1. Sustainability

The paradigm of production at the expense of the human condition is not sustainable. This chapter briefly explains how we reached the current condition and offers suggestions as to what can be done to remedy it. It begins with an overview of the evolution of sustainable development divided it into three phases. The need for ethical behavior and acts that will assure a transparency way addition to the environmental, social, and economic foci is justified. A globalization is proposed, which encourages creativity and innovation toward sustainability. The need for a fundamental conceptual shift away from the design of the current industrial system according to the “cradle-to-grave approach” which generates toxic material flow toward a “cradle-to-cradle” system in which renewable material and energy is generated through a closed loop of waste reusage in a safe, innovative, cost-effective, and environmental friendly manner is introduced. This chapter introduces the need for a sustainability road map, to bring together various concepts that have been dealt with independently and link them to develop practical steps for action. As well as a sustainability management system, to outline processes and procedures for organizations to ensure sustainability goals and objectives are achieved and continually improved through resource sustainability usage in the short and long term.