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spacer.gifSustainable Environmental Stewardship
Waste Prevention and Recycling Green Purchasing Electronics Stewardship
Environmental Management Systems Sustainable Buildings Industrial Ecology
  
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Sustainable Environmental Stewardship

Sustainable Environmental Stewardship
About This Page
Environmental Management Systems
Sustainable Buildings
Green Purchasing
Electronics Stewardship
Industrial Ecology
Life Cycle Assessment

Coming Soon:

  • Sustainable Practices
  • Speeches and Articles
  • Networks


Sustainable Environmental Stewardship

What is "sustainable environmental stewardship" and how does it relate to sustainable development? First, sustainable development is a concept with many definitions that vary not only across national borders, but also over time. Suffice to say that at its core, most definitions concur that the essence of sustainable development includes the advancement of societies in a way that balances the social, economic, and environmental needs of current and future generations.

Clearly, policies and actions related to sustainable development will be rather far reaching and deal not only with environmental, but also with social, economic, health, education, and related fields. This website, and OFEE's mission in general, focus on the environmental contribution to that broad picture. It is understood however that although focused on environmental, the ideas and practices promoted herein are in line with the broader concept, and will lead to overall, long term improvement, of society, the economy, as well as the environment.

We define sustainable environmental stewardship to include those concepts, strategies, tools, practices, and approaches that lead to environmental improvement in a manner that is sustainable over time, considers the long term effects as well as the shorter term, more immediate effects, and that contributes positively, even if indirectly, to the social and economic condition.

About This Page

Above you will find links to tools. Most prominent is the use of Environmental Management systems (EMS) as the primary management approach to determining, prioritizing, implementing, and improving upon those environmental issues that will lead to sustainable environmental stewardship. Other tools discussed below include industrial ecology and life cycle assessment.

You will also find links to what we refer to as sustainable practices. These are practices, technological applications, and methodologies that improve the environment, but go beyond and do so in a way that is more long term in thinking and implications, and that apply the tools. We provide direction as links to learning more about these practices in the work of other Federal entities, as well as links to our own website areas that discuss the core sustainable practices focus areas of OFEE, such as sustainable buildings, green purchasing, and electronics stewardship.

Thirdly, we provide links to speeches and articles given by many who work in the area of sustainable environmental stewardship, both from within the Federal community as well as from outside communities.

Finally, and probably most enlightening, you will find links to the many other organizations and networks that deal with the topic. These range from the State Department and the President's Council on Environmental Quality that address national policy issues, to specific parts of agencies where practices are put in play on a daily basis. We also direct you to other networks of organizations, Federal and nonfederal, which are sharing the road on this journey towards sustainable environmental stewardship.