The Science of Sustainability
Common sense tells us that air, water, food, and shelter are fundamental to the survival of humans and businesses. However, the pathway to healthily integrating the two remains a challenge. Read this chapter to explore the important interrelationships between the environment, society, and economics and their importance to sustainable business. What are the merits of both views of economics with limits versus no limits to growth? How do businesses and individuals threaten ecosystems and the environment? What roles can businesses play in addressing environmental challenges as well as the limitations?
2.4 In-Depth Discussion of Sustainability Topics
Learning Objectives
- Understand the scale of energy use by businesses in modern society.
- Discuss how peak oil impacts businesses.
- Understand how green economy activities relate to business sustainability.
Energy use is one of the fundamental connections between business and sustainability. All businesses require energy to convert inputs into outputs, whether it is a product- or service-based business. This section focuses on modern day use of energy and in particular on oil as one of the most prominent energy sources and a nonrenewable resource.