sustainability

1. the ability to be sustained, supported, upheld, or confirmed.

2.Environmental Science. the quality of not being harmful to theenvironment or depleting natural resources,
and therebysupporting long-term ecological balance: The committee isdeveloping sustainability standards for
products that use energy.

Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050; CODEN: SUSTDE) is an international, cross-disciplinary, scholarly and open access journal of
environmental, cultural, economic, and social sustainability of human beings. Sustainability provides an advanced forum for studies
related to sustainability and sustainable development, and is published monthly online by MDPI.
We've set three aspirational sustainability goals:

To be supplied 100% by renewable energy

To create zero waste

To sell products that sustain people and the environment

solar, wind, nuclear, etc reducing greenhouse gas emissions

recycle, reduce plastic bag through new recycle bag, electronic recycling

What is sustainability?
Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends,
either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability creates and maintains the 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.
Sustainability is important to making sure that we have and will continue to have, the water, materials, and
resources to protect human health and our environment.
Renewable energy
The sources of energy obtained from constantly replenished natural resources are solar (from sunlight or heat from the sun), wind
(harnessed by a turbine) and hydropower (from moving water).
Other types of renewable energy include bioenergy (from organic waste products, such as manure or crop residue), geothermal (from
heat in the Earths crust) and ocean energy (which includes heat from the sun collected at the water surface and mechanical wave
power).
The Federal Governments Australian Renewable Energy Agency supports research and programs to harness power from our nonfossil natural resources some of which are abundantly available.
Solar energy
Australasia has the highest average solar radiation per square metre of any continent in the world. Hundreds of thousands of
Australian households now have solar hot water systems or solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on their rooftops. Solar energy and solar
hot water are saving environmentally aware homeowners heaps of money on power bills.
Wind power
When wind turns a propeller or similar mechanism to drive a generator, it produces electricity that can be fed directly into the
electricity grid or stored in a household battery bank. Location and consistency of wind speed are crucial considerations, and homes
with a stand-alone turbine may require a back-up generator for times when the wind isn't blowing. Hybrid solar-wind systems are also
available.

The NSW Small Wind Turbine Consumer Guide (PDF 1.5MB) provides information to consider before purchasing, including
assessing your site, choosing a turbine, planning approval and installation. Also see the advice from the Clean Energy Regulator and
the Australia Governments Your Home guide to environmentally sustainable living.
The fastest growing renewable energy source for electricity in Australia, power from wind farms now supplies 3.4 per cent of our
needs (more than 61,000 GWh was produced in 2012 enough for around one million homes).
Hydropower
If you have a permanent stream, creek or river close to your home, a small (sometimes called micro) hydro energy system can be a
very reliable and economic option for providing power to your home. Popular in rural areas, the water passes through the turbine of
the systems and is returned to the watercourse, with no impact to the flow or ecosystem. For more information, see the Clean Energy
Regulator.
Living sustainably
The simple things we can do at home and work to conserve and protect our habitat will improve our quality of life.
Most actions to sustain our environment involve better management of natural resources and waste saving us money at
the same time without compromising our standard of living or comfort.
The Office of Environment and Heritage has many useful tips on waste and recycling, recycling in the garden, green
cleaning, rural living and commuting.
They include ideas on reducing water use, heating and lighting our homes more efficiently, and choosing products that
use resources more effectively all of which helps save money in the short and long terms, as well as the environment
around us.
Whether you are a city dweller or live in rural New South Wales, everyone has their part to play in living sustainably.

Saving energy
Saving water
Waste and recycling
Gardening
Green cleaning
Commuting
Rural living
Renewable Energy
Saving water
Social research conducted by the Office of Environment and Heritage reveals that most of us want to 'do the right thing' for the
environment especially if it is easy to do.
There are so many ways to reduce water usage, such as using a broom rather than a hose to clean paths and decks, turning off the tap
while cleaning your teeth and collecting water from your shower to water your garden.

Products and appliances

Rainwater tanks

Greywater

What you can do

Simple water-saving tips can prevent the waste of this precious resource and of your money, too.

Use the NABERS Home online rating tool to measure your households water and energy performance.
Refer to public programs and policies dealing with environmental water issues such as water flows, coastal management,
salinity and pollution.
Adhere to Sydney Waters Water Wise Rules.

Save energy, save money

Just by taking simple actions around your home, you can save money and help protect our environment, too.
We have plenty of tips, from choosing the most energy efficient appliances, to calculating heating and cooling running
costs, draught-proofing and cost-effective lighting.

Energy use in your home

Planning & building a new home

Renovating your home

What is sustainability?
What impact does your home have on our environment? What difference does it make if your showerhead is energy-efficient or not?
Collectively, across 2.8 million households in New South Wales, it makes an enormous difference.
If each of us aims to run a sustainable household, which effectively means thinking about the type and amount of resources we use,
about how we recycle and dispose of materials, and the steps we take to manage and conserve the natural environment we all depend
on, we are not only conserving energy, we are saving money too.
Little things like changing to a water-efficient showerhead can save hundreds of litres of water a year, and stop your dollars going
down the drain.
If we build houses that are well insulated and designed, then it will cost less to heat and cool them. If we consider our purchases
carefully, a lot less waste will end up as landfill and pollution. Every year, each Australian generates, on average, more than 2000kg of
rubbish; in NSW alone, we throw away $2.5 billion worth of edible food a year.
Water usage remains a key environmental concern and there are many ways to use it sparingly, without compromising on comfort.
Whether its fixing a leaking tap or installing a household greywater system, every little bit helps.
Lots of little actions by lots of people can help turn things around. The Office of Environment and Heritage NSW has compiled some
simple steps and actions we can take:
Save energy
Tips to improve your homes energy efficiency rating
Be water-wise
Save water in the home and garden.

with better heating, cooling, hot water, insulation and lighting.

Smarter choices
Choose more water/ energy efficient appliances and compare the running costs of different models.
Recycling and waste
Avoid, reduce, reuse and recycle waste by living sustainably.
Sustainability in business
Sustainability is more than just reducing your impact on the environment. It can help your business become more resilient and
productive, save on costs and give you a distinct competitive advantage.
Businesses with an eye on their triple bottom line - their environmental, social and financial impacts - are able to make better
decisions, compete effectively, build a more loyal customer base, and attract and retain staff.
Sustainability Advantage program
Energy Saver helps business minimise their energy bills and consumption. It offers subsidised energy investigations and training, as
well as project, financial and technical support.
Energy Saver program
The National Australian Built Environmental Rating System - better known as NABERS - is a national program that rates the
environmental performance of commercial buildings on a six-star rating scale for energy efficiency, water efficiency, waste
management and indoor environment quality.