here are the main principles:

• Careful planning: sites that handle radioactive materials use careful planning to minimize the amount of waste produced.

• Prompt processing of radioactive waste: waste is treated as soon as possible after it is generated to minimize the risk of dispersal of radioactive material. Processes are often automated, including decontamination, compacting, and solidifying radioactive waste.

• Containment of radioactive material: Nuclear waste requires specialist packaging in containers that will not allow the radiation to escape. Secure sealed containment must also be robust enough to withstand handling and transport to a storage facility.

• Reliable long-term storage: Certain radioisotopes have half-lives that can be hundreds of years. Without a safe means of disposal, most high-level radioactive waste has to be stored long-term or permanently in facilities that can be adequately sealed and secured.  Storage facilities may be located underground, taking advantage of natural rock as a barrier.

The management of radioactive waste depends on its type

The approach to managing radioactive waste varies according to whether it is high-level, intermediate-level, or low-level:

High-level nuclear waste

The most hazardous forms of nuclear waste are often liquids generated while processing spent fuel rods from nuclear reactors.

This toxic liquid undergoes vitrification, where it is mixed with crushed glass and heated to become a molten liquid. The high-level waste is then poured into 150-liter stainless steel canisters and moved for long-term storage.

Waste is usually stored on-site for several decades until it is deemed safe enough for longer-term storage, usually within several other containers in a dedicated deep geological facility called a repository.

Low-level nuclear waste

Low-level nuclear waste may be incinerated and compacted for storage in many repositories. After being encased in metal containers, low-level waste is stored in concrete-lined vaults and repositories that are carefully monitored.

Most low-level radioactive waste facilities have limits on radiation levels that can safely be accepted. Regulators and regional authorities set limits on the amount of low-level waste that can be stored in a specific area. Some very low-level radioactive waste may even be landfilled.

Recovery and reprocessing of nuclear materials

Nuclear materials can also be recovered from apparent waste for future use. Uranium and plutonium are valuable and so waste that is rich in these radioactive elements is routinely stored for future use.

Spent nuclear fuel is also reprocessed using dangerous chemical processes that separate the plutonium and uranium from used fuel rods. Though this potentially reduces demand for newly mined radioisotopes, it is a potentially hazardous and polluting procedure.

Rounding up

Nuclear radiation and radioactive pollution are serious environmental issues. The continued adoption of nuclear energy (with more than 400 power stations globally) means that the amount of waste generated and the potential for pollution will also continue to increase. 

Manufactured containment measures for radioactive material appear to be working well. Still, the potential for human error, natural disasters, or activity by malicious agents mean that everyone is at risk of the effects and environmental damage from this extremely dangerous type of pollution.

The burgeoning fast fashion industry comes with a cost. People are wearing their clothes less and discarding them more quickly. The quality and durability of clothing are also down. This keeps the consumer trapped in a cycle of buying which satisfies clothing manufacturers but does massive environmental harm.

The sustainable fashion industry appears to be an alternative to the destructive cycle that is being perpetuated by fast fashion, but how do they compare? In this article, we deep dive into 14 differences between fast fashion vs sustainable fashion that will show you the extent of the crisis in fashion and the possible solutions.

What is fast fashion?

Fast fashion is clothing designed and manufactured to quickly and cheaply copy the latest trends. This type of mass-manufactured clothing is based on runway styles or celebrity outfits. It moves quickly from design through manufacture to stores to take maximum advantage of consumer interest and demand.

People can now purchase the latest looks or get a ‘fashion fix’ affordably. Speedy manufacturing processes and global shipping methods mean companies can continually turn out new collections. This fashion sector moves so quickly that new designs can be on sale multiple times per week.

Fast fashion has changed the way people shop for clothes

Over the last 30 years, how people shop for clothes has completely changed. Before the fast fashion revolution in the late 1990s, people would buy their clothes seasonally and wear them for longer. Clothing was more expensive, and shopping was a big event.

Fashion shows were originally a preview of upcoming clothing collections that would be retailed for months at a time. Fast fashion has changed consumer appetites increasing demand for new styles continuously and the instant gratification of being on trend. The rise of e-commerce has further accelerated these changes.

With fast fashion, quality is low on the list

Fast fashion has been developed to respond quickly to consumer demand with cost-efficient clothing. The priority is to provide fashionable clothing at a low cost, with little care for the quality or durability of the garments.

What is sustainable fashion?

Sustainable, ethical, or eco-fashion is a broad term that encompasses clothing production and distribution methods developed to reduce the environmental impact of clothing production, improve garment worker welfare and introduce social justice to the fashion industry. 

A key aim of sustainable fashion is to completely reform the lifecycle of clothing, from the materials used to manufacture clothes to what happens to clothing at the end of its usable life. This proactive approach to reducing the environmental impact of sustainable fashion has a noted positive impact on the pollution and waste that is notorious in the fashion industry.

Sustainability in fashion has been an issue since the 1960s environmentalism movements, which questioned the necessity of mass-manufacturing clothing and identified its polluting effects. Awareness and adoption of sustainable practices in fashion have been patchy due to the increased costs involved. 

Sustainable fashion has championed key innovations in textile recycling and reprocessing that are gradually being adopted by fast fashion manufacturers that want to improve their ‘green’ credentials. The exemplary practices of the sustainable fashion movement have not fully penetrated the fast fashion industry, which may need to be reformed using tariffs or standards.

14 differences between fast fashion vs sustainable fashion

Understanding the differences between the fast and sustainable fashion industries drives home the scale of the environmental impact of clothing. These two sectors within the fashion industry have massive differences that everyone should know about to make more informed choices about the clothes they wear.

1. Clothing industry size and scale

The global fast fashion market is worth more than $91 billion. Since 2016, it has experienced runaway growth sustaining a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 1.69%. By 2026 industry experts expect that the size of the fast fashion market may have almost doubled to more than $173 billion as adoption increases internationally.

In contrast, sustainable clothing has a much smaller market share. Analysts estimate the size of the ethical fashion market to be over $7.5 billion (2022). This market is also accelerating, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 6.5% since 2017. By 2027 the size of the sustainable fashion market is expected to still be modest relative to fast fashion at $11 billion+.

2. Clothing industry market drivers

Fast fashion has numerous drivers that have kept its market share large. These include:

• The growth of fast fashion and organized retail networks in emerging markets
• High penetration of social media and digital marketing into populations
• A rise in demand for sports and performance wear
• The rise of e-commerce
• Reductions in manufacturing costs due to globalization
• Urbanization
• A burgeoning young population in developing countries and emerging markets

Growth drivers for sustainable fashion have centered on social awareness and include:

• Increasing awareness of poor working conditions endured by workers to deliver fast fashion
• Awareness of the negative environmental impact of fast fashion
• Consumer demand for sustainable or ethical fashion
• Reductions in free trade and access to global markets
• Raw material shortages

3. Raw materials used

Fast fashion is a massive consumer of natural resources. Every year, 70 million barrels of oil go into producing synthetic fibers and fabrics for shiny, stretchy, and clingy fast fashion.

And it’s not only synthetics that are a problem. Fast fashion also places strain on global cotton availability.

The high turnover of these cheap clothes also consumes vast amounts of water and energy, in their continuous production, making this a very resource-expensive type of clothing over the long term.

In contrast, sustainable fashion reuses and repurposes existing textiles or uses demonstrably sustainable materials like hemp or bamboo linen. The sustainable fashion industry avoids the use of raw materials for fabric as much as possible. Investment goes into the advanced reprocessing of waste textiles, meaning using fewer raw materials.

4. Manufacturing methods

Fast fashion has been made possible by introducing automation and mass manufacturing of fabrics and garments. Fabrics are spun from oil-based synthetic fibers and woven into cheap fabrics.

By the time they are sewn into garments, these poor-quality fabrics have been bleached or dyed, treated with retardants and other chemicals, and printed. The prioritization of speed and low cost means that the assembly quality is poor, meaning that many items may even be discarded before they leave the manufacturing plant.

Sustainable clothing manufacturers take large volumes of discarded textiles that are shredded, respun, and woven into new fabrics. These recycled fabrics underpin sustainable clothing manufacture. Dyes, printing, and embellishments use eco-friendly materials.

5. Garment factory conditions

Fast fashion requires a supply chain developed for speed so that clothing manufacturers can rapidly respond to new trends. To achieve high volume, rapidly produced clothing cheaply, fashion firms may neglect ethical standards and use factories that have poor working conditions. Issues affecting workers in the garment industry include the sexual exploitation of women, child labor, and sweatshops.

Take a look inside the fast fashion industry:

The holistic approach of sustainable fashion is less intensive with greater concern for the welfare of workers. This usually makes clothing production more expensive and slower. Sustainable fashion consumers are concerned that garment trade workers are paid fair wages and have decent working conditions.

6. Chemical use

The textile industry uses a variety of hazardous chemicals and toxins that damage human health and the environment. These chemicals are used at every stage of processing and finishing fabrics and garments and include, bleaching agents, dyes, surfactants, and inks.

Examples of toxic chemicals routinely used in fast fashion include:

• Formaldehyde
• Quaternary ammonium compounds
• Oxy-ethylated polyamides
• Silica gel
• Disperse dyes
• Azo dyes
• Chlorinated flame retardants

Though these chemicals improve the look and feel of garments, they generate hazardous wastewater that can pollute drinking water and harm aquatic life. Many of these chemicals are allergens and aggravate conditions like asthma and eczema.

Some of these chemicals are also used in sustainable fashion production as garments are expected to meet legal standards of flame retardancy and achieve a wearable finish.

