Sustainable Futures Blog
Sustainable development
Smart cities? Glasgow and Barcelona show how
The standard criticism of the smart city concept is that it’s all talk and no action. Smart cities – based on ultra-efficient technologies and infrastructure responding to real-time data – seem to be always five to 10 years away. The recent event Delivering Smart Cities attempted to strip away the wishful thinking and look at … Continue reading
The real value of cycling
Cycling is not only good for your health, it is also profitable for society. A new study from Denmark shows that sick leave drops by one day per 1,200 kilometres travelled on the cycle track, and what is spent on improving conditions for commuter cyclists comes back to the municipality in saved sick-leave expenses and … Continue reading
Beyond CSR: Business and NGO seek collaboration
The role of business in reducing poverty and helping sustainable development is – again – shifting focus. In a summary of a discussion with global corporate leaders during Davos 2013, The Guardian offers great insight into an increasing trend toward cross-sector alliances in sustainable development. The debate, it seems, has moved on from the notion … Continue reading
Los Angeles Coal-Free By 2025
While many national governments struggle or simply refuse to get the renewable energy (r)evolution going, a growing number of regional and local governments are moving ahead nevertheless. Los Angeles is leading the way for major metropolitan areas to utilize clean energy. Outgoing mayor Antonio Villaraigosa recently announced that LA will eliminate coal power entirely from … Continue reading
World’s greenest cities named
Mother Nature Network has come up with a list of the ten ‘greenest’ cities worldwide, i.e. those leading the world in environmental sustainability and healthy and pleasant urban living. If that makes you think of solid recycling programs, green public spaces like parks and community gardens, or ample bike lanes, great, though those features and … Continue reading
Cities and sustainability: Urban revolution in the air
Just came across another article on ‘greening’ cities and urban sustainability in The Guardian‘s sustainable business series, pointing out that “while cities only take up two per cent of the earth’s surface, they account for half of the human population, three-quarters of its energy consumption and 80 per cent of CO2 emissions. How cities respond … Continue reading
Insights from the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2013
Among the many sustainability conferences, summits and events out there, such as CII-ITC Sustainability Summits, Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value Forum, Unilever’s USLP and many more, few come close to the size, grandeur, and sheer overwhelming presence of world leaders and personalities experienced at Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, writes Pankaj Arora, Green MBA graduate and partner blogger at Linking Sustainability.
Stop driving us crazy: More walkable cities needed
Question: When did you last walk through the center of your city or went shopping without 4 wheels below your feet? ‘Yesterday’ or ‘this morning’ most Germans French or Spanish will say. ‘Long time ago’ or ‘almost never’ is likely to be the answer in sub-urbanized countries, such as New Zealand. Why? Because only cities … Continue reading
China: sustainability lifestyle trumps Western consumption
It is hard to imagine that China could one day lead the world in going green when you look at the smog-filled skies that are everyday reality there. The government knows that energy fuels the growth of nations, and that China’s dependence on foreign energy imports creates a national security risk. People, both rich and … Continue reading
NZ students’ eco inventions for environmental sustainability in Vietnam
Sustainability solutions for Vietnam – Massey university engineering students’ eco solutions for some of the most pressing sustainability issues in developing countries, such as Vietnam: Another good example for a forward-looking, hands-on approach to solving sustainability issues that has made its way into my inbox lately. Continue reading
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