MODULE 1 LESSON 1 environmental impact of an organizations

facilities, products and operations.

THREE (3) PRINCIPLES OF
SUSTAINABILITY Herman Daly, a pioneer in environmental
sustainability, proposed that: 1. For
What Is Sustainability?
renewable resources, the rate of harvest
There is no universally agreed definition of should not exceed the rate of regeneration
sustainability. In fact, there are many
2. For pollution, the rates of waste
different viewpoints on this concept and on
generation from projects should not exceed
how it can be achieved.
the assimilative capacity of the environment
Etymologically, the word sustainability
3. For nonrenewable resources, the depletion
comes from sustainable + ity. And
of the nonrenewable resources should
sustainable is, for instance, a composition of
require comparable development of
sustain + able. So if we start from the
renewable substitutes for that resource
beginning, to “sustain” means “give support
to”, “to hold up”, “to bear” or to “keep up”. PROFIT: The Economic Pillar of
Sustainability
What is sustainability, then? Sustainable is
an adjective for something that is able to be Economic sustainability is used to define
sustained, i.e, something that is “bearable” strategies that promote the utilization of
and “capable of being continued at a certain socio-economic resources to their best
level”. In the end, sustainability can perhaps advantage. A sustainable economic model
be seen as the process(es) by which proposes an equitable distribution and
something is kept at a certain level. efficient allocation of resources. The idea is
to promote the use of those resources in an
The Three Pillars of Sustainability
efficient and responsible way that provides
One way to look at sustainability is by long-term benefits and establishes
considering the Three (3) Pillars of profitability. A profitable business is more
Sustainability. Under this approach, likely to remain stable and continue to
companies look for a balanced approach to operate from one year to the next.
long term social, environmental and
1. Environmental Sustainability
economic objectives.
At the heart of sustainability lies
Another way to look at this is through the
environmental sustainability, which revolves
concept of the Triple Bottom Line - People,
around preserving and nurturing the health
Planet, and Profit.
of our planet. This principle entails the
PEOPLE: The Social Pillar of responsible use of natural resources,
Sustainability reducing waste and pollution, and conserving
biodiversity.
The social aspect of sustainability focuses on
balancing the needs of the individual with 2. Social Sustainability
the needs of the group. Different companies
Social sustainability focuses on promoting
do this in different ways, with some of the
equitable and inclusive communities that
most successful corporate sustainability
cater to the well-being of all individuals. This
programs taking an approach that ties in
principle underscores the importance of
well with their corporate missions:
providing access to basic needs, education,
PLANET: The Environmental Pillar of healthcare, and opportunities for personal
Sustainability and professional growth.

Environmental sustainability occurs when By fostering social sustainability, we strive to

