The Environment for the Sake of the Coming Generations - Essay Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Tutor :xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Title : Environmental Sustainability Institution : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date :xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx @ 2010 Environmental Sustainability Introduction Sustainability is a term used to describe a life system which enables people to meet the needs of today but they do not interfere with the ability of future generations to meet their needs with the present resources. In environmental sustainability people’s actions need not be harmful to the environment so that they can leave it in a better way than they found it. Personal environmental sustainability initiatives involve the adoption of actions that do not impact negatively on future generations by keeping the environment healthy. Such actions done at the individual level include; reduction in amount of energy used in heating and lighting, proper disposal of wastes, conservation of plant cover, using less water and conservation of the quality of air; Ott, (2003). Personal contribution to the sustainability of one’s environment can be achieved through energy conservation. Initiatives that are aimed at conservation of energy should be applied to cut down the energy used in heating and lighting. At all times of the night or day, lights that are not being used should be put off. Whenever a person is in one room the lights in the other rooms need not be on. Heating elements should only be on when there is need. As soon as they stop being used, they need to be put off. At the individual level I can make use of natural light whenever it is available instead of turning the lights on. For example during the day, shutters or the door should be left open in order to allow in as much light and air a possible. The energy that could have been used in air conditioning and lighting is saved through this simple practice; Holling, (2000). To ensure a healthy environment around me I can also take care of the wastes I produce to avoid disastrous consequences to the surroundings. Waste disposal is important since it affects the quality of water, soil and air. I should have a proper system through which I should dispose the sewage produced in the home so that it does not find its way into the water bodies and channels. Litter in the home should be disposed off properly in order to preserve the beauty of the land. Harmful substances if any should not be left in the open but need to be buried. Since plastic bags are non biodegradable on a small scale I may burn them to avoid the menace of having them flying all over; Ott, (2003). Decomposing material produce a liquid when it rains which can flow into water bodies and contaminate it. I therefore need to ensure that the compost heap in my home does not stand a chance of polluting the water around. In case of a pit latrine, my responsibility is to ensure that it is not so close to the water sources like springs and wells. If they are too close then the human wastes can seep from the latrine through the rocks into the ground water and contaminate it. Litter destroys the aesthetic value of a place. Dirty water from the toilets, composts or latrines compromises the quality of water in the surrounding water bodies and ground water as well; Buckingham et al (2003). Pollution of this water can lead to the death of aquatic animals whenever they come in contact with the water. I should therefore try my best to produce as little wastes as possible. Where I can I should try my best to recycle and re-use all the things that I get in order to reduce the volume of wastes being produced. The size of wastes a available for disposal will determine whether a proper method of disposal will be affordable or not. When the volume of wastes is so big then it becomes too overwhelming for those concerned with carrying out disposal; Ott, (2003). Another initiative I can make is to ensure that there is no indiscriminate or wanton destruction of vegetation. They play an important role in the hydrological cycle, carbon cycle and the oxygen cycle. They also help to conserve the soil and form a habitat for animals. They area a source of medicine, wood, timber, food and shelter to people besides making the environment beautiful, cool and pleasing for recreation. I can do my part to help conserve the present vegetative cover as well as increasing it. Therefore I need to avoid cutting trees without replacing them. The proper way for me to get rid of this is to ensure that I plant as many trees as possible in the home and the surrounding areas to my home; Finkelman (2009). I should also help in the reduction of the number of trees being felled by making proper use of wood products without wasting it. Products like those made from timber, papers or books should be used and re-used or recycled to a void cutting too many trees. A high demand of such products means that an extra tree will be felled in a certain forest to carter for that extra use of a book, paper or wood product. It is therefore important to ensure that there is conservation of resources at the individual level to avoid a global depletion of that resource. Global warming can cause a change in the climate of the world and hence cause an effect on the growth of trees. I therefore need to take care of these trees by avoiding the general pollution of the environment; Radcliffe (2000) I can also promote my environmental sustainability through water conservation. Water conservation means I should not use too much water unnecessarily and again I should not engage in practices that cause the pollution of water bodies or underground water. Such activities may include wrong handling of wastes which can make them get into the water by run off, polluting the air and soils. I should also not allow harmful substances into the soils because they can seep into underground water or be washed into rivers and streams. Consumption of contaminated water leads to diseases and death in people or animals; Buckingham et al (2003) I need to ensure that I only use as much water as I need. When there is a tap that is running and that water is not being used I should turn it off to save that water from going to waste. I can also do my best to avoid pollution of water bodies by not washing clothes in the river or bathing there. Soap and detergents contain chemicals which when mixed with water can destroy aquatic life; Finkelman (2009). Polluted air has so many negative effects on the sustainability of the environment such as acid rain which kills aquatic flora and fauna. It also results in the depletion of the ozone layer, smog formation and respiratory complications in people. I can therefore avoid the degradation of the quality of air by not burning substances that contain harmful chemicals in the air. Such substances produce fumes which reduce air quality and produce other effects. I can also try my best to do proper disposal of wastes to avoid the stench and odors produced by decomposing material. My car should be kept in good condition to avoid the production and release of harmful smoke into the air. I can also cut down my use of deodorants, since they contain harmful chemicals that when released into the atmosphere they destroy the ozone layer; Radcliffe (2000). Environmental sustainability within my nursing profession has to do with good professional practice that in the course of my duty does not destroy the environment for the sake of the coming generations. Because nursing involves the provision of health care to individuals families and communities there are many activities involved in the practice that can compromise the quality of the environment; (Pope et al 1995). One such activity is the disposal of the wastes being produced some of which contain very hazardous material. Maintaining the health of someone involves the administration of medicines and drugs, use of needles and syringes, sharp objects and in some cases radio active material. All these things should be disposed of in a way that they don’t pollute the air, water or soil; Chitty (2005). To avoid causing harm to people around or polluting the soil and water, the best thing I can do is to burn them. Many of them are non biodegradable or contain poisonous and infectious substances that if buried can pollute soils or underground water. To avoid the spread of diseases I will make sure that other waste materials like bandages, wool are also destroyed by burning. Infectious clothing should be washed and sterilized to avoid passing the diseases to other people. In the general care of communities I will ensure that resources such as water, food, energy are not being wasted. Many of the things being used like paper and water should be recycled or re-used to avoid depletion of resources; Chitty (2005). Conclusion In any activity or profession environmental sustainability should be practiced at the personal level by conservation of the available resources. Resource conservation ensures that the natural resource base is not depleted. Future generations can then have an opportunity to make use of the resources we have today the way they are or even in a better state. References Radcliffe, Mark (2000). "Doctors and nurses: new game, same result". British Medical Journal . Retrieved 2010-11-15 Kay Kittrel Chitty (2005); Professional nursing: concepts and challenges page 127. Andrew MacPherson Pope, Meta A. Snyder, Lillian H. Mood (1995) Nursing, Health and the environment: strengthening the relationship. Anita Ward Finkelman, Carole Kenner (2009); Professional Nursing concepts: Competencies for Quality Leadership page 76. Susan Buckingham, Kate Theobald (2003);Local environmental sustainability; new York. Ott, K. (2003). "The Case for Strong Sustainability." In: Ott, K. & P. Thapa (eds.) P. Thapa P.(2003).Greifswald’s Environmental Ethics. Greifswald: Steinbecker Verlag Ulrich Rose. Holling, C. S. (2000). "Theories for Sustainable Futures” Conservation Ecology . Retrieved on: 2010-11-16. Read More