Sustainability: The history and what it is

In this rapidly changing world, we have seen drastic changes in the development of untouched land and the decline of the environment. The environment has taken the biggest hit, as we are clearing the forests and fields, building right on the protected dunes and more just so we can build more homes for the ever growing population. With this growth, we are running out of natural resources. One way we can replenish these resources is by adopting sustainable ways of living. Sustainability is " the system and processes that are able to operate and persist on their own over long periods of time"(Sustainability, Principles and Practices, 2014, p.3). Examples of sustainability are having rain barrels to reuse rain water, recycling, and solar energy.      At my house, we have a rain barrel to collect rainwater to water our plants. We decided to use a rain barrel when we were in a drought. We have a well, and did not want to use up our water for the house on watering the plants outside. By reusing the rain water, we actually saved our water. Also, when it rains for days our barrel overflows, and we have to start filling up another barrel. We always have rainwater to reuse, and never have to use our well water.  http://missouribusiness.net/wp-content/uploads/windmills-solarpanels.jpg      The history of sustainability dates back to the beginning of Earth, nearly 4.5 billion years ago. Earth has always "maintained a balance of dynamic equilibrium" until recently (Sustainability, Principles and Practices, 2014, p.10). This equilibrium change is happening because we are over using the resources provided to us here on Earth. This is why we need to adopt sustainable practices so we will not run out of these resources, and so we will not "kill" the Earth.      One way we can create a sustainable world, is by creating land conservations. These conservations make sure that a particular area can not be plowed down to create a new housing development, shopping mall, or energy plant. This land is to remain untouched, and to let the wildlife live in their natural habitat. President Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir, were both passionate conservationists who fought for national parks. Yosemite and the Grand Canyon are just two examples of the 417 national parks in the U.S. and our territories, and they cover more than 84 million acres. https://www.nps.gov/featurecontent/yose/anniversary/wp-content/themes/anniversary2014/library/images/yose1smallSummer.jpg      Throughout the history of sustainability, there have been trends, new legislation, and an environmental movement. In the 1970s, "public awareness was awakened by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and that bloomed on the first Earth Day, and lead to a series of legislative moves to protect the environment" (Sustainability, Principles and Practices, 2014,p.14).These trends and movements have led to the passage of the Water Pollution Act, the National Environmental Policy, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and many more. Most of these acts were passed in the 1970s. All of these acts, were put into place to protect and preserve our resources and lands.      Since the 1970s, more people have been joining the sustainability movement, and have adopted more sustainable ways to protect the environment. Solar panels, wind power, and geothermal energy are being used as alternate sources of energy. Food production and harvesting is becoming sustainable, as well as sustainable forestry. Everything in the world is becoming sustainable, as we are realizing that we need to adopt these practices if we want to be able to produce crops and products for years to come. We need to learn that history can repeat itself, and that we need to adopt practices that will provide food, products, and clean energy for years to come.  Works Cited  Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.