| Sustainability is an ambitious goal for humans. We | | | | to always apply the triple bottom approach. |
| do however have a chance to create a | | | | Nowadays, living a "green" life is the talk of the |
| sustainable environment that will allow the human | | | | day as many people are beginning to realize the |
| race to endure infinitely. To achieve this we must | | | | consequences of our actions to the environment. |
| start with sustaining the earth. The earth provides | | | | Despite all the growing scientific evidence of the |
| the raw materials, which become commodities, | | | | detrimental effects of some of our social and |
| which are used in the development of everything | | | | economic activities to the environment, a |
| essential to life, including food, water, and shelter. | | | | significant number of people continue to deny the |
| Water, land and air, are the basic foundations of | | | | effects of global warming for ideological reasons. |
| life that can also serve as representative of our | | | | For us to achieve the goal of sustainability, we all |
| resource depletion and sustainability efforts. The | | | | need to look past our ideological differences and |
| intangible coexistent requirement for future | | | | focus on the scientific evidence presented before |
| sustainability is a strong social or culture | | | | us. |
| environment that will be responsible for developing | | | | The Green Revolution is a concept that was |
| processes, policies, laws and other mechanisms | | | | employed to increase the produce of farmers in |
| that will support sustainability. In 1991, Mohan | | | | developing countries, so as to fight the famine |
| Munasinghe and Ernst Lutz said: | | | | that was a plaque to some developing countries in |
| "Sustainable development is an approach that will | | | | the world. Despite the fact that it improves the |
| permit continuing improvements in the quality of | | | | social and economic status in those countries like |
| life with a lower intensity of resource use, | | | | India and Mexico through an increase in food |
| thereby leaving behind an undiminished or even | | | | production, it had its drawbacks on the |
| enhanced stock of natural resources and other | | | | environment. The use of fertilizers and pesticides |
| assets." | | | | led to an increase in soil and water pollution. These |
| Our goal should be to work toward restoring and | | | | countries depended on primitive water sources |
| maintaining their function and integrity so that their | | | | for drinking and irrigation like "wells", streams, and |
| services and human uses can be sustained over | | | | rivers. These water sources got polluted by the |
| the long term. This can be done by incorporating | | | | chemicals for the fertilizers and pesticides, |
| triple bottom line in our personal lives. According | | | | thereby destroying marine life and other elements |
| to Lozano (2007) the dominant socio-economic | | | | of the ecosystem like the nitrogen fixing bacteria |
| paradigm, has led to behaviors that are | | | | which are essential in recycling some of the |
| increasingly pervasive in our society today. We as | | | | elements required to sustain human life. Repeated |
| individuals should set goals that will help restore | | | | use of the same piece of farm coupled with the |
| our global ecosystem, foster healthy living and | | | | chemicals and land slide due to irrigation led to soil |
| reduce our impact on the local environment. We | | | | infertility; "shifting cultivation" wasn't practiced |
| should look at our activities and consider some of | | | | anymore. The use of a few genetically engineered |
| the not-so-positive ways in which we impact the | | | | seeds and chemicals led to decrease in crop |
| future and the globe. We should view in a new | | | | diversity. |
| way the daily decisions we make about energy | | | | As a consequence of the Green Revolution, there |
| use, water consumption, recycling, transportation | | | | is a steep increase in the world's population today. |
| and food. | | | | The new challenge to the world is to sustain this |
| The first green revolution was considered a failure | | | | rapidly growing population. To do so, we need to |
| in terms of environment because did not work | | | | explore the field of research and technology |
| alongside nature. It failed because of bad | | | | which is the main idea behind the Green II |
| governance. The small farmers were eventually | | | | Revolution. I believe we can handle these |
| left behind and were not able to get assistance | | | | challenges by implementing the concepts of Green |
| with their farms. Their voices were not heard. | | | | II Revolution. To me, Green II Revolution is a |
| The voices of the people who bought the larger | | | | good idea. Besides the fact that it minimizes the |
| farms were heard instead. Alongside this new | | | | drawbacks of the Green Revolution and to cope |
| pollutants arrived such as pests, petroleum, | | | | with the demands of the rising population, |
| fertilizers, etc… the green revolution turned out | | | | effective investment in research and |
| to be a failure, they did not listen and take heed | | | | biotechnology will create jobs and other social and |
| to nature and the local farmers. | | | | economic benefits to the people and the |
| Green 2 revolution is a good idea because | | | | community as a whole. By constantly striving for |
| hopefully they have learned from past mistakes | | | | better techniques and production of more humane |
| and are more keen to understanding and realizing | | | | and environmentally friendly pesticides, fertilizers, |
| what truly needs to be done to sustain. Perhaps | | | | and irrigation methods, we can sustain our |
| this time they will work alongside nature. | | | | environment. Knowing that the ecosystem is |
| According to Rogers there are five elements for | | | | dynamic, and that every action we take has its |
| the new green 2 revolution. They are: | | | | pros and cons, we can maintain the welfare of |
| "1. A redistributive policy that favors the poor by | | | | humans without destroying our environment by |
| providing them access to land and modern inputs. | | | | maintaining a balance between our social, |
| 2. Increased public funding for less favorable | | | | economic, and environmental activities. |
| agricultural land. | | | | The Green 2 revolution is a good idea to prevent |
| 3. Increased attention to the needs of small holder | | | | the destruction of our environment due to |
| farms and landless laborers, including credit. | | | | increase food production. The Green Revolution |
| 4. Increased investment in rain fed agricultural | | | | was an agriculture movement in south Asia which |
| areas in both Asia and Latin America. | | | | was initiated to combat starvation in the region. |
| 5. Decentralized agricultural research, development, | | | | The Bangladesh imported fuel to run irrigation |
| and extension systems focusing on particular | | | | pumps but the small farmers were turned away |
| issues such as soil and water | | | | the subsidized prices and were forced to buy |
| management"(Rogers, 2008)These are very | | | | more expensive private prices. Bad governance |
| sound elements and if put to use correctly should | | | | hurt small farmers. As Spangenberg suggests, |
| be very successful. They need to work alongside | | | | sustainable Development is based on economic, |
| nature as well as the local people…what will | | | | environmental, social and institution. The |
| sustain the environment yet sustain the people | | | | institutional part was lacking in the first green |
| too! | | | | revolution. Bangladesh small farmers with little |
| According to the National Environmental Policy Act | | | | political influence were also unable to "seeds, |
| (NEPA) of 1969, the purpose of environmental | | | | fertilizers, roads, and communal storehouses."Both |
| sustainability is to "foster and promote the general | | | | circumstances lead to the larger farmers |
| welfare, to create and maintain conditions under | | | | benefitting more greatly from the green |
| which man and nature can exist in productive | | | | revolution than small farmers and overall increased |
| harmony and fulfill the social, economic, and other | | | | the gap between the wealthy and the |
| requirements of the present and future | | | | impoverished. (Rogers 2008). |
| generations". To achieve this goal, it is vital for us | | | | |