What is a Sustainability Policy?
A sustainability policy is a plan used by a business, community, or similar group that focuses on using purely sustainable materials and energy in all parts of its operation. Sustainable materials are resources that can be harvested (for example, corn or lumber) or harnessed (i.e., wind or solar power) in such a way that from the beginning of the harvesting, through the processing, and all the way to the disposal of the product, no harm is caused to the environment. Using sustainable materials is a way of ensuring that future generations have roughly the same amount of resources as we do today.
Sustainable, renewable, and reusable
It is important to understand the differences between sustainable, renewable, and reusable materials, in developing a sustainability policy as these terms differ in meaning and are not interchangeable – although sustainable materials are usually renewable and reusable, renewable materials may not be sustainable and reusable materials may be neither sustainable nor renewable.
- Sustainable, as stated earlier, refers to the ability to harvest, process, and dispose of materials without harming the environment, allowing later generations access to the same resources that are available now. Sustainable materials are more common than the description may make them sound. For example, all vegetable and fruit crops that can be planted and harvested are sustainable, provided that the planting and harvesting is done in an environmentally-friendly way, and on a scale that allows the products to grow back at a faster rate than they are consumed (determined through what is called a sustainability assessment). Some recyclable materials are sustainable as well, as long as the material is biodegradable; cotton cloths, for one, can be used repeatedly until they decay and biodegrade, which does not cause environmental damage.
- Renewable materials replenish themselves at a rate greater than that by which they are consumed. However, renewability does not take environmental damage into account.
- Reusable materials are those that can be recycled after use, regardless of whether they are sustainable or renewable. As such, plastic containers are a reusable resource, although they are neither sustainable (because plastics manufacture and recycling creates greenhouse gas emissions) nor renewable (plastic does not grow back).
Construction as part of a sustainability policy
Construction and construction materials play a role in sustainability policies as well. By focusing on materials that are manufactured from sustainable, renewable, or reusable resources and by employing construction techniques that have minimal impact on the environment, businesses and communities are able to plan and build structures that are considered eco-friendly on all levels. This includes post-construction use of renewable energy and low maintenance landscaping.
These distinctions all come together as part of a sustainability policy, allowing a business, community, or other similar entity to reach its goal in a way that preserves resources for future generations and leaves the environment unharmed.