However, sustainable garments tend to use fabric processing compounds that are free from the most toxic chemicals and limit the impact of textile production on waterways and the wider environment. Quality standards such as Oeko-Tex® are used to assure consumers that harmful chemicals are not present in the garments.

7. Garment quality

One of the biggest differences between fast fashion and sustainable fashion is the quality and durability of the garments produced. They are not intended to last long as the fast fashion industry wants customers to buy new clothes repeatedly.

Fast fashion is designed to be low-cost and high turnover to satisfy the demands of fleeting trends. This means that companies cut costs on the quality of fabrics and their assembly leading to cheap clothes that do not wash or wear well and are soon discarded.

Sustainable fashion takes a different, less consumer-centric approach. Garment design and manufacture are far more considered, with a focus on increasing the longevity of clothes so that fewer raw materials are required long term. Sustainable fashion manufacturers and retailers may invest in novel recycled textiles, repurposed and recycled clothing, and better garment assembly to deliver a better quality, albeit more expensive, product.

8. Cost of clothing

The factors that determine the price a customer pays for an item of clothing include:

• Fabric costs
• The price of notions and embellishments like buttons and zippers
• Labor costs for making the garment
• Transport, logistics, and warehousing costs for completed garment orders
• Marketing and merchandising costs
• Manufacturer, supplier, and retailer profit

Fast fashion is designed to be cheap and accessible to the widest possible range of customers. At every stage of a fast, mass-produced fashion’s design, production, marketing, and retail, costs are kept as low as possible so that sales volumes can be maximized.

The fast fashion industry cannot entertain concepts like recycling or reprocessing textiles as they add cost to the business model. As long as it is cheaper to work with raw materials, this fast fashion will continue to consume them.

Sustainable clothing is currently more expensive than fast fashion, especially as its sales volumes are lower. Sustainable fashion costs more to produce, especially when a fair wage and ethical employment practices are implemented in factories. Reprocessing waste fabrics to make new materials is also expensive and energy intensive.

These costs are passed on to the customer who often makes a deliberate decision to buy sustainable clothing. However, the quality and durability of sustainable garments mean that consumers can avoid buying new garments repeatedly.

9. Waste

Just take a look at what is happening in Kenya and other parts of the world right now because of fast fashion:

Fast fashion generates huge waste. Consumers are saturated with an immense amount of choice, meaning that vast quantities of wearable clothing often go straight to waste. If garments go unused and unsold, they often end up in landfills or shipped abroad, where the poor quality of the garments means that they are quickly discarded.

According to Earth.org, 92 million tonnes of fabric waste is produced each year, with over $500 billion wasted due to underworn and discarded clothes. Every American discards at least 81.5 pounds (37 kilograms) of clothing annually. Waste textiles are a massive pollutant, choking waterways and releasing microplastics into seas.

The sustainable fashion movement has emerged, in part, due to the shocking levels of fast fashion waste. Innovative manufacturers actively recycle waste textiles to make better quality clothing that does not need to be discarded.

As consumers become more aware of the impact that their appetite for disposable clothing is having on the environment, many are optioning to purchase sustainable items.

10. Clothing product miles

The fashion industry is responsible for at least 10% of global CO₂ emissions, with each garment often clocking up many ‘product miles’ before it gets to the consumer. The supply chain for fashion is global with fabric and clothing routinely traveling by shipping or air freight, which are both highly polluting.

Some sustainable clothing is also transported using these methods, but designers and manufacturers within this sector have also explored minimizing the product miles of the clothing they produce by making garments locally.

In Western countries, this can add significantly to the cost of producing clothing especially compared to factories in Asia and Latin America, where fast fashion is mass-produced.

11. Recycling clothing

Despite being entirely possible, clothing recycling is not a part of the fast fashion business model. Fast fashion retailers’ singular concern is selling as many products as possible, with little care for where it ends up long-term.

The marketing of this type of clothing is focused on its appearance and how you’ll feel wearing it with little mention of its quality or sustainability. Though marketing channels could be used to promote clothing recycling, it is not part of the lifespan of a fast fashion garment.

Sustainable fashion has championed and advanced textile reprocessing and recycling since its inception. This jeans factory in Pakistan is a great example:

Textile recycling methods that this sector has championed have begun to be adopted by mainstream clothing brands. For example, H&M, a fast fashion retailer, has invested in its textile recycling machines to create sustainable clothing for sale in its stores:

12. Repairs and alterations

Fast fashion is cheaply made and not designed for repairs or alteration. A fast fashion garment’s materials and fabrication quality are already low when purchased, meaning that the garment fails quickly after sustained washing and wear. Throwing damaged clothing, shoes, and accessories in the bin is often cheaper than paying for a professional repair.

Sustainable fashion seeks to be part of a circular economy, where the longevity of garments can be maximized by incentivizing repair. Clothing companies and retailers transitioning to becoming more sustainable have introduced alteration and repair services for the garments they sell to encourage people to wear their clothes for longer. Levis is a great example:

13. Brands and retailers

Fast fashion is big business, and international brands are profiting from churning out massive volumes of cheap clothing, which is then shipped worldwide. Many customers need to be made aware of the provenance and environmental impact of their clothing, which limits their inclination and opportunity to make a sustainable choice.

Examples of fast fashion international brands include:

• Shein
• BooHoo
• Uniqlo
• Primark
• Victoria’s Secret
• GAP
• Zara
• Fashion Nova
• H&M

Sustainable fashion brands are more niche. Their smaller market share means that customers consciously decide to purchase them, often because they seek a more sustainable lifestyle.

Examples of sustainable fashion brands with global reach include:

• Stella McCartney
• Patagonia
• Craghoppers
• Levis
• PACT
• Everlane
• thredUP

For more examples of sustainable fashion brands, check out our round-up reviews of the best sustainable swimwear, sustainable pajamas, and sustainable slippers.

14. Sustainability

Fast fashion simply is not sustainable long-term. It is a massive polluter of the environment, consumers, and natural resources and a sustainer of unethical labor practices worldwide. In many parts of the world, especially countries that are heavily polluted by textile waste, people are seeking for fast fashion companies to take responsibility for the massive amounts of waste and pollution they are generating.

The sustainable fashion industry could be better, but using recycled textiles, opting for eco-friendly dyes, and producing better quality garments is rapidly progressing towards a sustainable, circular economy.

Rounding up

People care about the environmental impact of fashion, but it isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind when you want to look good. For far too long, the fast fashion industry has gotten away with producing cheap disposable clothing without bearing the costs of the environmental problems they are generating.

Sustainable fashion is gradually becoming more widely adopted, but fast fashion companies need to be disincentivized from squandering natural resources on what is essential clothing waste. Some fast fashion companies, like H&M, are beginning to step up to their responsibilities and demonstrate that fast fashion can treat the Earth (and their customers) much better.

However, a lot of the headline discourse on environmental issues is going on at a political level, far away from the mundanities of everyday life. This means it’s easy to wonder why should we care for the environment, especially if you’re not glued to the news.

If you’re looking for the reasons why we should care for the environment, this article explores the seven key reasons why the environment and its care should matter to every person on the planet.

What do we mean when we refer to ‘the environment’?

Put plainly, the environment is the sum of all living and non-living things on Earth (including climate, radiation, electrical phenomena, and weather) and their non-artificial relationships and interactions. The natural environment exists on a continuum with environments that are artificial or at least heavily influenced by man.

The environment spans vast natural ecosystems, including rock, soil, water, and vegetation. Natural resources like fossil fuels and the atmosphere are also part. Constituent ecosystems within the environment consist of various forms of life, ranging from microorganisms to animals.

Of course, the environment we experience today has been shaped by the activity of man. Built environments are the opposite of natural environments and have been completely modified and developed to meet the requirements of man. Examples of built environments are farms and cities where the natural environment has been altered or effaced, and something else is in its place.

The environment has been impacted by the activity of mankind with contemporary challenges that include:

• Pollution
• Biodiversity loss
• Natural resource depletion
• Atmospheric and climatic changes

7 reasons why we should protect the environment?

1. Environmental degradation is destroying our health

The material benefits of the industrial revolution to much of the world are undeniable, but one of the major downsides of industrialization has been the massive amounts of pollution generated, with a catastrophic impact on human health.

Pollution generated by industrial processes such as mining, transportation, manufacturing, energy generation, and even food processing is incredibly pernicious, affecting almost every organ system in the body.

In many cases, such as the Dupont PFOA scandal, the DDT controversy, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the environment has been deliberately damaged through the dumping of industrial waste or negligent operational procedures.

Recognized effects of environmental pollution on human health include:

Respiratory disease

Air pollution is one of the most serious environmental issues and has been suggested by the UN to cause over 7 million premature deaths each year. Urban areas are particularly affected by dense particulate pollution that can cause or exacerbate respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis, and COPD.

In addition, indoor air pollution due to inadequately ventilated cooking or heating puts over a quarter of the world’s population at risk of developing cardiovascular or respiratory health problems.

Reproductive disorders

In many parts of the world, the environment has been polluted by the persistence of a variety of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. These ubiquitous chemicals, which include pesticides, plastics, heavy metals, and the oral contraceptive pill, disrupt the hormone-controlled reproductive processes of humans and animals.

Reproductive disorders like infertility, subfertility, and menstrual disorders may be driven by the pernicious effects of endocrine disruptors in our environment. Sampled average male sperm counts have decreased significantly since the middle of the 20th century, and the downward trend is accelerating.

Cancer

Environmental pollution has led to the widespread dissemination of cancer-causing chemicals called carcinogens. These substances are incredibly diverse and include byproducts of combustion, pesticides, hazardous waste, and ionizing radiation.

