Sustainability Ensures our Future

• Consumption

  • Since 1950, we have consumed more goods and services than all previous generations combined
  • Energy, steel, and timber consumption has more than doubled
  • Fossil fuel use and car ownership has increased four fold
  • Paper use has increased six fold

• Forestry

  • Half of the worlds original forest cover is gone
  • Since 1960, roughly 30 percent of the earth’s tropical forests have disappeared

• Water

  • Globally we use about half of the world's available drinking water, which is rapidly depleting aquifers
  • Two billion people drink contaminated water because they have no other choice
  • The world has lost half of its wetlands in the last century

• Atmosphere

  • Carbon emissions from fossil fuels has reached 6.5 billion tons per year (four times 1950 levels)
  • Global warming is now an accepted phenomenon. Nine of the hottest years on record have occurred since 1990

• Oceans

  • 70% of the world’s fish population is under duress from over fishing
  • More than 25% of the world’s coral reefs have been killed by marine pollution

Probably not a viable option!