Sustainable farming practices

Sustainable development and the effective management of environmental impacts have become key goals for policy action at global and local levels. Sustainable wood products like FSC Ipe are gaining increased attention from homeowners and the business community. Sustainable agriculture is not just a buzz phrase in countries like Australia, but rather is essential business.

Sustainable supply chains are an integral part of a rapidly growing trend that is transforming businesses around the world. Supply chains are critical links that connect an organisation's inputs to its outputs. Sustainable supply chain efforts are a defining feature of a serious environmental commitment. Sustainable home building pursues two broad themes: construction using environmentally friendly materials and the most efficient use of energy that is possible.

A sustainable farm has to be able to produce food without depleting the natural resources required to grow more produce in the future.　 As practices have evolved and knowledge about sustainable farming practices have expanded farmers have become aware that they are responsible for much more than their crops and animals.　 Where once farmers grazed animals, today sustainable livestock farmers think about themselves as managing three living ecosystems: their animals; the grass and groundcover that animals need to eat to survive and the soils which ultimately is the most important element to manage.　 Without good soil health sustainable farming can not exist.　 If soil health is depleted the grass or crops won't grow as well.　 Environmental degradation on the farm and in the surrounding areas is also a reality if soil health is not a focus of sustainable farming.　 Without good soil health the structure of the soil can be compromised leading to dust storms and also run off of top soil in heavy rains into waterways. The most sustainable building, community or landscape is often the one that already exists. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) encourages a shift from viewing education as a delivery mechanism to a lifelong, holistic and inclusive learning process.

Third phase was "Sustainable" green marketing. The concept of socially sustainable development including socially sustainable urban development 1992) has received less attention than the concept of environmentally sustainable development. Reinvestment in existing, more sustainable neighborhoods – especially our older and historic ones – saves resources and promotes socially, culturally, and economically rich communities.The benefits in adopting a more sustainable outlook affect all communities, organizations and all citizens throughout the Comox Valley. Believe it or not you can get a sustainable hardwood floor such as bamboo that is less expensive than any other hardwood floor on the market. Thus, any discussion of socially sustainable communities must include a discussion of the physical design of the community and the economic system of the community.

Wal-Mart has launched a number of sustainable supply chain programs, including its Sustainability Value Network which directly involves its suppliers in a number of green initiatives. Our EOPs guide us in the search for sustainable solutions on a regional or watershed basis, in partnership with others.