processes, systems and activities reduce the build societies where every person can
thrive, regardless of their background or
circumstances. Empowering communities 5. Fishing grounds: The estimated
and enhancing the quality of life are the core primary production required to
of social sustainability. support the fish and seafood caught in
freshwater and marine environments.
3. Economic Sustainability
6. Built-up land: The amount of land used
Economic sustainability revolves around for human civilizations, structures, and
cultivating a resilient and flourishing developments. (WWF)
economy that serves both the present and
future generations. This principle advocates
MODULE 1 LESSON 3
for responsible resource management,
sustainable business practices, and the MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
promotion of circular economies.
Genetic Modifications of Crops
By embracing economic sustainability, we
Environmental issues caused by man-made
can ensure that economic activities align
chemicals are becoming clearer. For
with environmental and social well-being,
example, there has been a 90% reduction in
paving the way for a prosperous and
the Monarch butterfly population in the
sustainable global economy.
United States that can be linked to weed
killers that contain glyphosate.
MODULE 1 LESSON 2 Waste Production
ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINTS The average person produces 4.3 pounds of
waste per day, with the United States alone
What is ecological footprint? Ecological
accounting for 220 million tons per year.
footprint (EF), measure of the demands
Much of this waste ends up in landfills, which
made by a person or group of people on
generate enormous amounts of methane.
global natural resources. It has become one
of the most widely used measures of Population Growth
humanity’s effect upon the environment and
Many of the issues listed here result from the
has been used to highlight both the apparent
massive population growth that Earth has
unsustainability of current practices and the
experienced in the last century. The planet’s
inequalities in resource consumption
population grows by 1.13% per year, which
between and within countries.
works out to 80 million people.
The six categories of withdrawals
Water Pollution
1. Carbon: A measure of carbon
Fresh water is crucial to life on Earth, yet
emissions, represented by the amount
more sources are being polluted through
of forest land that would be needed to
human activities each year. On a global
sequester carbon dioxide emissions,
scale, 2 million tons of sewage, agricultural
not including the fraction that is
and industrial waste enters the world’s water
absorbed by the oceans and leads to
every day.
acidification.
2. Cropland: The amount of cropland Deforestation
used to grow plants for food, fiber,
animal feed, and commodities The demands of an increasing population
including oil, soy and rubber. have resulted in increasing levels of
3. Grazing land: The amount of grazing deforestation. Current estimates state that
land used for raising animals for meat, the planet is losing 80,000 acres of tropical
wool, dairy, hide, and livestock. forests per day.
4. Forests: The extent at which forests Urban Sprawl
are cut down for lumber, pulp, and
fuel.
The continued expansion of urban areas into The Nitrogen Cycle
traditionally rural regions is not without its
With most of the focus being placed on the
problems. Urban sprawl has been linked to
carbon cycle, the effects of human use of
environmental issues like air and water
nitrogen often slips under the radar.
pollution increases, in addition to the
creation of heat-islands. Natural Resource Use
Overfishing Recent studies have shown that humanity
uses so many natural resources that we
It is estimated that 63% of global fish stocks
would need almost 1.5 Earths to cover our
are now considered overfished. This has led
needs.
to many fishing fleets heading to new
waters, which will only serve to deplete fish Transportation
stocks further.
An ever-growing population needs
Acid Rain transportation, much of which is fueled by
the natural resources that emit greenhouse
Acid rain comes as a result of air pollution,
gases, such as petroleum.
mostly through chemicals released into the
environment when fuel is burned. Its effects Polar Ice Caps
are most clearly seen in aquatic ecosystems,
where increasing acidity in the water can The issue of the melting of polar ice caps is a
lead to animal deaths. contentious one.

Ozone Layer Depletion Climate Change

Ozone depletion is caused by the release of The majority of the issues previously listed
chemicals, primarily chlorine and bromide, contribute or are linked to climate change.
into the atmosphere. A single atom of either Statistics created by NASA state that global
has the potential to destroy thousands of temperatures have risen by 1.7 degrees
ozone molecules before leaving the Fahrenheit since 1880, which is directly
stratosphere. linked to a reduction in Arctic ice of 13.3%
per decade.
Ocean Acidification
Ocean acidification is the term used to
describe the continued lowering of the pH MODULE 2 LESSON 1
levels of the Earth’s oceans as a result of MATTER
carbon dioxide emissions. It is estimated that
ocean acidity will increase by 150% by 2100 Anything that has mass is made up of matter
if efforts aren’t made to halt it. – an all-encompassing word for atoms and
molecules that make up our physical world.
Air Pollution We describe this matter as existing in states
Air pollution is becoming an increasingly (sometimes referred to as phases). Most
dangerous problem, particularly in heavily people are familiar with three states of
populated cities. matter – solids, liquids and gases – but there
are two more that are less commonly known
Lowered Biodiversity but just as important – plasmas and Bose-
Continued human activities and expansion
has led to lowered biodiversity. A lack of
biodiversity means that future generations
will have to deal with increasing vulnerability
of plants to pests and fewer sources of fresh
water.
Einstein Condensates (BEC). compress than a solid, it is still quite difficult
– imagine trying to compress water in a
confined container!
Water is an example of a liquid, and so is
milk, juice and the petrol you put in the car.
Gas
In gases, the atoms are much more spread
out than in solids or liquids, and the atoms
collide randomly with one another. A gas will
Three states of matter fill any container, but if the container is not
sealed, the gas will escape. Gas can be
Solids, liquids and gases are three states of
compressed much more easily than a liquid
matter. In solids, the particles are tightly
or solid.
packed together. In liquids, the particles have
more movement, while in gases, they are Right now, you are breathing in air – a
spread out. Particles in chemistry can be mixture of gases containing many elements
atoms, ions or molecules. such as oxygen, nitrogen and carbon.
Solid Plasma
Plasma is very similar to gas, in fact, the
easiest way to describe plasma is as a gas
that can carry an electrical charge. Plasma is
a form of matter that exists when atoms are
in an excited state. They are so excited that
they jump an energy level and, in doing so,
give off light. Plasma particles are spread out
and move around randomly, but unlike gas,
they contain some free ions and electrons,
which gives plasma its ability to conduct
electricity.
On Earth, plasmas are commonly found in
some kinds of fluorescent lights and neon
Gallium is an uncommon metal that exists in
signs. Another form of plasma on Earth
a liquid and solid form. This gallium crystal
happens during storms as lightning.
would melt if you handled it.
Something is usually described as a solid if it
can hold its own shape and is hard to
compress (squash). The molecules in a solid
are closely packed together – they have a
high density.
Right now, you are probably sitting on a
chair, using a mouse or a keyboard that is
resting on a desk – all those things are solids.
Liquid
In liquids, the molecules have the ability to A lightning storm is an example of plasma,
move around and slide past each other. A one of the known states of matter. Plasma is
liquid will take on the shape of the container atoms in a very excited state and giving off
it is being held in. While a liquid is easier to light.
Auroras are another form of plasma, where • If you super cool gas, you get a BEC super
atoms in the upper atmosphere are affected atom wave. Warm it up, and the wave will
by particles coming in from outer space. The return to a gas.
most common form of plasma is in the stars
– our Sun exists in the plasma state. Overall,
plasmas are the most common state of MODULE 2 LESSON 2
matter – they make up 99% of the visible
universe. EXAMPLES OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) Organic chemistry is the study of carbon

