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| Stantec names global milestones in sustainability  Stantec a global leader in sustainable consulting and design selected 10 defining moments in the advancement of sustainability during the last 40 years. Evaluated and compiled by a list of company environmental engineers, scientists, buildings experts and certified sustainability consultants, the list outlines the top moments, accomplishments and thresholds which have most positively impacted society's ongoing progression in sustainability.In chronological order, they are: 1. 1970 The Year for Sustainability: 1970 This year served as a foundation for the modern day sustainability movement in several respects, beginning with the inception of the first Earth Day observance. Additionally, 1970 brought the strengthening of The US Clean Air Act (i.e. "the Muskie Law") the nation's first environmental law that authorized state and federal regulations to limit emissions from stationary and mobile sources and eventually banned the use of leaded gasoline. 2. 1971 Iconic "Crying Native American" PSA Advertisement Launched on Earth Day, 1971, the emblazoned image of freeway litter being tossed at the feet of a tearful Native American (played by actor Iron Eyes Cody), left the public inspired during what many consider the beginning of the modern environmental movement. The public service announcement was a product of the Keep America Beautiful campaign. 3. 1972 Clean Water Act Drawn from the Federal Water Pollution Control Amendments of 1972, this monumental piece of legislation created a series of goals to eliminate the release of several toxic substances into streams, rivers, lakes, oceans, and wetland. 4. 1987 Montreal Protocol A protocol to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, this international treaty opened for signature this year was designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of a number of substances such as CFCs in aerosol sprays believed to be responsible for ozone depletion. 5. 1987 Our Common Future was published by the World Commission on Environment and Development Many contend that this is one of the single-most important events in the development of sustainability, as this document officially defined sustainable development as, "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." 6. 1989 World Wide Web Concept Introduced English engineer and computer scientist Sir Tim Berners Lee, now the Director of the World Wide Web Consortium, wrote a proposal in March 1989 which included concepts serving as the basis for the World Wide Web. Now a societal hub for interpersonal communication, the web allows for seemingly endless information sharing possibilities to promote sustainable living/working practices while dramatically reducing the use of natural resources, namely paper products. 7. 1993 Building Green: A Certified Practice Begins The creation of the US Green Building Council this year now the preeminent authority on sustainable building paved the way for the Canadian Green Building Council, the World Green Building Council and, most importantly, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification which now serves as the sustainability gold standard in certifying buildings and professionals. 8. 2000 Global Sustainability Reporting Becomes Reality From foundations earlier laid by organizations such as Ceres, the creation of the Global Reporting Initiative and The Carbon Disclosure Project provided the global community with measurable networks and reporting on the impact of environmental issues and practices from the corporate community. 9. 2005 Kyoto Protocol Comes Into Force Attached to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change, this environmental treaty is widely credited with initiating unprecedented discussions between global leaders on carbon footprints, as it was placed into action with the goal of achieving "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere." 10. 2007 Al Gore Awarded Nobel Peace Prize In the wake of Gore's reception of this award, global awareness for issues related to climate change and general "green" philosophies reached new levels. Sustainability earned its niche as a commonplace term, as evidenced by the Oxford English Dictionary which accepted the phrase "carbon footprint" that same year as an established part of the English vernacular. write your comments about the article :: © 2010 Construction News :: home page |