Geography Sustainability 3 Pillars

Prices

Promote cost structures that reduce risk and premium for new technologies.Example: Speed innovative technologies and approaches to the market through demonstration and testing with community partners

Supply And Demand

Promote fully informed accounting and market practices to promote envi-ronmental health and social prosperity. Example: Full lifecycle cost and benefit accounting techniques

Incentives

Promote incentives that work with human nature to encourage sustainable practices.Example: Collaborative urban stormwater management approaches—Chesapeake Bay Partnership

Sustainable Communities

Promote the development, planning, building, or modification of communi-ties to promote sustainable living Example: Landscape with native plant species, green buildings

Environmental Justice

Protect health of communities over-burdened by pollution by empowering them to take action to improve their health and environment Example: Establish partnerships with local, state, tribal, and Federal organizations to achieve healthy and sustainable communities

Resource Security

Protect, maintain, and restore access to basic resources (e.g. water, food, land, and energy) for current and future generationsExample: Study impact of dispersants/oil combination on natural water-ways

Human Health

Protect, sustain, and improve human healthExample: Parameterize model which predicts developmental toxicology

Ecosystem Services

Protect, sustain, and restore the health of critical natural habitats and eco-systemsExample: Innovative nutrient management techniques (Green Infrastruc-ture)

Resource Integrity

Reduce adverse effects by minimizing waste generation to prevent acci-dental release and future cleanup.Example: Innovative technologies and processes to prevent environmental impact

Stressors

Reduce effects by stressors (e.g. pollutants, greenhouse gas emissions, genetically modified organisms) to the ecosystem and vulnerable popula-tionsExample: Fate of modified nanoparticles in aqueous media

Water Quality

Reduce exposure to contaminants in water systems and infrastructure (including protecting source waters), optimizing aging systems, and next gen-eration treatment technologies & approaches.Example: Purpose driven water reuse and innovative treatment technologies

Sustainability Primer

Research project proposals should embody sustainability. Thegoal of sustainability, derived from the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), is to, "create and maintain conditions, under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations." A sus-tainable approach is a systems-based approach that seeks to understand the interactions which exist among environmental, social,and economic pillars in an effort to better understand the consequences of our actions. Ideally, research that seeks sustainable solutions to protect the environment also strengthens our communities and fosters prosperity

Jobs

Strengthen and maintain current and future jobsExample: Promote jobs through introduction of innovative technologies and practices that provide multiple benefits to communities and the envi-ronment

Air Quality

Attain and maintain air-quality standards and reduce the risk from toxic air pollutantsExample: Investigate potential greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies

Sustainability Criteria

Below are the three pillars of sustainability, each with six broad topics that relate to its respective pillar. A brief explanation and example are provided for each topic. The examples are not intended to be inclusive.

Green Engineering And Chemistry

Design chemical products and processes to: eliminate toxic hazards, reuse or recycle chemicals, and reduce total lifecycle costs.Example: Lifecycle Assessments in molecular design

Environmental

Ecosystem Services, Green Engineering And Chemistry, Air Quality, Water Quality,Stressors and Resource Integrity

Education

Enhance the education about sustainability of the general public, stake-holders, and potentially affected groups.Example: Provide opportunities for students and communities to learn about sustainability

Social

Environmental Justice,Human Health,Participation,Education,Resource Security and Sustainable Communities

Natural Resource Accounting

Improve understanding and quantification of ecosystem services in cost benefit analysis.Example: Sustainability Assessments

Costs

Positively impact costs of processes, services, and products throughout the full lifecycleExample: Strive to develop waste-free processes—eliminating need for regulation, treatment, and disposal costs throughout systems

Economic

Jobs,Incentives,Supply And Demand,Natural Resource Accounting,Costs.Prices

Participation

Use open and transparent processes that engage relevant stakeholdersExample: Develop database of reduced-risk pesticides for commonly used products, create greater public access and understanding about sustain-ability