Environmental sustainability and lifestyle

O'Riordan (1988 page 30) suggests that sustainability involved embracing ethical norms pertaining to the survival of living matter, to the rights of future generations and to institutions responsible for ensuring that such rights are fully taken into account policies and actions.

From what O'Riordan has staed, sustainability is the presentation and usage of resources to ensure that future generations are catered for in terms of all resources.

To improve the sustainability of my lifestyle, i need to have the knowledge or understanding from policies that promote sustainable environmental development, participation in decisions affecting my welfare and that of my children and the next generations.l must come to terms with the reality of resource limitation so that resources continue to be available for future users.

Also accessing polices on sustainable environmental developments will broaden my knowledge.Equiped with all this information will bring a sense of belonging to the programme.

The idea above is aluded by Serageldin et al(1998) pg 44 developing nations should base their development agendas on their own administrating technical, scientific and economic capacities.

The legal and institutional frameworks and regulations which provide information for environmental protection including the protection of humans willl bring awareness and enjoyment in protecting the environment.For example l can be involved in programmes for sustainable development of tree planting.The involvement in the programme will reduce the levels of vandalism and greater accountability will be benefits of the community.In addition l will develop a greater awareness and appreciation and sense of responsibility for the trees.

Moffat A and McNeill 1994 pg 6, site Johnson (1989)"Participation in a community forest activities can also have a beneficial effect on the social contact between residents"

What might be preventing me from doing the activities l mentioned above is failure to obtain policies, environmental regulations and institutional frameworks which provide information on environmental protection.Participation of diverse people in the action plan and decision making are of paramount importance so that the views even of the poorest people can be accommodated.

Inclusion of sustainable development in education, curriculums at early stages of formal education is so beneficial that they are caught whilst still young.This will make them value, admire and appreciate the environment as they grow.

There is lack of vigorous publicity in the awareness of sustainable environment policies in the electionic media, newspapers, posters, campaigns and in public transports.

Wars and hunger in the developing countries are sacrificing sustainability of the environment through the food production which must be maximized to feed the expanding population.Current patterns of human consumption call for a reversal of what until recently have been normal assumptions about meeting demand and sets of policy of reducing or restraining demand.

In conclusion, acquiring knowledge from policies and participation in decision making will improve sustainability of my lifestyle.Failure to access these policies is inhibiting me from making an impact on environmental development