Introduction
There is an irony in the growth one sees in the world today. On one hand, rapid advances in technology have made substantial contributions to the betterment of mankind. New findings and inventions have made life better for the average human being in terms of better health care, safety systems, quality of life, better housing and transportation etc. On the other hand, the race for supremacy and even survival among organizations, governments and other private corporations have resulted in massive depletion of natural resources and great harm to the environment. The growing levels of globalization and free trade are in part responsible for this unhealthy development. This trend which began to gain momentum during the 1980s has resulted in a growing marketplace with geographical boundaries becoming irrelevant. The result is high levels of competition. Companies now have to be extremely efficient to survive and grow in such an environment and governments have to take steps to bring about economic stability. All these things are implemented irrespective of the consequences. The two issues mentioned (scarce resources and environment) above have become a matter of serious concern for many people and organizations throughout the world. Lately, governments in many countries have begun to take an active part in such matters. But the fact remains that, though almost everyone is verbal about protecting the environment and increasing the life of scarce resources, very little practical effort is being carried out in finding a solution. It is heartening to note that there is a small band of individuals, groups and organizations who have adopted the concept of ‘sustainable development’ seriously and are engaged in activities that do little or no harm to the environment as well as resources. Each one of them is engaged in what is referred to as sustainable development projects which include businesses, service, education and conservation.
This paper attempts to review a sustainable development project in the UK. It is this writer’s belief that focus on sustainable development should start at a young age. Hence, the paper will focus on a charity called StudentForce for Sustainability which “focuses on young people working and learning to boost their employability, as well as the sustainability of communities and employers.’ (About Us).
Sustainable development projects
As mentioned in the earlier section, the concept of sustainable development is being increasingly popular in the world today. There are many definitions that can be used to make the concept clear. Though there are certain differences among them, the common theme that runs through all of them is development along with protection of the environment Such development can be referred to as “The horizontal theme which describes the need to work towards economic growth, social cohesion and the protection of the environment simultaneously and in the long term interest.” (Glossary: Sustainable Development. 2005). It can be seen that this particular definition stresses sustainable social and economic growth. This would be a representative definition since social growth can include factors like poverty eradication, social equality and justice. Any activity or project that takes the above factors into consideration can be referred to as a sustainable development project.
Student Force for Sustainability
As mentioned earlier, this is a charity (referred to as StudentForce) based in the UK that focuses on young people leading their lives with a focus on sustainable development. This concept goes well with the saying if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for life. If people are taught at a young age to live sustainably, this concept will get entrenched in them and the community at large in the long run. This is truly a sustainable development project in itself. The organization apart from training students and young people is engaged in a number of projects. They include Graduate Resources (training students), Sustainable College project, Community Check, Local Check, Youth Check, Millennium Volunteers, and the European Voluntary Service. These projects will be dealt with in the next section on the impact of the project on the pillars of sustainability.
Student Force for Sustainability and its impact on the pillars of sustainability
Many experts consider three foundations or pillars of sustainability. They are environmental or ecological sustainability, economic sustainability and social sustainability. There are others who are of the opinion that another pillar namely cultural sustainability should also be considered part of the pillars making them four pillars of sustainability. (Hawkes 2001).
Ecological sustainability
The aim here is to bring about a healthy environment where there is clean air and water along with healthy food. The three factors detrimental to ecological sustainability and health are human population, consumption that is stimulated by affluence and technology. Unless these are closely monitored and controlled further damage to the ecosystem will occur. (Burkhardt 2004, p.8).
High population growth is an area of concern for many underdeveloped and developing countries. The problem with developing counties is that they would have brought down mortality rates which will further compound the problem. In advanced and developing economies, the problem is unmonitored and wasteful consumption. New technology especially in the engineering and manufacturing sector is also a factor. For example, there are fears that the ₤2000 Nano car to be released by Indian manufacture could indirectly lead to pollution. This is because being the world’s cheapest car will prompt many to buy the vehicle resulting in large numbers on the road. This increase will have an impact on pollution.
StudentForce has a number of projects that impact economic sustainability both directly and indirectly. Their Graduate Resources and Sustainable College projects are aimed at educating youth and college students about the importance of sustainability. More importantly, it teaches them how to lead a professional and social life with a focus on sustainable development. Both these will have an indirect positive impact. Their Community Check project has a direct impact on ecological sustainability. This project aims at volunteers and trained staff to check out publicly accessible places (hotels, libraries, shops, offices etc) for eco-friendly management and their waste management programs. All those who comply with their suggestions are labelled as checked organisations. Moreover, there will be ongoing help from StudentForce to maintain the above-mentioned steps at these checked organisations. The Youth Check program aims at teaching youngsters to manage public places more efficiently by making them more sustainable. An example would be not to waste water or to maintain cleanliness and hygiene in public washrooms.
