Innovation and Sustainability - Essay Example

Innovation and Sustainability Consumption Habits Habit One of the most fundamental consumption habits of humans is related to deforestation. Earth is enriched with a wide array of forests that stretch from the equator. These include seasonally moist forests, dense rainforests and the drier forests. The history of Earth’s deforestation is spread over thousands of years. Humans have cleared lands in order to gain more land for their livestock and for the cultivation of crops and irrigational purposes.

“Currently, the United States retains only 3 to 4 percent of its old growthforests, and three-quarters of these are designated as National Forests, which are open to logging- subsidized by over $2 billion of public funds every year” (Sierra Club, n.d.). Causes of deforestation include but are not limited to wood extraction, expansion of agriculture as well as of the infrastructure. Along with satisfying certain human needs, deforestation has conventionally given rise to a lot of problems like climatic change and extinction of several species of animals and plants.

Habit 2 A very obvious consumption habit of humans is the consumption of land. In the past two centuries, urban sprawl has surfaced as one of the outcomes of industrial revolution, as more people have moved to the urban areas in search of better opportunities and improved lifestyle. Consequentially, urban areas have spread to the lands that were previously undeveloped. Production HabitsHabit 1One of the production habits is also related to deforestation. After cutting the trees, the wood retrieved from them is used for making numerous products.

Trees are used for all kinds of purposes that include but are not limited to getting fruits, spices, nuts, latex, medicines, cork, fibers, natural resins, oils and timber. Most of these are eatables and are the fundamental elements that make our cuisines diverse and rich. Others like timber are of huge decorative significance. Timber is employed in the manufacturing of all kinds of furniture, floors and walls. Timber is also used as support for raising tents and fixing the wooden framework for concreting slabs.

Habit 2 Urban sprawl has enabled humans to develop more industries, schools and hospitals for the wellbeing of the society. Establishment of these industries has increased the production of all sorts of goods including sports equipment, crockery and food ingredients. Measures to Promote Sustainability of the Global PopulationIn order to conserve the forests, it is imperative that more markets are found that demand the products retrieved from the forests. This approach of sustainable use originates in the fact that adequate management of forests can help humans retrieve benefits of greater social and economic significance.

Efforts for the forest conservation can be made on both national and international level. Shade farming and sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants, cork and rubber are potential ways of conserving forests. Urban sprawl can be reduced by smart growth which is directed at improved town planning. Smart growth encourages humans to revitalize and invest in the existing developed as well as urban regions. Zoning laws can help prevent the urban sprawl and protect waterways and lands. References:Sierra Club. (n.d.). Forest Products Consumption & Its Environmental Impact.

Retrieved from http://www.sierraclub.org/sustainable_consumption/factsheets/forestproducts_factsheet.asp.