Prolonged exposure to these agents has been implicated in the development of cancers in people of all ages. For example, people living in environments with high levels of PM2.5 particulate pollution are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer.

2. Destruction of the environment puts the global food supply at risk

Environmental welfare is a distant thought when we buy our food from grocery stores and markets, but the effects of environmental damage are evident to the food producers who rely on clean water, fertile soil, and a supportive climate to grow and raise our food.

Agriculture is reliant on the environment but can also be one of the biggest polluters due to the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and the generation of agricultural waste. This essential sector is now being threatened by environmental damage in a variety of ways. Examples include:

• Decreasing biodiversity and soil degradation because of intensive farming techniques.
• Loss of viable agricultural land because of the physical presence of a landfill.
• Long-term land and water contamination from landfill leachate.
• Soil and water contamination due to the improper disposal of hazardous waste.
• Pesticides cause the loss of natural pollinators like bees, wasps, and other insects.
• Land loss because of desertification or flooding, driven by climate change. 
• Loss of farmland to construction to accommodate urban sprawl.

The effects of environmental changes may not be apparent in economically advanced countries because they can afford to import food. But poorer countries have a greater dependence on their domestic agricultural production to supply their food. These countries may also be food exporters, putting pressure on available land and compromising food security.

3. Caring for the environment helps us to live productive lives

The welfare of the environment is also important to our ability to work and the wider economy. Pollution has tangible human and economic costs that impact the lives of communities and nations.

According to the Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health pollution and environmental damage cost the global economy up to $4.6 trillion per year, more than 6% of the total economic output of the world! A large contribution to this sum is the loss of human productivity from health problems, polluted land, and population displacement due to environmental changes.

Human activity needs to be sustainable if we are to maintain our environment long-term and lead productive healthy lives. Developing sustainable ways of living and managing the Earth’s resources is, in fact, a major economic opportunity that could lift billions of people out of poverty.

For example, the $65 billion the United States has invested in air pollution control since the 1970s has yielded over $1.5 trillion in economic benefit. New and innovative solutions for the world’s most challenging environmental problems could lead to commercial sectors that every country can access and use profitably. 

4. Environmental integrity promotes peace

Though the causes of war are multifactorial, environmental degradation can be a significant stressor as nations and communities compete for dwindling natural resources. Over the last century, there have been numerous domestic and international conflicts as nations and people fight over water, land for agriculture and grazing, and natural resources.

Environmental changes like deforestation and desertification limit the natural resources available to communities. In pastoral or subsistence farming communities, the integrity and resilience of the environment can be the difference between life and death and increases the potential for struggles for the remaining land.

Wars damage and pollute the environment, exacerbating the scarcity surviving people experience. There needs to be a global effort to ensure that environmental conditions do not deteriorate in the poorest and most challenged regions so that people are less likely to resort to conflict.

5. Protecting the environment prevents the displacement of people 

Migration is a global issue that is heavily affected by environmental degradation. Pollution, drought, and local climate and weather changes are making parts of the earth uninhabitable for existing populations and leading to involuntary migration.

Environmentally displaced people

These people termed ‘Environmentally displaced people’, have no choice but to leave regions that have been degraded by environmental degradation or natural disasters, leaving them unable to pursue their livelihoods.

Large population shifts because of environmental change 

The neglect of environmental issues and subsequent stress and degradation could lead to upward of 200 million people being forced to leave their homeland and resettle by 2050. According to Oxford University’s Refugees Studies Center, countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, and Somalia as well as the Pacific island are already affected by this problem.

6. Future generations will have to survive on the Earth we leave behind 

We are responsible for the environmental legacy we leave to future generations. All human activity affects the environment in some way. Sustained negative impact on ecosystems, will lead to the depletion of natural resources and loss of biodiversity, leaving the next generation to inherit our contaminated land, water, and air.

Unrestrained consumption leads to loss of resources

We are currently in the midst of a massive loss of biodiversity, with 25% of wild species facing extinction. This leaves the world a poorer and ecologically scarcer place with the absence of species that may have performed vital but unrecognized roles.

Industry and governmental stakeholders are already aware that the current rate of consumption of natural resources like oil may become critically diminished as the decades roll on. Future generations may not be able to live a lifestyle similar to the ones we’re used to.

However, the outlook isn’t all negative. Recognizing the need to care for the environment returns us precious time to remedy current environmental problems and find new ways to live more sustainably. With effort and investment, we may be able to leave the Earth better than we found it.

7. We are all called to be stewards of the environment we have received

Whatever your belief system, there is an innate understanding of our sovereignty and the need for us to become stewards of the resources that are in our care. Over millennia, mankind has cultivated and tended to its immediate environment with plant and animal husbandry continuing to be a key means of survival to the present day.

But, the mass production of goods and services and careless consumer culture has robbed many people of the sense of responsibility and moral obligation by which efforts could be made to live in a way that is less environmentally damaging. Not caring for or about the environment often serves the agenda of corporate interests that want to sell products at all costs.

Environmental damage for profit

Much of the damage to the environment has not been committed by individuals but by corporations who have exploited environmental resources for profits and polluted carelessly. Great wealth has been generated and is now held by stakeholders who have taught populations the consumerism that is now condemned. 

Control of populations 

Since the early 20th century, urbanization has accelerated. At the start of the 20th century, half of Americans lived on farms. The number of farms in the US has steadily declined from 7 million in the 1930s to 2 million today.

The impact of this massive shift in how people live, and work is that vast populations are completely disconnected from the land and obligated to be consumers of food and goods with little choice or say in how they are produced. This alienation is often the root of indifference to environmental issues across the world.

Making the individual a stakeholder

Fostering engaged, self-determining communities that care for the environment would require whole populations to regain sovereignty that has been ceded to commercial and governmental interests, with critical thinking and reflection on how the present environmental challenges have arisen. 

Many governments espouse behavioral change, sustainability, and reduced resource consumption as the key solutions to the environmental challenges of the 21st century, but without the reclamation of personal responsibility and equitable access and ownership of land, these changes are likely to be cosmetic.

The environment affects everyone

For many people, their immediate environment in a city or town is completely removed from rainforests, rivers, deserts, and the natural disasters we hear about on the news.

Caring for their environment may involve picking up litter, recycling, or choosing to drive an electric car. It is hard to see how the daily activities of running a household and feeding oneself are connected to famines and droughts.

Many countries are geographically and economically shielded from the stark consequences of environmental degradation, but they cannot be indefinitely insulated. Famine, war, and migration are capable of reaching any shore, and decades of unrestrained pollution affect the health of everyone.

Caring for our environment is a must if we want to guarantee ourselves a healthy life, as well as a good life for future generations. Our environment is life-sustaining and must be preserved for all.

How can we save our Earth?

Across the world, people are rightly concerned about the state of the environment and want to take action to make things better. The are numerous initiatives and protest movements that are pressing for urgent changes to the way we live to mitigate environmental damage. 

However, the steps that need to be taken aren’t specific actions, behavioral or lifestyle changes. These are superficial as long as the stakeholders who undertake the most polluting activities for profit on an industrial scale can continue to do so without meaningful change.

In many countries, a significant amount of the waste the people diligently separate for recycling is landfilled because it costs ‘too much’ money to recycle. Electric vehicles run on electricity generated by cutting down trees and shipping them thousands of miles to be burnt, all for profit. Groceries clock up thousands of air miles when they could have been grown locally.

Here are some thoughts on how the environment can be helped:

Regain individual sovereignty

We’re only going to care for the environment when we cultivate personal responsibility and see ourselves as stakeholders in the environment we live in. We need to push back against the disenfranchisement that comes with consumerism and dig deeper.

Take time to learn about the state of our environment and its root causes, drawing information from a range of sources that you can critically evaluate. Think objectively about the way we live and the true cost of convenience in advanced economies.

Develop productive local communities

Armed with personal sovereignty, people can come together and reason to gain a collective, objective understanding of why environmental change has happened and what needs to be done. With cooperation, productivity can shift from taking place at a national or international level to a local scale so communities become resilient and truly sustainable.

Strengthen national sovereignty

With strong, locally productive communities, nations become better equipped to manage their environment by harnessing the skills and expertise of their population to develop strong domestic economies. 

Rather than selling out to supranational interests, lawmakers and governments can hold these corporate and financial entities to account so that they have to change their polluting activities at their own expense.

As Steve Cohen from the Columbia Climate School states;

“I believe that on a more crowded planet, with instant and inexpensive global communication, a company that engages in wanton acts of environmental destruction will not survive long in the marketplace.”

Develop a less opportunistic global economy

We live in societies that are dominated by the demands of economic systems rather than what is best for individuals, communities, and the environment. This has led to the prioritization of global economic agendas and profiteering at the expense of environmental welfare and authentic sustainability.

Not everything should be done because a profit can be made, but until countries regain their sovereignty, they and their citizens are largely captive to a way of living that damages the environment and generates vast profits for a small group of people.

A step in the right direction would be nations coming together to insist that the crippling debts that prevent poorer countries from developing basic infrastructure for sanitation, waste management, and other environmental problems are canceled.

So why should we care for the environment? Because we need change!

Caring for the environment is really caring for ourselves, but it needs to be done with understanding rather than superficial choices and activities that do not contend with the sources of large-scale environmental degradation.

By making the decision to become an engaged and informed citizen, you can start to build grassroots communities that are truly sustainable and hold the sovereignty and power to hold the corporate polluters to account.

This considered approach to harnessing resources maintains them so they can be harnessed over the long term. Sustainability has the potential to transform society with a new generation of high-longevity enterprises that are self-sustaining.

This article explains sustainability and shares 20 real-world examples of thriving businesses and projects that embrace sustainability.