Social sustainability
The authors of the above-mentioned book states that social equity is one of the factors of social sustainability. This refers to a society in which there is justice and equality among all sections of the society. It includes equality among individuals and also bringing down the level of economic inequality. Society as a whole, or even sections of the society, should not be subject to violence or any form of injustice. Other factors include equality in education and healthcare opportunities. The policy report on the social development of the City of Vancouver has included the above points as a part of their guiding principles on social sustainability. Moreover, (according to the paper), this concept has three major components namely:
- basic needs such as housing and sufficient income that must be met before capacity can develop;
- individual or human capacity or opportunity for learning and self-development;
- social or community capacity for the development of community organizations networks that foster interaction.” (Gates and Lee, 2005, p. 3).
It should be noted that some authors prefer individual integrity or ethics as one of the pillars in place of social sustainability. The other two pillars namely ecological and economic sustainability is common among all views. It can be said that individual integrity or even ethics can be equated to social sustainability. This is because individual integrity can bring about social equality. The same scenario can be considered in the case of ethics also.
Almost all the projects of StudentForce have an indirect impact on society. The impact is seen mostly on the second and third components mentioned above. One is learning and self-development and the other is the capacity of the community and society to develop community organizations and forming networks that increase interaction. It is indirect because Student Force is training a group of young men and women in sustainable development who will work or do business in the society according to what they have learnt. The main impact is the education and training given on the topic of sustainable development. This trained group of youngsters will become ecologically responsible people in their professional and personal lives. This will also have an impact on at least a few others (colleagues, friends, relatives etc) who will try and emulate them. Their European Voluntary service will provide a chance for volunteers to spend 12 months in another European country to spread the message in that country. It will also enable them to learn new information and methods from projects followed in that country. All types of students (irrespective of class or colour) are trained here which will promote social harmony and equality. The end result is that a solid workforce trained in sustainable development (along with social sustainability) will begin to work or do business within the society. This will lay the foundation for continuous ecological and social sustainability.
Economic Sustainability
Economic sustainability refers to the efficient use of monetary resources and other forms of capital. Such forms include human capital, social capital and natural capital. (Economic Sustainability. 2007). Natural capital refers to whatever natural resources are available in a particular region that can be used as capital for a particular project. It is only common sense that efficient use of human and social capital will promote all-around growth and sustainability. Every sustainable development project whether it is a business or any not-for-profit venture should be economically sustainable. Otherwise, the project will not be able to continue. StudentForce is a charitable organisation and depends on donations and grants for promoting its services and depends on these sources for money. It also makes use of the services of volunteers which can promote economic sustainability. Funding for its Community Check is provided by the Department of Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and from the local authorities where the projects are carried out. Its social capital is provided by partner organisations including departments of the local authorities. Its human capital is through its own staff and volunteers. In this instance, funding, volunteering, donations and partnering are the options available for the project’s economic sustainability.
The efforts of the Student Force have a direct effect on the economy of the community. One of its main aims is to provide temporary and permanent jobs to students trained in sustainability programs. They may not find suitable jobs just because they have additional qualifications regarding environmental sustainability. Student Force educates many sectors of society including businesses on the importance of sustainable development. This results in organisations recruiting employees who will also assist them in doing business without harming the environment. This will ultimately result in those trained students getting employment in such organisations.
The indirect economic effect on society, in general, will be felt only in the long run. It will become part of all the economic benefits that are related to environmental protection. It includes lesser pollution-related health problems, lower costs for the community in the removal of waste, etc. It may also include additional revenue from cultural and tourism activities. An example would be the Local Check Centre discussed in the following section on cultural sustainability. The project is to repair and revive a community’s cultural and architectural heritage. Repaired old buildings can become centres of tourist interest also. Moreover, those buildings can be used constructively and are cheaper than tearing them down and building new ones.
Cultural sustainability
As mentioned earlier many authors argue that preservation of culture should also form a part of the pillars, making it four in all. Globalisation and free markets have taken a toll on many cultures around the world. Many people are abandoning their old ways and values and pursue the things found in fast and prosperous life. Even cultural symbols and monuments are being ignored by many. One project that StudentForce handles is the Local Check Centre. According to their website, the effort is mainly to help people to “recognise and value their local heritage”. Moreover, this preserved heritage can be made available to future generations also.
Challenges and solutions
Sustainable development is a challenging task by itself and for those engaged in the field and StudentForce is no exception. One of the problems in eco-friendly projects (especially in manufacture) is the high cost of the product or service. According to an article titled ‘High Cost of New Technology is the Biggest Challenge to Greening Products: Report’ the biggest challenges that face a sustainable development project are “high cost of developing new technologies, differing regulations around the world, difficulty measuring the ROI on green products, problems understanding the application of regulations, and the new, large capital manufacturing investments required to handle greener materials and greener investments.” (GreenBiz Staff, 2008). This information is based on a study by the Product Innovation & Engineering Research, Aberdeen. In the case of StudentForce, the focus is more on service and hence, the high cost of product development will not affect the organization too much. Differing regulations around the world will also not affect the organisation since its activities are mainly based in the UK. The same is the case with the other factors also. But lack of political will, lack of proper green policies and laws etc will make the task of this organisation even harder. For example, industrialised countries have not yet reached a consensus on controlling of green house gases. Hence companies in the UK need not take the advice of or avail the services of StudentForce seriously. Another problem would be the lack of care or interest among the members of the community. The organisation works with people as well as small/medium/large establishments. Unless these components of the society are aware of and take environmental issues seriously, the effort of StudentForce will be wasted. Other challenges that indirectly affect this organisation are deforestation, climate change, inequality (cultural, social and economic), the gap between rich and poor countries etc.