compounds, which extends to understanding
To understand a Bose-Einstein condensate chemical reactions in living organisms and
(BEC), you must first know a bit about products derived from them. All are
temperature. chemical reactions in products derived from
living organisms. There are numerous
Daniel Kleppner from the Massachusetts
examples of organic chemistry in everyday
Institute of Technology has a great
life.
description. He says the “particles have lost
their identity – they all think they are Here are examples of organic chemistry at
everywhere”. One atom can’t tell itself from work:
another.
Polymers consist of long chains and branches
Changing states of molecules. Common polymers you
encounter every day are organic molecules.
It is important to understand that matter
Examples include nylon, acrylic, PVC,
exists in all states and that matter can also
polycarbonate, cellulose, and polyethylene.
change states. It does this by either using or
releasing energy, and it is usually associated Petrochemicals are chemicals derived from
with changes in temperature and pressure. crude oil or petroleum. Fractional distillation
separates the raw material into organic
A simple example is water. If you have a
compounds according to their different
block of ice, you have solid water. Add heat
boiling points. Examples include gasoline,
(a form of energy) and the ice melts into
plastics, detergents, dyes, food additives,
liquid water that you could drink (it has
natural gas, and medicines.
reached its melting point). Continue to apply
heat, and the water will evaporate and turn Although both are used for cleaning, soap
into steam, which is water in a gaseous state and detergent are two different examples of
(it has reached boiling point). This works organic chemistry. Soap is made by the
backwards, too. saponification reaction, which reacts to
hydroxide with an organic molecule (e.g., an
Gas can cool down (by losing energy) and
animal fat) to produce glycerol and crude
condense back into liquid water and cool
soap. While soap is an emulsifier, detergents
down further into a solid. There is even a
tackle oily, greasy (organic) soiling mainly
process called sublimation where a solid can
because they are surfactants, which lower
turn straight into a gas when heat is applied.
the surface tension of the water and
Gas can also change state to a plasma or
increase the solubility of organic compounds.
Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC):
Whether a perfume fragrance comes from a
• In plasma TVs, little pockets of gas are
flower or a lab, the molecules you smell and
excited with electricity disrupting the normal
enjoy are an example of organic chemistry.
balance of atoms so there are lots of free
ions and electrons, turning them into plasma, The cosmetics industry is a lucrative sector
which creates a light. of organic chemistry. Chemists examine
changes in the skin in response to metabolic
and environmental factors, formulate
products to address skin problems and
enhance beauty, and analyze how cosmetics
interact with the skin and other products.
Products with Common Organic Chemicals
These common products make use of organic
chemistry:
1. Shampoo
2. Gasoline
3. Perfume
4. Lotion
5. Drugs
6. Food and food additives
7. Plastics
8. Paper
9. Insect repellent
10.Synthetic fabrics (nylon, polyester, rayon)
11.Paint
12.Mothballs (naphthalene)
13.Enzymes