Let's look at sustainability in terms of how our practices affect human health, both immediately and over the long term. Whether we call them health problems or environmental problems, though, the prescription for corrective actions is almost identical. The health lens is particularly appropriate because it states the impacts in terms of human health, rather than more … [Read more...] about Sustainability & Public Health
environmental health
Impacts of drilling in Marcellus Shale
In this section, we focus on the environmental impacts of drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formations using the fracking or fracturing method (some background info is given on the Marcellus Shale page). Thoughts about use of the resultant natural gas itself can be found in the Energy section in the piece by Dennis Lieb: "The Drive-in Utopia is Closed". The … [Read more...] about Impacts of drilling in Marcellus Shale
Sustainable Restaurants
Sustainability in Businesses That Serve Food How can food-serving businesses operate more sustainably? That's the question explored by a Lehigh University MBA candidate this summer, and here's what he found. Introduction What is sustainability? Considered from an economic perspective, sustainable businesses seek to maximize stakeholder value (owners, employees, customers, … [Read more...] about Sustainable Restaurants
Food Service Operations
With institutional service, what is not eaten is an important part of sustainable practices that contribute to public health. Commercial kitchens create a large amount of waste in preparation, leftovers, and food left on plates; this waste pollutes groundwater, generates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and increases disposal costs. It is not enough to change the food we … [Read more...] about Food Service Operations