Solutions: Funding might be a problem in the future for StudentForce since it is a not for profit organization. The local community where these projects are implemented can do a lot to help in this case. Individual and corporate donations can be made to solve this issue to a large extent. Grants and funds from the government and other voluntary organisations are also needed. On the organisation’s part, proper budgeting and financial controls have to be implemented. Stricter laws and implementation of the same will also help in its activities. Governments at the local and national levels should take steps to educate the public about the importance of sustainable development. Another option would be obtaining sponsors for its activities. The news media can do its bit by promoting the activities of such organisations. Awards and recognitions can be given to those companies that have successfully implemented sustainable development and waste management strategies as suggested by the student force. The costs of these can be sourced from willing sponsors. The staff and volunteers should be recognised publicly for the invaluable service done by them. The organisation can also make use of the many benefits given to sustainable development projects. The website titled Sustainable Development published by the UK Government is useful for many issues especially with regard to funding. The site has an option where persons interested in taking a course in sustainable development. StudentForce should get themselves registered on the site.
Personal contributions
The most obvious personal contribution that can be made here is to get trained in sustainable development provided by StudentForce. Once this is done, the next step is to become a volunteer staff. In this way, a direct contribution to the activities of StudentForce can be made. As a volunteer, I can take part in many of their projects like Community Check and Youth Check programs. I can teach willing youngsters the need for sustainable development. Another contribution would be informing and promoting the organisation to all my acquaintances, friends and relatives. This might result in at least a few of them following in my footsteps. I consider myself creative and can develop new projects and programs for them. An ideal one would be recognising the staff and volunteers in the organisation. An example would be to recognise the person who has been involved the most number of companies in getting to participate in the Community Check program. I could talk to companies about sponsoring gifts and other benefits as recognition.
Contribution by others
Apart from a personal contribution, society and its individual components can also help in the activities of society. Some of the steps have already been mentioned in the solutions to challenges section. An individual can contribute either money or their time to the organisation. They, like me, can promote the activities of the organisation. Companies in the local communities can contribute money and also become a part of the community check programs. The latter step would result in greater awareness and practical steps towards sustainability. The media can highlight their activities and also provide coverage of the awards given to staff, volunteers and participating companies. The government can also play a large role in helping such organisations. They can provide funds for the development of such organisations. It is to be said at this moment that the government is already funding the Community Check (mentioned earlier) program to a large extent. Another noteworthy point that should be mentioned here is that there are nearly fifty organisations that provide grants to such projects. They include private and well as public and governmental organisations. The list can be seen on the website published by the DEFRA. (Sources of Grant for UK Sustainable Development Projects. 2007). The government and local communities can also take steps in educating the public about sustainability. But the most important contribution would be to bring about stringent laws with regard to sustainable development.
Conclusion
It can be seen that StudentForce is doing a commendable job with its many projects on sustainable development. It will need support from all sections of society and the government for more effectiveness and growth. Moreover, other organisations should be formed which will partner with or emulate StudentForce. But it can be said the organisation is quite effective in its efforts and should be encouraged to continue with its plans and also to formulate new ideas to be implemented. With rising levels of environmental damage and lack of sustainable development organisations like StudentForce are very essential to make a change for the better. The best thing that can be said about the student force is that it educates from the grassroots level (i.e. the young people of the country). This will have a long term positive impact on the sustainable development activities and projects in the country.
Bibliography
About Us. [online]. Student Force for Sustainability. 2008. Web.
Burkhardt, Helmut. (2004). Ecological Integrity. [online]. 8. Web.
Economic Sustainability. (2007). [online]. CNRG: Providing Solutions for Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability. Web.
Glossary: Sustainable Development. (2005). [online]. The Highlands and Islands Partnership Programme. Web.
GreenBiz Staff. (2008). High Cost of New Technology is the Biggest Challenge to Greening Products: Report. [online]. Web.
Hawkes, Jon. (2001). Fourth Pillar of Sustainability. [online]. 2008. Web.
Sources of Grant for UK Sustainable Development Projects. (2007). [online]. Web.
GATES, Rick., and LEE, Mario. (2005). City Of Vancouver: Policy Report Social Development: Social Sustainability Encompasses Three Components. [online]. P. 3. Web.