An Introduction to Sustainability

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• What is sustainability?

  Sustainability can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context it is used, and broadly relates to the capacity for something to endure. When we talk specifically about environmental sustainability, we mean “avoidance of the depletion…
• Carbon emissions

  Carbon Emissions Energy is used in everyday activity – most of which is derived from burning fossil fuels - that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide (CO2) makes up most of these gases, but others including methane …
• Sustainable travel

  What is air pollution? What is air pollution? Air pollution occurs when harmful pollutants are released into the atmosphere. Vehicles emit air pollutants into the atmosphere, so the more vehicles on the road the lower the air quality due …
• Waste and recycling

  What is waste? The legal definition of waste is: "Any substance or object the holder discards, intends to discard or is required to discard." The University has a responsibility to appropriately remove waste items, and uses a contractor …
• Biodiversity

  When there are lots of different forms of life in one area, they work together to as part of the ecosystem, which in turn helps it to flourish. The more variety, the healthier the area is. Having this balance is important for ensuring that sp…
• Water

  You’ll be well aware that we need water to survive, so conserving it and using it efficiently is vital for ensuring that scarcity does not become a problem. Water scarcity can cause a range of problems, for example when we don’t have enough…
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• Further information

  What can you do to help?Everyone has a carbon footprint as a result of their daily actions, and yours will depend on a variety of factors: the size of your home; the type of vehicle you use, how often you fly, what you eat and the products yo…