What is sustainability?

Sustainability is the ability for an activity or process to be supplied and supported continuously over an indefinite period or at least a long time. Sustainable commercial or industrial activities minimize their environmental impact and consumption of natural resources.

In recent times, sustainability has come to the fore as governments, think tanks, and other stakeholders look for solutions to problems like environmental degradation and the depletion of natural resources. Sustainable business practices could lead to meaningful change and improvements regarding biodiversity loss and pollution while providing economic stimulus through innovative new sectors.

We categorize sustainability as economic, environmental, or social. Environmental sustainability is focused on resource conservation, while social sustainability involves diversity, inclusion, and equity to ensure that enterprises or projects can maximize their engagement. Ideally, environmentally and socially sustainable projects will be economically sustainable, providing long-term economic growth on a local or national scale.

20 examples of sustainability from around the world

The best way to understand sustainability is to see it in action in real-world scenarios. These 20 examples come from around the world, with businesses and organizations of all sizes finding ingenious ways to be productive in a sustainable way. Take a look at these remarkable examples of sustainability:

1. Mobius Farms’ Black Soldier Fly larvae farming in Australia

Mobius Farms in Barossa Valley, South Australia, is an excellent example of sustainable and innovative agriculture, turning food waste into a protein-rich animal feed with commercial value.

This farm breeds the black solider fly, a common fly species known for its fat and protein-rich larvae used to supplement feed for chicken and other livestock and pets.

Mobius Farns collects large volumes of food waste from hospitality businesses, breweries, and caterers. Voracious black soldier fly larvae feed on this waste and produce nutrient-rich manure that farms and community gardens can use.

These little critters are so efficient that one kilo of harvest-ready black soldier fly larvae can consume more than 4 kilos of food waste. The process is entirely sustainable and requires minimal water and land. The farm sells live, dead, and dehydrated larvae to farms and the public.

2. Sambhav’s reclamation of degraded land in India

The work of Sabarmatee and her father, Radhamohan, in Odisha State, India, is an amazing example of how degraded land can be reclaimed to become fruitful and productive long-term. 

In 1988 the father-daughter duo purchased an acre of degraded land. This was done as an experiment to see if the land could be transformed into a forest using simple organic techniques. When they began their project, organic farming was not widespread in India, so they has to acquire knowledge and expertise as they went along.

Their efforts in transforming the land into a fertile, naturally irrigated food forest were successful, and the land reclamation has grown to a humbling 90 acres and initiatives to provide local communities with food and occupation.

Sabarmatee continues her father’s work under an NGO called Sambhav, teaching organic cultivation techniques, cataloging heirloom seeds, and furthering Indian ecological conservation.

3. The Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) movement in India

The ZNBF movement is another Indian initiative creating a new, sustainable, and inclusive way of participating in agriculture. ZBNF involves farming a variety of livestock and crops without using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or other agricultural materials. The cost of raising crops is kept as close to zero as possible so that the farmer can generate a profit.

With ZBNF, farms rely on locally available natural resources that can be gathered and used for free. This farming system uses special techniques based on ancient knowledge to minimize the need for irrigation and develop nourishing fertile soils.

ZBNF has been championed by Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, who believes that Indian agriculturalists and farmers need to relearn ancient farming techniques and sharpen and scale them for modern use. He has championed ZBNF as part of India’s ParamparagatKrishiVikas Yojana (PKVY) scheme.

4. Sustainable tourism in Yakutia, Russian Federation

The Sakha Republic (Yakutia) is Russia’slargest territory and home to a wide range of North Asian indigenous peoples who live near the arctic circle. Yakutia has some outstanding natural beauty, with almost 40% of the territory protected in a variety of nature reserves, more than double the UN’s global target of 17%.

Yakutia is harnessing the wealth of its natural beauty and extreme environments to introduce sustainable tourism to the region. Interest in this remote and unusual part of the Earth has been piqued by the success of online content that has documented the lives and culture of the various indigenous peoples of the Sakha Republic, including the popular Kiun B channel on Youtube, which boasts several million followers.

The plans for sustainable tourism in the region involve providing tourists with an immersive experience of the Yakut way of life and traditions at temperatures as low as -90 degrees Fahrenheit (-68 degrees Celsius). Participatory activities and tours are to be offered to nature enthusiasts and explorers, and participants are invited to get involved in the efforts to protect the vast Siberian wilderness for a premium price of $25,000 per person.

5. Sea salt production on the Isle of Wight, U.K

Commercial salt production is a high-energy process that involves salt mining and the forced evaporation of brine under a vacuum (PDV) to produce the typical granular table salt you find in the grocery store.

But sea salt is a far less energy-intensive and more sustainable type of salt, increasing in popularity worldwide. Many countries have a tradition of producing sea salt naturally evaporated by sun and wind in salt pans near coastal waters. Sea salt production has a carbon footprint of a quarter of rock salt and is almost 31 times smaller than PDV salt.

On the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, Simon Davis of Wight Salt is reviving traditional sea salt making sampling clean coastal waters and evaporating them slowly to create a mineral-rich and delicious sea salt.

Davis produces his sea salt naturally and sustainably by evaporating the salt in salt basins to produce coarse and crumbly crystals that foodies love.

6. Banana leaf tableware, Tamil Nadu, India

With US states like California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, and New York combatting out-of-control plastic pollution by banning single-use plastics, food vendors and caterers are searching for a suitable biodegradable alternative.

Banana Leaf Preservation Technology is an Indian company that has developed a chemical-free, proprietary method of preserving Banana leaves, which usually start to rot after approximately three days. This remarkable process is being used to produce eco-friendly disposable tableware, a multi-billion dollar global industry heavily dominated by plastics. This 100% sustainable material is chemical and water-resistant and suitable for use in the microwave or freezer.

Banana leaf preservation was developed by Tamil Nadu resident, inventor, and eco-activist Tenith Adithyaa. He worked on his process from a young age, experimenting in a homemade lab. His business provides his banana leaf preservation technology to Indian businesses.

7. The Farmer’s Market Coalition, California, USA

The National Farmers Market Coalition is a nonprofit organization that supports the development and growth of farmer’s markets as community assets that safeguard income for growers and other producers by selling directly to the public.

Farmer’s markets are known for their sustainability. The food sold is locally produced, often using less intensive, organic methods. Across the U.S., customers are flocking to local farmer’s markets to access fresh, healthy food that has been produced with environmental responsibility.

The National Farmers Market Coalition ensures that farmers can earn a good living without becoming dependent on contracts with grocery stores, where they struggle to compete with the huge corporate farms that can produce large volumes of food.

By selling via farmer’s markets, smaller farmers can profit from using sustainable farming practices to produce food that does not require high-energy transit to the consumer.

The local communities that are served by the market access healthy food at competitive prices as the farmer does not have the expense of storing or packaging it for a prolonged period before the sale.

Farmer’s markets also drastically reduce the amount of waste generated by food retail. The markets also provide a great educational opportunity, where customers can learn more about the food they eat and sustainable farming practices.

8. Fairphone, The Netherlands

Mobile phones are a massive contributor to electronic waste, with over 150 million smartphones hitting landfills each year. This is one of the worse ways to dispose of electronics, especially as they can leach toxic compounds that cause land and water pollution.

Throwing old or broken smartphones away also leads to the loss of precious metals and rare earth minerals that have to be continually mined, creating environmental damage.

Dutch mobile phone company Fairphone has sought to address these issues by designing a smartphone that is more sustainable and has a much lower environmental footprint than the mainstream models.   The company, founded in 2013, has been producing a unique modular smartphone that has components that can be easily removed and replaced by the consumer.

By making smartphones that can be repaired and customized by the consumer, the Fairphone prolongs its service life. Damage to a single part of the phone can be easily repaired without discarding the whole phone. Fairphone can reduce the CO₂ emissions associated with its phones by 30% just by increasing the lifespan of its phones by two years.

In addition, Fairphone has established fair trade relationships with miners who mine the minerals and metals used in their electronics, ensuring they are paid a living wage. Customers find it easy to recycle their phones with Fairphone, where all components will be put to good use.

9. The Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA), San Diego, California

The Zero Waste movement, led by the Zero Waste International Alliance, based in San Diego, California, has been successful in engaging the public in actionable and impactful consumer choices that can tangibly drive down the massive amounts of waste generated by product packaging.

The movement started in the early 2000s and developed from the Grassroots Recycling Network (GRRN) in California and a passionate desire to reduce the amount of waste that was simply being incinerated worldwide. Zero Waste focuses on five areas of action to drive down waste: 

1. Refusal of packaging
2. Reduction in consumerism
3. Reuse of items to maximize their lifespan
4. Recycling of discarded products
5. Rotting of organic matter into compost

Founders and trustees in the ZWIA include academics and industry experts on waste management and recycling. ZWIA is currently active in many countries around the world. Other champions and advocates include Bea Johnson of Zero Waste Home, who famously reduced her family’s annual trash volume to a single jar.

In many places,  the public face of this sustainability movement is Zero Waste stores. These stores shun the use of product packaging and instead encourage customers to bring and fill their containers from a bulk supply of the product they want. Many Zero Waste stores offer a comprehensive range of items that are sold by weight or volume.

10. Recycled race car tires, Tokyo, Japan

Yokohama Tires is one of the world’s leading tire manufacturers. This Tokyo-based conglomerate is renowned for the quality of its racing tires which are used in championship races in Japan. Yokohama has begun to develop performance tires using recycled tires to improve its sustainability profile.

Yokohama has been working on recycled rubber tires for many years. The company has developed a novel tire using a combination of scrap tires, rice husk silica, and natural oils. They have found that the performance of their racing tires has not been negatively impacted by these materials.

