Sustainable development refers to meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the environment for future generations.

Sustainable management is a blend of sustainable development and management. In other words it’s an efficient use of sustainable practices in business, environment, society, and agriculture, for the benefit of present and future generations.

A sustainable manager or consultant is responsible for thinking out of the box to develop new strategies for, perhaps urban planning, and then overseeing the implementation and use of these creations.

For those of you interested in this field, one can attain a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Sustainable Development. Due to technological advancement and changing sustainable norms, the scope of this field also increases; some things that were considered unlikely a few years ago are now possible.

Columbia University in New York and St. Andrews in Scotland both offer stellar degrees in this field.

With a degree in Sustainable Development, one can work as an environmentalist, sustainability researcher, sustainability consultant, sustainable manager or as a consultant in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings and firms to name a few.

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is a rating system for the design, construction and maintenance of green buildings and homes; and intended to help the owners and operators to use the resources efficiently and responsibly.

You can work with a non-profit or non-governmental organization, in private consulting firms, in research and educational institutions, work in natural resource extraction organizations (such as oil and gas, mining), in software development firms, and agricultural firms.

Some famous Sustainable Developers

Donella H. Dana Meadows (1941-2001) was an American environmental scientist, teacher and writer; best known as lead author of the book ‘The Limits to Growth’. Her book includes long-term global trends in population, economics and the environment; that made headlines globally about the limits of earth’s capacity to support the human economic expansion.

Casson Trenor is an American environmentalist, restaurateur, author, blogger, and media personality. Named one of Time Magazine’s ‘heroes of the environment’, Trenor is the author of Sustainable Sushi and co-owner of Tataki, San Francisco’s first sustainable sushi restaurant.