Your Questions About Green Living

The Expert answers:

There are none, either in Africa or anywhere else.

To be truly sustainable, the development and the result must not use any non-renewable resources: no metals, no oil, no coal, no natural gas, etc.
Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainability

And it has to make sure that any renewable resources its uses are in fact used at no greater a rate than they are renewed. That means not using chemical fertilizers or insecticides (they destroy the soil); not using too much timber products and planting trees to replace the ones you do use; etc.

All that makes true sustainable development very expensive – so much so as to be not economically viable.
Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_development

It is certainly the case that some development technologies use up more resources, do more environmental damage, etc. Than others, and some would argue that even small steps are beneficial, but whether the economy crashes in 20 years or 50 years, either way, it is not sustainable.
Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Ecosystem_Assessment
http://dieoff.org/page110.htm
http://dieoff.org/page13.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/business/energy-environment/19green.html

The Expert answers:

The way you ask the question leads me to believe that you already have a clue what sustainable development is. To answer your first question, yes, I believe it is. There are a number of ‘off the shelf’ solutions out there, and a lot of new ground to be broken in adjusting the way we do business and delving into some of the new technologies that exist.

In answer to your solar question, I believe the successful energy palette will be a colorful mix of options. We’ll be weaning ourselves off of fossil fuels, and through conservation, solar, wind, geothermal, etc. Etc. We can make up the balance handily. I believe India and China will by necessity pay attention to what’s being accomplished and will emulate and eventually even surpass outside efforts. China’s poor air quality is now world reknowned, and with all the new coal-powered plants it will get worse, but they’re a world power and want to increase and solidify their position in the world, so they’ll come around. I hope so, anyway, for all our sakes.

I’d like to share a few of the sites I’ve found in my online travels that might give you encouragement. If you want more, just email me and I’ll share the whole list.

The Expert answers:

Well the technical definition is: a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This basically means, growing enough food and sourcing our energy and raw material needs without doing irreversible damage to the environment.
Hope it helps!

The Expert answers:

Developers can build a community based on Smart Growth principles, where there is a mixture of land uses, and good transportation options for people who don’t wish to drive.

Go to the website of the U.S. Green Building Council for more information. Look up LEED standards for community development.

Www.usgbc.org

The Expert answers:

The best thing we can do is set up biosphere reserves where conservation n exploitation go hand in hand.
For sustainable dev. All u need is to exploit consistently keeping in mind promotion and conservation of nature and environmental protection for equitable development.
We can follow and adopt many practices which are used by tribes especially Warli tribe.

Hope this would help!