The new tires are due to make their debut in the 2023  Super Formula racing season. If successful, Yokohama has the goal of supplying tires with a minimum of 35% recycled material content.

Yokohama Tire’s sustainability drive is continuing with ongoing projects to develop a synthetic rubber material from biomass. They are also researching a recyclable thermo-reversible rubber.

11. CARIB Brewery bottle recycling, The Caribbean

Bottle recycling used to be routine across the Caribbean, with youngsters earning a few cents for every soda bottle they returned to the store. For many Caribbean people, hunting glass bottles for cash was a fun part of growing up; however, the practice has fallen off in recent years, and glass waste on the islands has increased.

This is a massive problem for CARIB Brewery, the Caribbean’s leading beverage producer, which relies on glass bottles being returned to keep its business financially viable. CARIB produces almost one million bottles of beer daily with exports across the disparate Caribbean islands, complete with logistical challenges.

As the only glass bottle producer in the English-speaking Caribbean, CARIB relies on bottles that are returned in a reusable state (up to 90%) with a proportion that will be crushed and recycled. CARIB is so desperate for returned bottles that it currently offers 30 cents per glass bottle returned and over $2 for its valuable plastic crates.

CARIB commercial director Miguel Marquez insists that the return of bottles is also essential to prevent the island of the Caribbean from being marred by waste, which also impacts tourism in the region. The company has launched a campaign in grocery stores to encourage the return of the bottles.

12. Biodiesel production from waste cooking oil, Vernon, California

Baker Commodities, a California company, has made a commodity of waste cooking oils and fasts, which it converts into high-quality biodiesel. This sustainable business has a dedicated biodiesel processing plant that produces diesel and processes rendered fats for international export.

The company has a fleet of waste fat collection vehicles which collect fats from food processors, hospitality, restaurant, food service businesses, and even the military. By collecting waste oil for biodiesel production, it does not have to be disposed of by businesses and organizations, potentially clogging drains.

Baker Commodities takes the collected yellow grease from vegetable oils, tallow, and lard and cleans and filters them. The resultant fats are refined using a transesterification process that converts the fats to high-grade biodiesel.

The company sells its New Leaf Biofuel to Southern California residents. It can be safely used in diesel vehicles. They also offer a version that is blended with petrodiesel for use in haulage fleets and other commercial vehicles.

13. Coppiced woodlands at Fooder Farm, New Zealand

Coppicing is a once-common way of managing woodlands for a sustainable wood supply. Rather than cutting down an entire tree for lumber. Young trees would be cut back to a stump or the trunk and then allowed to regrow, with periodic wood harvesting from the new growth only.

Communities relied on coppiced wood for manufacturing everyday materials like tools, utensils, charcoal, and firewood. Following the acceleration of industrialization after the world wars, the practice became less widespread, with a greater reliance on fast-growing coniferous trees for wood supply.

In New Zealand, homesteaders David and Rebecca Stuart at Fodder Farm are reviving this sustainable form of forestry. The harvested wood is in demand for various woodland crafts, including activities like green woodworking and roundwood building. The staggered harvesting of timber from the dedicated woodlot ensures the trees stay alive and minimizes disease risk.

14. Recycled textiles by Vivify Textiles, Adelaide, Australia

Textile waste is a significant waste management issue. Ninety-two million tons of clothing hits the landfill each year, the equivalent of a full dumpster truck every second. To tackle this problem, Australian company Vivify Fabrics has taken discarded textiles and transformed them into luxury fabrics used in the world’s leading fashion centers.

This unique, sustainable textile company manufactures high-quality fabrics from recycled fibers harvested from discarded clothing and textiles. This makes the business extremely sustainable as these premium fabrics are reintroduced to the luxury market.

The textile waste is shredded and unraveled into its fibers. Natural textile fibers in the textile waste are sorted by material and color to reduce the need for dying. The fibers can then be cleaned and re-spun for weaving into new fabrics or compressed into filler material for mattresses and upholstery.

Vivify Textiles has won several international awards, including the Second Hightex award from Munich Fabric Start in 2018. The Australian Government has also approved and promoted the company as a promoted export partner.

15. Co Cars Car Hire Exeter, United Kingdom

Exeter is a historic U.K. city known for its ancient cathedral, leading university, and fantastic green spaces. The long-term plan for the city involves developing a sustainable transport system that provides residents with easy access to a variety of shared transport options that reduces the need for individual car ownership and the consequent pollution.

Car hire and car clubs provide a sustainable solution for personal transport in a compact city. Exeter’s Co Cars offers residents access to a fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles and electric bikes at convenient locations across the city. Residents can register with the company and hire a vehicle whenever they want for as little as $7 per day. Members are billed per hour and benefit from access to well-maintained personal transport for as long or as little as they require.

16. Repair Cafes in the Hudson Valley and Catskills, New York

Repair Cafes are community events where people gather to learn how to repair and restore a wide range of broken and neglected items. The Repair Cafe initiative started in the Netherlands and has spread worldwide.

By repairing items rather than discarding them, Repair Cafes not only prevent landfill waste but also reduce the expenditure of resources and energy to produce new items. People become empowered to complete simple repairs themselves, saving time and money.

Repair Cafes at Hudson Valley and Catskills offer repair coaches who can help people fix:

• Clothing
• Mechanical items
• Ornaments
• Wooden items
• Small appliances
• Tools

The team can fix most items they encounter, and even when they fail, people learn that repairing items is a valid option when their fail. The cafes have been running since 2013 when volunteer organizer John Wackman brought them into the area.

17. Sustainable seafood, Alaska

Alaska is world famous for its rich stocks of quality seafood and rich fishing heritage. It is also leading the way in the adoption of sustainable fishing practices. Their holistic approach harnesses science to carefully monitor fish stocks so that the marine ecosystems of Alaska can thrive and stay productive for the fishermen.

Where fishing is undertaken sustainably, it provides an extremely environmentally efficient. Alaskan fishing is carefully regulated to ensure that fishermen maintain environmentally responsible practices. Unlike other U.S. states, sustainable fishing is written into the Alaskan state constitution.

The success of sustainable fishing relies on protecting the marine environment and the people who live and work in these fisheries. Local knowledge and expertise are highly valued as it has been handed down through generations. This, coupled with a science-based precautionary approach, means Alaskan fleets respond sensitively to ecosystem changes.

Plus, when catches are landed, the Alaskan authorities ensure that 100% of the fish is utilized to minimize any waste of this valuable natural resource.

18. Sustainable pencil production in Tokyo, Japan

Kitaboshi is one of Japan’s leading pencil companies and has produced traditional wooden pencils for over a century. In Japan, the company leads its industry in using innovative sustainable practices to minimize waste from its manufacturing processes and derive the maximum utility from the wood used.

The Sugatani family, who own the company, sources the wood for the pencils from abundant basswood species that they manage sustainably. The company is widely known for almost entirely recycling the waste wood and sawdust from pencil manufacturing.

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Kitaboshi’s main circular economy product is a special sawdust modeling clay called Mokunen-san which dries to a hardwood finish and can be cut, drilled, varnished, and even composted. The company also produces unusual paint from wood waste, producing a uniquely textured paint finish that can be sanded or carved.

The Kitaboshi factory is open to tourists and educational visits where they demonstrate their manufacturing and wood waste recycling techniques.

19. Mellowcabs, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa

Mellowcabs, founded by Neil du Preez, is a South African company that makes and operates a network of lightweight electrical vehicles in urban centers nationwide. These simple, affordable vehicles provide a cost-effective taxi service that offers safe, emission-free transport for its users.

Commuters book their cabs online, via an app, or by phone and can travel within a three-mile radius of the company’s operating area. This micro transport project has been so successful that Mellowcabs is expanding its operation to include a novel van design for courier and last-mile delivery services.

20. E-Waste Jewelry from Paris, France

The jewelry sector is in the midst of a revolution, realizing that up to 7% of the world’s gold is languishing in disused and discarded electronic devices. Smart and savvy independent jewelers have realized that mining more gold is pointless when there is so much to be reclaimed from electronic waste.

French high-end jeweler Courbet uses precious metals extracted from e-waste alongside its signature lab-grown diamonds. This ecological and creative jewelry features the same fine craftsmanship and quality that the French are renowned for.

In conclusion

As you can see, sustainability is a viable and actionable way of living and working. When done well, new industries and markets are created using our existing resources rather than looking for more.

Companies and organizations that have successfully implemented sustainable practices are engaging the public, demonstrating what can be done to manage resources better and protect our environment.

To prevent the ecosystem collapse that would come from exhausting the Earth’s key resources, mankind needs to make efforts to safeguard the raw materials that remain. In this article, we share how to conserve natural resources with 20 ways to slow or stop the resource depletion that is taking place right now.

Natural resources are the Earth’s resources

Natural resources are materials that are naturally occurring and drawn from the environment for use by man. These are the raw materials that go into the foods we eat, and products we use, shelter us, and power our vehicles, homes, and businesses.

Examples of natural resources include:

• Soil
• Water
• Air
• Fossil fuels
• Minerals
• Metals
• Trees and vegetation
• The animal kingdom

Why is it important to conserve natural resources?

Many natural resources are abundant and replenished after use, but some are becoming depleted as a consequence of increasing demand. Without action to conserve key natural resources future generations won’t have access to them.

Worse still, the natural resources that are being exhausted underpin the stability and ongoing function of the ecosystems that living things are reliant on. Depletion or contamination of water, air, tree, or soil makes regions uninhabitable, reflected in a loss of biodiversity and a precipitous decline in human health.

