Global warming has brought two issues, discussed only by a minority of business people and scientists, to the attention of masses: Sustainability and Green Living. Although the two terms are used interchangeably or as equivalent, they are actually two separate concepts that feed each other.
Carbon-neutral organizations and zero-emission products are only initial steps to create a sustainable world - yet business environment. However, what many companies are missing is totality. Business innovation to scale sustainable solutions exponentially is what we need to put our global economy on a sustainable path. Scattered shoots of sustainability will not do the job. Businesses that are managing these risks and developing opportunities for green living will survive in the second decade of the Millennium.
Sustainability has been a widely acclaimed issue by many Fortune 500 companies. In ecology, sustainability describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time. In business environment, sustainability is the potential for long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of stewardship, the responsible planning and management of resources. Green Living concept is adopted in thesustainability strategy usually by promoting widespread commitments to green behaviors and personal health through business activities.
By 2050, there could be two billion cars on the road - twice as many as there are today. Energy demand is expected to be 35 percent higher in 2030 than in 2005; and pollution of drinking water is becoming the prior environmental concern as indicated by Wall Street Journal article. Our world economy faces unprecedented challenges; from soaring population growth to resource constraints, warming climate to myopic financial markets. Some companies see opportunity from these challenges and are pursuing bold projects that take sustainability to a new level.
