This last Area of Study incorporates all you have learnt so far in VCE Environmental Science, together with some new terms and concepts. The topic is based around the idea of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) – development that meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs, in terms of clean air, potable water, fertile soil and healthy ecosystems. This idea is also referred to as “intergenerational equity” – meaning that all generations have the right to equal resources.
Another important concept for this topic is the “Triple Bottom Line” – accounting for the social, economic and environmental impacts of a development. Many years ago it was just the economic (financial) outcome that mattered – profit at all costs. But increasingly, social and environmental outcomes are being considered as important. Ultimately, they are all dependent on each other, so we must maintain a balance between all three to be sustainable.
Some great resources to assist you to understand the impact that human activities have on the planet are listed below:
- “Story of Stuff” by Annie Leonard. Annie Leonard has studied the life cycle of various products and created a remarkable animation, which describes the process of extraction, manufacture, packaging, transport, retail, consumer use and disposal in a very engaging manner. She has also created several other videos including “The Story of Bottled Water”, “The Story of Cosmetics”, “The Story of Electronics” and more.
- Try the EPA Ecological Footprint Calculator to find out how many planets it takes to support your lifestyle. Leave me a comment on this post to let me know how you scored.
- Quizlet Flashcards for Unit 4: Area of Study 2: Applied Environmental Science will help you to remember the terms and definitions for this topic.
- Life Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprints from CSIRO
- Step-by-step guide to Life Cycle Assessment from CSIRO