Natural resource conservation is non-negotiable as the environmental degradation that would result from the depletion of key natural resources would threaten all life on Earth. Resource scarcity is already a recognized driver of poverty, wars, and population displacement so an acceleration in such shortages would lead to tumultuous circumstances for all.

How to conserve natural resources

Natural resources are essential to life so we should make every effort to preserve them for use by future generations. Here are 20 ways to conserve natural resources.

1. Reduce, reuse, and recycle

Runaway consumption is driving the depletion of our natural resources. In many economically and technologically advanced nations, people are increasingly disconnected from the sources of the natural resources they consume. It is, therefore, easy to discard items that, with a little TLC, could have their shelf-life extended.

Case in point, electronic waste. 50 million metric tons of e-waste, including laptops, phones, microwaves, and kettles, hit the landfill each year. These items could be repaired or have the useful plastic and metal within them recovered and recycled to reduce the consumption of raw materials to make new goods.

Efforts to introduce circular economies for common products will require public education and engagement so that people can change habits that lead to high levels of waste.

2. Composting waste will do a world of good to our soils and drive down landfill volumes

Composting has so many restorative benefits to our environment. It makes sense that the organic matter and nutrients in the food and other materials we consume should be biodegraded and returned to the earth in a practical way. In the US, 28% of waste that hits the landfill could have been composted.

Here are some of the benefits that increasing compositing could deliver:

• Curbing greenhouse gas emissions from landfills.
• Reducing greenhouse gasses through being used to grow plants that absorb and use CO₂.
• Replenishing depleted soils with organic matter, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers, and making environments more resilient to climate extremes.

3. Advance recycling technology to reclaim more from our waste

Despite the global recycling rate stagnating at a low of 19%, the exploitation of natural resources for new materials continues to accelerate. Recycling is energy intensive and expensive, meaning that waste management companies, governments, and local authorities are often reticent to invest in recycling.

But the development of improved technologies that increase the volume and diversity of recycling could be the driver of increased adoption.

Current advancements in recycling are targeting mechanical recycling processes, which are reliant on clean and sorted waste. New technologies have been developed to expand the range of plastics that can be recycled and develop recycled materials that have more end-market applications.

Construction of an advanced hydrothermal recycling plant is currently underway in Dow’s Böhlen site in Germany. The plant is capable of producing virgin-equivalent polyethylene that is suitable for medical and automotive applications.

4. Starve the single-use plastics market

Plastics not only consume natural resources in the form of oil but also are pervasive polluters of our environment. The manufacture of new plastics uses about 4% of oil production, and despite being highly recyclable, only 9% of the world’s plastic is reused or recycled.

There are so many less polluting and sustainable alternatives to plastics, making disposable plastics completely unnecessary. However, while it remains profitable to produce them, they will continue to be made.

There have been legislative efforts and initiatives to reduce or frankly ban single-use plastics, but perhaps the most powerful deterrent of all will be consumer choice. As consumers and businesses increase their rejection of plastic, consumer-packaged goods(CPG) companies will be forced to use other materials.

5. Park that car to reduce fossil fuel consumption and air pollution

The internal combustion engine (ICE) ranks as one of mankind’s greatest inventions, but in many societies, car journeys have become the default mode of travel despite their significant environmental impact.

In the USA, more than half of all car journeys are under three miles, with 28% of car journeys under a mile in length. These short car journeys are the most energy-inefficient and polluting car journeys, and while it is unlikely everyone will become Amish shortly, efforts to reduce these journeys could have a significant impact on resource consumption.

The Environmental Protection Agency has already found that leaving the car for journeys under one mile could deliver:

• A $575 million saving in fuel costs.
• A reduction in CO₂ emissions of over 2 million metric tons per year.
• The equivalent of taking more than 400,000 cars off the road each year.
• $900 million of savings overall, including costs for vehicle maintenance and tire replacement.

6. Cut out processed food!

Much has been said about the environmental impact of raising livestock and eating meat, which has been done by mankind for thousands of years. Rather than stop eating meat, we need to encourage animal husbandry in landscapes with deteriorated soils so that their dung can return vital nutrients to the earth.

Intensive farming fuels a resource-intensive processed food industry that degrades the environment and harms human health. The production of ultra-processed foods like fast-food takeaways, sugars, and oils generates some of the largest emissions in the food sector.

A study by the University of Sheffield found that ultra-processed foods are taking up an increasing proportion of human diets. By reducing these unhealthy foods, we can reduce the pressure on the natural resources that are used to produce them.

7. Demolish the global food mountain

10% of the world’s population is going hungry right now, while 2.5 billion tons, a third of the food the world produces each year, goes to waste.

Many organizations and think tanks suggest that overpopulation is driving accelerated natural resource consumption in the agricultural sector. But there is sufficient food being produced at every stage of the food life cycle.

This unacceptable situation points to the catastrophic wastage of a heavily industrialized agricultural sector. By minimizing (or ideally eliminating this waste), the natural resources that would be used to produce additional food are conserved.

Strategies for reducing food waste include ensuring that hungry people are fed, repurposing wasted or spent food oils for biodiesel production, and creating a more responsive distribution and supply chain for foods so they can get to the most food-insecure populations rather than perish.

8. Planting trees protects soils, sustains communities, and balances atmospheric gasses

Trees are being cut down at a rate of over 15 billion per year. It’s clear that deforestation is a runaway problem and without action to stop the loss of trees and forests, the environment will become irreparably degraded.

Recognizing the precipitous decline in forest cover, people and organizations across the world are making efforts to plant trees, to recover their essential benefits to ecosystems and communities. Planting trees delivers the following benefits:

• Prevention of soil erosion: The loss of trees and their roots which hold and exchange nutrients with soil, leads to rapid loss of the nutrient and moisture-rich humus layers, desiccation, and degradation of the land. Sloped land without trees is also vulnerable to mudslides.

• Filtration of air pollution:  Many tree species actively remove pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone from the air. Targeted plantings in areas with high levels of air pollution can help improve air quality for local people.

• Provision of a carbon sink: Trees are a mighty carbon sink. They thrive on carbon dioxide, turning it into sugar and using it for growth! New forests will act as reservoirs that soak up CO₂ from the atmosphere and turn it into useful growth and a sustainable supply of wood and energy.

• Creation of habitats: Trees form the foundation of thriving habitats where species of almost every class can thrive. Wildlife will soon be attracted to newly forested areas, renewing biodiversity.

9. Water conservation strategies can help to safeguard the Earth’s freshwater

Despite being such an abundant resource, only a very small proportion of the Earth’s water is usable. Freshwater represents just 3% of the Earth’s total water volume, with 0.3% of that amount being the readily accessible surface water we find in rivers, lakes, and ponds.

Though water is continuously cycled in our environment and is essentially a closed system, human demands on natural freshwater resources like groundwater can lead to levels becoming depleted at a faster rate than they can be replenished.

Depleted groundwater resources are an international issue, especially in regions where populations are dense. Water conservation strategies like rainwater collection, using less water, and repairing leaks in municipal water systems, can go a long way to maintaining the availability of this vital natural resource in the long term.

10. Invest in landfill mining

Rather than mining virgin natural resources, why not mine the natural resources that are in municipal solid waste? Well, landfill mining and reclamation (LFMR) has been taking place since the 1950s but requires significant investment to become routine.

In LFMR, landfilled solid waste is actively excavated and reprocessed for the recovery of valuable metal, combustible materials for pelleting, and other recyclable materials. Hazardous waste can also be recovered and disposed of more appropriately, and the landfill soils can be aerated, improving environmental conditions.

11. Minimize air travel

In modern times, air travel has become relatively cheap and convenient, making flights to a range of domestic and international destinations a matter of choice rather than necessity. But air travel is also a big polluter, consuming large amounts of non-renewable fossil fuels.

In addition, many airplanes fly with a significant proportion of empty seats. Industry rules on airport usage compel many airlines to fly empty airplanes to keep their spot at airports. This incredibly wasteful practice is known as ‘ghost flights.’

Of course, aviation fuel is taxed, but there are few incentives to encourage airlines to make aviation more sustainable and reduce its consumption of natural resources. Here are some ideas:

• Tackling ghost flights by reforming the system by which airport slots are allocated to airlines.
• Investing in an enhanced road and rail infrastructure.
• Setting industry-wide minimum seat occupancy levels.
• Reduce the number of short-haul and domestic flights, especially those that could be completed by rail, car, or ferry.
• Lower airfares more quickly to fill seats on every flight.
• Improve high-speed rail infrastructure to encourage rail travel where possible.
• Promote domestic tourism rather than overseas breaks, or long-distance vacations

12. Build thriving local economies

The 20th century brought massive changes to the way we live. The rapid rise in consumerism and urbanization has led to concentrated global supply chains and big brands that transport goods over thousands of miles using energy-intensive methods like air freight, shipping, and rail.

A switch to procuring local products and goods could significantly reduce the consumption of natural resources required to produce, process, and transport goods worldwide. Rather than intensive farming with fruits and vegetables flown in, retailers could encourage a local seasonal diet that is packaging free.

It’s also important that local communities become places of productivity and not just consumption. By opting to support truly local manufacturers, producers, and businesses, communities can become sustainable and resilient against macroeconomic changes.

13. Dress for sustainability and not just to impress!

Fast fashion may be popular, but it is certainly making a ‘fashion victim’ of the planet! The accelerated production, purchase, and discarding of clothing is generating massive amounts of waste. This is despite textiles being one of the most recyclable materials.

The production of clothing consumes massive amounts of energy, water, petrochemicals, and other raw materials along with the generation of land, air, and water pollution.

