The Global Aspects: Alliance for Global Sustainability

Alliance for Global Sustainability:

     

        Over ten years ago, the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) was founded by four of the world's top scientific universities, (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Tokyo, and Chalmers University of Technology.)  The goal of the AGS is to connect college professors and scientists from all over the world.  These scientists work on solving problems relating to the environment, economy, and society.  They do this by developing an understanding of our environmental problems and using new technology to find solutions to these issues.  Technology can be used as a great tool to help countries advance towards sustainability. 
    

   
        The Alliance for Global Sustainability has been working in China to find more sustainable building designs.  China has experienced great economic growth and there is a high demand for housing.  In fact, buildings use about one-third of China's total energy.  China has accounted for 8% of the world's energy consumption in 1999.  That percentage will go up and possibly double if something isn't done.  That's why the  AGS has been working with Chinese engineers and architects to make their buildings more energy efficient.  Part of their plan is to tear down old, inefficient structures and reconstruct them in a more sustainable way.  This method allows for sustainable design without the need to tear up more land for building sites.
       
        The AGS also teaches people about sustainability to give the people of our world more knowledge about the environment.  Since the AGS has partnerships between institutes from all over the globe, research groups are able to gain knowledge of sustainability more quickly.  Global collaborations such as these clearly work well.  If more organizations like the AGS are formed, there will be more information available for those of us who want to find solutions to our environmental problems.

 

Are you a Stewardship Expert? Play our Quiz  

 

---

Sources:

 

Alliance for Global Sustainability.  Accessed 11 March 2008.  <http://globalsustainability.org/>

 

The Environment at MIT.  Accessed 11 March 2008.  <http://web.mit.edu/environment/commitment/sustainability.html>

 

Photograph:

Axoplasm. “View from our balcony #2”. Flickr.com. 11 November 2006. Accessed 11 March 2008.  <http://www.flickr.com/photos/axoplasm/294960541/>