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Statewide/Global
Your topic guide:
John Wells
Director, Water and Sustainable Development
Minnesota Environmental Quality Board
john.wells@state.mn.us
- "Living Beyond Our Means: Natural Assets and Human Well-Being"
Are we living within our means? "No" is the unambiguous answer from the Millenium Assessment project. Among other stunning conclusions, they found that: 1) Human activities have taken the planet to the edge of a massive wave of species extinctions, threatening our own well-being. 2) The loss of services derived from ecosystems is a significant barrier to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals to reduce poverty, hunger, and disease. 3) The pressures on ecosystems will increase globally in coming decades unless human attitudes and actions change. What should we do about it? Check out the MA report at www.millenniumassessment.org/en/index.aspx
- "The Death of Environmentalism"
This essay finds fault with traditional environmentalism, arguing that the mainstream environmental movement is ill equipped to face the massive global challenges of our day, in particular climate change.
- 2007 Climate Change Report
The February 2, 2007 "smoking gun" report from 3750 climate experts from over 100 countries, who have spent six years reviewing climate research.
- Biomimicry
Biomimicry is a new science that studies nature's models and then imitates or takes inspiration from these designs and processes to solve human problems.
- Prevention and its Importance
Increasingly, a preventive approach to many of society's problems -- disease, crime and pollution for example -- is turning out to be cheaper and more effective than attempts to treat, control and clean up problems after they are created.
- Sustainability Initiatives: Minnesota Cities and Counties
Minnesota local governments are joining cities and counties nationwide to take actions to address climate change.
- Ultimate Human Means and Ends
An exploration of means and ends as these relate to sustainability.
- World Oil Supplies
Six reports from 2005 through 2008 analyze future world petroleum use and availability, and the disturbing implications of projected trends.
- Worldchanging - at a Local Scale
WorldChanging.com works from a simple premise: that the tools, models and ideas for building a better future lie all around us.
- Zero Waste, Climate Change and Recycle More Minnesota
3 solid waste resources: a 2008 report promoting zero waste policies, a Zero Waste Ordinance Resource Guide, and a state-wide recycling campaign.
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Case Studies
- Washington Governor Pushes Sustainability Agenda Former Washington Governor Gary Locke issued executive orders calling for sustainable environmental practices by all state agencies. More info...
- Model Ordinances for Sustainable Development The ordinances cover a broad range of topics, from neighborhood design and energy efficiency to watershed management and pollution prevention. More info...
- Economics for Lasting Progress The Economics for Lasting Progress project proposed a more comprehensive measure of economic health for Minnesota and identified specific ways that state policy could better foster sustainable development. More info...
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| Worth noting |
| Iceland to shift to clean hydrogen economy by 2030 The government of Iceland and a public-private venture including Shell Hydrogen, Daimler-Chrysler and Norsk Hydro have committed to establishing the first hydrogen-powered economy in the world. Iceland opened its first public hydrogen fueling station in April 2003. U.N. Concludes that Quality Environment is Basic Human Right For the first time ever, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights has concluded that everyone has the right to live in a world free from toxic pollution and environmental degradation. Humans Use Over Half World's Fresh Water Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health reports that the world's six billion people use just over half of the Earth's available fresh water. By 2025, our share will increase to at least 70 percent, leaving 30 percent for other species.
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