By changing our clothing choices, we can help conserve the natural resources used to produce them and reduce their harmful environmental impact. Here, the principles of ‘reduce, reuse, and recycle’ could drive down clothing waste and make its production more sustainable.

14. Get creative with conserving energy

Energy is the driver of the modern way of life for most of the world. Everyone needs heat and light, and power for even the simplest industries and livelihoods. So it’s no surprise that energy resources are under increasing strain as global economic advancement (industrialization) continues.

Energy consumption is primarily at the expense of fossil fuel reserves. These are currently vast but diminishing rapidly, with some estimates suggesting less than 50 years of oil remaining if current levels of consumption continue. Though renewable energy sources are increasingly being harnessed, they cannot meet the demands of an advanced economy.

Saving energy shouldn’t be seen as a privation but an opportunity to be free thinking and innovative, creating devices and appliances that are more energy efficient and providing consumers with ways to track and control their energy consumption.

15. Increase national parks and wildlife reserves

The amazing habitats and ecosystems of the Earth are an invaluable heritage that needs to be protected from the sustained assaults of deforestation and urbanization. Many unique habitats with known and unknown species are becoming extinct due to a woeful lack of effort to preserve them and conservation targets like those of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

The creation of legally protected national parks and wildlife reserves not only provides a safe habitat for endangered wildlife but also conserves the natural resources of some of the world’s most unique environments. Respecting local knowledge and acknowledging indigenous peoples as stakeholders and protectors of the reserve could help reserves become successful.

16. Have a large family

Many people are concerned that the world is overpopulated, but did you know that large families are some of the most sustainable households around? Parents who raise a large family have to be masters of the adaptations that conserve natural resources, leading to a lower environmental footprint.

Malthus may not agree, but these families have to become experts at using resources effectively. If you are looking for an example of reduce, reuse, recycle, large families with their hand-me-downs, home-cooked meals, and an eye on the thermostat, tick the box.

In addition, these resilient households are often multi-generational, caring for seniors in their later years. This means fewer individualized households with additional food, heating, and travel.

17. Adopt biofuels and give the oil and gas a rest

Biofuels could easily offset a significant proportion of the non-renewable fossil fuels that are used for heating and transportation. Food waste like cooking oil and carbohydrate-rich agricultural waste can be transferred into fuels that include:

• Bio-diesel
• Bio-hydrogen
• Bio-methane
• Bio-ethanol

Biofuel is a promising alternative to petrol and gasoline. It has the scope for being scaled, and as adoption increases, engines and furnaces can be adapted to burn this fuel cleanly and efficiently.

18. Increase awareness

Many of the efforts and initiatives to conserve natural resources are reliant on behavioral change. This is reflected in the fact that the world’s richest countries consume a year’s worth of regenerative natural resources in just a few months.

The people around us need to become more aware of the rate of consumption of natural resources and the implications of resource depletion for everyone. By talking about these issues with friends and families, awareness of these issues can be increased, and people can make informed and positive choices.

The power of a good example should never be underestimated and is one of the best ways to share the real-world benefits of living more sustainably. When people around you see the money saved, improved health, and uplift in the quality of life that can come with sustainable living, they will be willing to try it for themselves.

19. Give the bin a rest and cut back on disposables

Disposables are products that are manufactured for the bin. Items like pocket tissues, wet wipes, sanitary towels, kitchen towels, and nappies are incredibly convenient but sit in landfills and clog drains.

But many of these everyday items could be effectively replaced with reusable, cloth-based alternatives that you can simply throw in the laundry when done. Not only would you save money, but fewer raw materials and less energy will be required for making these products in the long run.

20. Go chemical-free!

Within the last 200 years, mankind has developed more than 150 million different chemicals that are used in every area of our lives and saturate our environment. The chemical industry is one of the largest industries in the world and continues to grow. However, this is at the expense of our health and the environment.

Though many of the chemicals that are pervasive in our environment are harmless, a significant proportion are known to be environmentally hazardous and pose a risk to the ecosystems they are present in.

By opting to forgo using man-made chemicals wherever possible, we can help to reduce the environmental burden of these substances. Even a simple switch of chemical-laden cleaning sprays to white vinegar prevents ongoing harm to aquatic life.

Rounding up

Natural resources are under threat. Remedial action has to be taken to reduce the rate of consumption before the already pervasive effects of environmental degradation and resource depletion become completely irreversible.

Thankfully, as you can see, there are numerous ways in which everyone can participate in taking action to curb the depletion of natural resources.

Wondering how highly-developed countries deal with environmental challenges? Learn how Japan tackles its environmental issues.

Resource depletion has massive implications for all living things on Earth. The geopolitical effects of resource scarcity are already being felt, and the sudden unexpected loss of energy, mineral, water, and soil resources that are integral to the way of life of people across the Earth has the potential to devastate nations.

This article explains why and how natural resources are being depleted, with examples of some of the Earth’s most critically depleted natural resources.

What are natural resources?

Natural resources are resources that are available in our environment that can be extracted and utilized with little or no modification. The Earth’s natural resources include:

• Sunlight
• Air
• Water
• Vegetation
• Wildlife
• Minerals

We can divide natural resources into some distinct segments. Broadly, these are:

• Biotic resources, which include living things
• Abiotic natural resources, derived from non-living or inorganic sources like metals, ores, fossil fuels, and minerals

Mankind uses these naturally occurring substances, materials, and organisms for food, shelter, energy, and a wide range of industrial and commercial endeavors.

Natural resources belong to everyone

Natural resources are a heritage that should be shared by humanity and sustained with appropriate stewardship, but sadly this has not been the case. These resources have been mined, chopped down, processed, cleared, and polluted to sustain wide-ranging corporate and political interests, which have served few people at the expense of the rest of mankind.

It is, in fact, these groups who are now the first to decry the depletion of natural resources and assert their authority over and ownership of what remains. And the stakes are high because resource scarcity precipitates conflicts and is a key driver of poverty and disease.

What is causing natural resource depletion?

Using natural resources is part of typical daily life for every creature on Earth. It is unavoidable as every person needs to breathe, eat, and access clean water and safe shelter.

So there must be other drivers of the accelerated depletion that is taking place; here are some suggestions:

Excessive consumption

Some people have suggested that there are too many people on Earth and that a population of billions of people simply cannot be sustained. But if you look at a list of countries that consume the most natural resources, not everyone is consuming equally. It is clear that consumption is heavily skewed towards the more economically advanced nations rather than the most populous ones.

These five countries manage to use a year’s worth of natural resources within just three months. Modern, technologically advanced lifestyles that prioritize convenience lead to high consumption that is hard to curb because it is profitable. So it’s clear that population is not the driver of resource depletion mankind has to be concerned about.

Excessive waste

Natural resources are being extracted from the environment at such an alarming rate because a large proportion of the resources are being wasted. Waste is a global problem that affects every type of natural resource, as newly extracted ones are still replacing unused resources. Examples of this wastage include

• Energy wastage: 58% of the energy generated in the United States is not put to productive use. Domestic and commercial energy efficiency in the U.S. is only 42%. This is a serious problem because the U.S. is a major producer and consumer of non-renewable fuels like oil and natural gas.

• Food waste: More than a third of all the food produced in the world is wasted. This amounts to over 2.5 billion tonnes of food that will hit the landfill or rot in fields. China and India have the greatest amount of household food waste. This is a problem because food production uses many natural resources, including phosphorous, for fertilizer which is becoming increasingly scarce.

• Wastage of materials: Only 19% of the world’s waste is recycled. This means that there is a shocking amount of frank waste of products and materials derived from natural resources.

The habitual discarding of products that are broken or used in municipal waste as well as the lack of a concerted effort to recycle them drives demand for further raw materials, depleting natural resources.

Pollution

Pollution of land, air water, and the subsequent environmental degradation lead to essential natural resources becoming depleted or unusable. Heavy industries that extract natural resources like mining and oil and gas, impact other natural resources through deforestation, land pollution, and groundwater contamination.

Industrialization

Industrialization has elevated the standard of living of billions of people around the world, but its aggressive pursuit and exploitation of natural resources have driven the advanced depletion of natural resources.

Industrialization in its current form is heavily reliant on the consumption of non-renewable natural resources like oil, gas, minerals and metals. As countries become increasingly industrialized, global demand for these natural resources is pressuring known reserves leading to scarcity and increased competition for them.

The pursuit of profit

Natural resources are exploited to excess because it is profitable to do so. Large multinational corporations and their financial backers derive their profit from continually extracting natural resources, using them to manufacture products, and selling them to consumers. For profits to be sustained this process has to be continual, to the detriment of the environment.

To make money, consumer appetites and expectations have been deliberately shaped over decades to drive demand. Companies have also gained control of key natural resources like oil and gas and monopolized them, creating derivative products that are then marketed as essential to keep consumption going.

The displacement of people also drives natural resource depletion

Population shifts caused by war and poverty are also important drivers of the environmental degradation that leads to natural resource depletion. Unique and fragile ecosystems can be rapidly destroyed by displaced peoples who clear forests for subsistence farming or to obtain firewood. This type of depletion is driven by need, but it is extensive with up to 40% of tropical deforestation undertaken by people who want to use the land for subsistence.

How can we tell which natural resources are being depleted?

Depletion accounting (also known as green accounting) provides a model for qualifying the extent, impact, and financial cost of natural resource depletion.

By placing the value of the environment and its natural resources on an equal footing with financial assets and the market economy, financial analysts can track the rate of depletion of specific natural resources and weigh the economic impact of their loss.

