Economic and Environmental Sustainability
Textile Industry in Bangladesh - 3 facts
1000's of factories, one of largest textile producers in world 80% of exports 4M Low cost textile workers
Why are TNCs attracted to Bangladesh - 3 reasons
4M Low cost textile workers Export routes established Low Tax Rates
Bangladesh 2016 Real GDP Growth
5.5% uk 2.3%
Social Sustainability - 3 facts
50 Senseless form Gas leak who lived above textile factory Contaminated Water supplies Large numbers of people lose access to water as large companies take it
Environmental Impacts - 5 facts
56M tonnes of contaminated water/yr - 22,500 swimming pools, if left untreated can be awful Untreated flows freely into factories levels of oxygen in water 8-9mg/litre needed for aquatic, dakar's rivers often <1, biologically dead Industrial Processes release harmful gasses with people living crammed next to factories Textile industry is growing so problems get worse
How much resources are used to make 1 Tonne of Cotton
65,000 kwh of electricity, 250 tonnes of water
2 Environmental Sustainability examples in UK
Air Pollution levels were higher in 60's than today Suplhur dioxide emissions fell from over 3,000 Killotones to around 400
GDP/Capita
Bangladesh $1,211 UK $43,700
Example of Pollution reducing Practice
Continuous Pad Steam Dyeing
3 Reasons why little change?
Desire to develop means Gov. doesnt rly consider policy Competition means they need to keep costs low Low Tax means little revenue to control pollution
Finland's Sustainability
EPI: 90.88 86% of Finland is Forest (most in EU)
How Finland achieved Environmental Sustainability - 3 ways
EU legislation means Forestry protection enforced Green Tax reduced pollution Education - increases confidence in decision makers policies
Economic Sustainability
Ensuring the economy can still maintain itself in the future, even if resources deplete or population grows
How is Environmental Sustainability measured?
Environmental Sustainability Index
Treatment Plants
Gov. made 1995 Environmental Conservation Act, by Law large scale polluters need their own treatment plants Water isn't pure but does meet standards and can be discharged checked 2x/day
Axminster Carpets: Treatment
Had to pay local sewage company £100,000 per year Now they have their own Treatment Plant costing 2 million but reduces emissions by 20%
Axminster Carpets: 3 Other sustainable practices
It can store and clean water so waste isn't released Also reduces amount of energy used to heat water Aim to install solar panels to make it more sustainable
Does Economy become more Sustainable? + 3 reasons
Kuznets Curve says yes - for GDP to increase environment has to eventually improve - High development leads to Environmental awareness - Industry becomes more efficient and less Polluting
Axminster Carpets, Devon, UK:
Located in a national park Used to produce 400 tonnes water every day and thus 400 tonnes of pollutants.
Environmental Sustainability
Means using the environment in a way that doesn't permanently damage or alter it, so future generations can still use
2 Examples of Expansion in UK since 70's
Number of cars rises around 600,000/yr GDP has risen from 170B to over 2T
Environmental Performence Index
Quantifies and Numerically benchmarks a countries environmental performance 0 is Awful, 100 is Good 19 factors compiled ie. Water/Air quality, reducing population pressure
3 Ways Firms are Improving
Using less water energy less harmful chemicals treating waste before it leaves factory
Will it work
Years ago same pollution occurred in developed countries - suggesting strategies put in place can be effective - however they just switched production
World EPI Scores
avg 49.9 Finland has Highest - 90.88, Somalia Lowest, 15 - Bangladesh, 25.6 - UK, 87.4
Interlink between Environmental and Economic Sustainability - 2 examples
becoming economically sustainable often reduced environmental sustainability as economic activities often have negative environmental impacts Use Resources - Industry needs natural resources ie. burning fossil fuel for energy, are we using at a pace faster than we can replace? Produce Waste - industrial waste pollutes which may irreversibly alter environment
Problem with Treatment Plants
costs money, 2p/metre of fabric produced - fear of out competition so many firms don't instill ETP
Sustainable Development
developing to meet the needs of people today, without affecting the ability of people in the future to meet their own needs
Continuous Pad Steam Dyeing - 4 facts
up to 160m/min 90% less water than jet dyeing 95% less than winch dyeing - Still contains many different chemicals