Analysts use data from countries to calculate the quantities of natural resources like fossil fuels, minerals, lumber, productive agricultural land, and water. These natural resources are termed natural capital, and their rate of depletion can be carefully tracked against demand and their value on the global market.

Depletion accounting has proven effective in demonstrating the impact of resource extraction industries in developing countries, where mining and other extraction activities form a large proportion of the overall economic output.

This form of accountancy can also be used to see how dependent countries are on non-renewable resources and help them identify sustainable alternatives.

Why is the depletion of natural resources a cause for concern?

Depletion of natural resources has become pervasive. Without intervention, many critical resources could become extinct within a generation. An important issue is not only the available quantity of natural resources like oil and coal, but also how easily proved reserves can be accessed to be used.

To give you an idea of the current extent of resource depletion, here are 11 examples of natural resources that are in decline:

1. There are only 21 years of recoverable coal reserves at active U.S. mines

The United States has the world’s largest share (22%) of proven coal reserves, but readily accessible coal in working mines is becoming depleted. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, there are just over 20 years of coal in producing mines if production continues at the annual rate of 0.577 billion short tons.

The 1975 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) suggests that the U.S. should have another 435 years of coal reserves, but this would require additional exploration and new mining operations that are acknowledged to be heavily polluting.

Another concern is that only 5 countries (United States, Russia, Australia, China, and India) have 75% of the world’s coal. As other countries industrialize and coal demand increases depletion of these reserves will accelerate with India already affected by an unprecedented deficit of their coal stocks and shortages of coal for power plants.

2. At current consumption rates, there is only a 50-year supply of oil left

Worldometer reports that the proven reserves of oil, estimated at 1.65 trillion barrels in 2016, are only sufficient for 46.6 years of consumption at current levels.

This estimation depends on whether oil consumption continues at the current rate. Consumption by lower and middle-income countries is expected to increase from 99.4 million barrels in 2022 to over 104 million barrels in 2024 as they industrialize their economies.

3. United States natural gas supplies are expected to last less than a century

Though the natural gas reserves of the United States are vast, they are not infinite. Continuance of the 2016 rate of natural gas consumption at 27.5 Tcf per year will exhaust the domestic proven and unproven natural gas resources within approximately 90 years.

Domestic natural gas consumption has increased in America with the introduction of shale rock extraction and a preference for natural gas because of its low emission. However, switching to a majority-methane economy would accelerate the depletion of these reserves.

Globally, the BP Statistical Review of World Energy reports that natural gas reserves may only last 49 years. However, these estimates do vary with production levels and the discovery of new reserves.

4. A third of the world’s forests have been lost to deforestation

Deforestation has been going on for millennia, leading to the loss of up to a third of the world’s forests at the present day. Over centuries, man has progressively cleared forested areas to make way for various forms of agriculture.

In the 20th century, deforestation dramatically accelerated with rapid population growth. Land clearance for agriculture, illegal logging, and poorly planned infrastructure projects have led to the loss of 10 million hectares of forest each year.

This loss of forest is devastating. Not only is there the loss of vital habitat for wildlife, but the Earth’s forests are also a natural sink for carbon dioxide and cleanse and purify the air. Trees are vital for soil structure and integrity, and when they are removed, the valuable topsoil is washed off and the land rapidly degrades.

Extensive removal of trees destabilizes the surrounding earth and in sloped or hilly places can lead to landslides. The 2017 fatal landslide in Sierra Leone has been attributed to the loss of over 800,000 hectares of forest cover within a decade.

Deforestation also negatively impacts people and has many social, economic and health consequences for human livelihood.

5. Groundwater depletion threatens the water supply for over half the U.S. population

Just 2.5% of the water on Earth is freshwater, making groundwater supplies an extremely precious resource. In the U.S., groundwater depletion, with a long-term decline in the water table level, is a recognized problem that threatens the millions of U.S. citizens that rely on it for domestic use.

Half of the U.S. population, including the entire rural population, uses groundwater daily. In addition, sustained groundwater pumping for agriculture tops 50 billion gallons of water daily. This has led to overdrafting, the removal of water beyond the equilibrium yield and the recharge rate of aquifers, leading to their depletion.

This problem affects many areas of the United States, with evidence of groundwater depletion, including wells drying up, reduction in the volume of water in streams and lakes, and deterioration of the quality of drawn or pumped water. Where pumping is excessive, it can even draw in saltwater, contaminating the freshwater.

6. A global shortage of phosphorous threatens crop yields

Global production of phosphorous, a key component of conventional NPK fertilizers, is expected to peak in 2030. Phosphorous is a finite natural resource concentrated in rock form only in Morroco and a few other places.

Phosphate shortages have been thought to have been imminent since 2010, but a more recent evaluation of Morroco’s resources suggests that production of rock phosphate will peak by 2030. This is concerning because phosphorous is essential to plant growth, with vegetation having an increased demand for this mineral as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rise.

A fall in phosphorous availability or rising prices could threaten food security and crop yields in developing countries.

7. Continual increases in demand threaten to decrease reserves of rare earth metals

Rare earth elements are a group of 17 heavy metals that have properties that are valuable in a wide range of electrical and electronic applications including, computers, lasers, magnets, and batteries.

The rise of technology has led to a massive increase in demand for rare earth, with 10% increases year on year. Though rare earth elements aren’t particularly scarce, the high rate of consumption by the electronics sector, and limited recycling of electronics means that global rare earth reserves could be completely depleted when we reach the 2050s.

China has the world’s most abundant rare earth element reserves, providing more than 97% of the global supply. The extent of Chinese rare earth resources is not fully known, but mining these metals has caused extensive soil and water pollution due to leaching pools filled with toxic chemicals to separate the metals from the earth.

8. Soil humus decline threatens soils viability worldwide

Organic matter in soils, known as humus, is a natural resource essential for rich and fertile land that can sustain crops, trees, and vegetation. This soil component includes not only decayed and rotting matter but also the diverse ecosystem of microorganisms that degrade the organic matter and maintain soil health.

Deforestation, intensive agriculture, land pollution and climate stressors have led to the depletion of soil humus. This is important because soil is one of the most important carbon sinks and a reservoir of nutrients essential for plant health. The humus layer of the soil also holds and filters massive amounts of water, up to six times its weight.

The carbon and nutrient content in soils is vital for sustainable agriculture. Farming sterile, dead soils relies entirely on fertilizers and heavy irrigation and, over time, leads to diminished yield and food insecurity. The loss of peat moss and other humus-rich soils also strips environments of vital habitats and a prime nitrogen store.

9. Zinc reserves are expected to start declining 30 years

Zinc is one of the world’s most used metals, after iron, aluminum, and copper. Zinc’s utility in solar panel and battery manufacturing has driven up demand in recent years. The metal is increasingly recognized as essential to implementing Net-Zero objectives, and demand for zinc may triple by 2030.

But zinc reserves are becoming depleted, with production shortfalls expected in the coming years. This scarcity has led to zinc being placed on critical minerals lists and market prices for this metal rising sharply. After peaking in 2050-60, zinc reserves are expected to decline sharply.

The depletion of zinc reserves also has implications for human health, as zinc plays an important role in normal immune function deficiency has been implicated in childhood mortality. The UN suggests that improved access to zinc could save the lives of up to 200,000 children.

10. Two-fifths of the world’s plant species are at risk of extinction

The Earth’s biodiversity is one of its most important but threatened natural resources. Plant species are under attack from land clearance and development, land pollution, monoculture and climate change. The depletion of plant biodiversity could lead to the loss of:

• Up to 200,000 edible plant species
• Medicinal plants and herbs
• Undiscovered plant species
• Plants and fungi that are essential to soil health and ecosystem stability

Though targets have been set to protect wildlife and ecosystems, in 2020, no single government managed to achieve them. Plant natural resources are believed to be largely untapped, and humanity is missing an opportunity to find foods and medicines that could sustain future generations.

11. Fish stocks may collapse by 2050

The industrialization of fishing has led to systemic overfishing that is rapidly depleting the world’s oceans. Some marine biologists are concerned that seafood stocks may not even survive the century.

Fish stocks are currently being harvested at unsustainable levels. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation suggests that up to 90% of the leading commercial fish stocks have been fully exploited. An example is the prized bluefin tuna population that has suffered a precipitous fall of over 97% in recent years.

Despite efforts to curb overfishing, many nations are actively subsidizing industrial trawler fleets that decimate marine life.

Can anything be done to mitigate the loss of natural resources?

The depletion of Earth’s natural resources is taking place on a massive scale. But there is always something that can be done to stem these shocking losses. 

Remedial action needs to take place at a local, national and international level, honestly addressing the financial and commercial drivers of natural resource depletion and potentially redirecting commercial activity towards strategies that curb excessive exploitation and consumption of our resources. Here are some ideas:

• Companies invest in recycling: Companies that extract and process natural resources should lead investment in recycling technology and facilities to ensure that these finite materials are reused as much as possible.

• Reprocessing waste: Instead of digging up earth for metals and minerals, mining companies could develop technology for reprocessing waste to recover the valuable materials that are simply landfilled. Landfills could become industrial sites where waste is sorted and ‘mined’ for usable materials, decreasing their volume and environmental impact long term.

• Circular economy:  The circular economy, where goods are routinely reused, repaired, refurbished or recycled will eventually lead to a reduction in demand for raw materials and slow the depletion of natural resources. 

In conclusion

Natural resources are a vital heritage for the present and future generations. Addressing this catastrophic decline in natural resources requires the shared acknowledgment that the current consumption levels are unsustainable and often unnecessary.

Rather than seeing the required change as arduous, changing our consumption patterns is an opportunity to develop new technologies and solutions to help everyone make the most of our current resources without looking for more!