Work Policy and Procedure for Sustainability

Questions: 1) What impact did the previous generations use of industrialised agricultural practices have on this property? 2) What steps did Michael take to understand the issues and address them? 3) What do you think are the benefits of the program that Michael introduced? Answers: Q1:Land is used continuously and not given proper rest. Crops are not rotated in a way that replenishes the soil. Manure and chemical fertilizers are used to feed the soil, but through over-application these additives become a problem (Mineau Whiteside, 2013). Factory farms concentrate an unnatural number of animals in one place, which creates an unmanageable amount of waste. The creation and disposal of such enormous quantities of waste has a devastating effect on the air, water and soil surrounding factory farms (Nelson et al., 2014). Unlike human waste, livestock manure is not processed for sanitation. On factory farms it is commonly mixed with water and held in pits (called lagoons), and then spread or sprayed on cropland. Manure carries with it other substances that are used on industrial farms. These includeantibioticsand artificialgrowth hormones which contaminate waterways and affect the plants and animals that live in them (Conway Prett, 2013). Salt, a common component of manure from industrial dairies can damage soil quality and contributes to erosion (Ponisio et al., 2015). Factory farms emit harmful gases and particles such as methane and hydrogen sulfide, which can contribute to global warming and harm the health of those living or working nearby.Air pollutionoccurs due to the overuse of machinery, the mismanagement of manure, and the irresponsible feeding practices that characterize industrial farming (Zhao et al., 2013). Chemical fertilizers and pesticides have turned agriculture into a leading source ofwater pollutionin the United States. Runoff from factory farms kills fish, degrades aquatic habitats and threatens drinking water supplies. Additionally, factory farms use tremendous amounts of water, which cuts into our precious supplies of water that are not contaminated (Clay, 2013). Q2: Michael changed from conventional farming, that could stand on the top of the wind erosion. To stop the recharge from the area he started collecting water down the hill and use it for the growth, different types of seedlings are being planted to enhance the biodiversity. Other steps taken were: Ecological Footprint measures the amount of biologically productive land and water area an individual, a city, a country, a region, or all of humanity uses to produce the resources it consumes and to absorb the waste it generates with todays technology and resource management practices. This demand on the biosphere can be compared to biocapacity, a measure of the amount of biologically productive land and water available for human use. Biologically productive land includes areas such as cropland, forest, and fishing grounds, and excludes deserts, glaciers, and the open ocean (Herva Roca, 2013). Green Purchasing refers to the procurement of products and services that have a reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose (Dubey et al., 2013). This comparison can consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance, and disposal of the product or service. Green purchasing is also known as environmentally preferred purchasing (EPP), environmentally responsible purchasing, green procurement, affirmative procurement, eco-procurement, and environmentally responsible purchasing (Ji et al., 2015). Life-cycle assessment(LCA, also known aslife-cycle analysis,ecobalance, andcradle-to-graveanalysis)[1]is a technique to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life from cradle to grave (i.e., from raw material extraction through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or recycling (Kulak et al., 2013). Land use and management practices do not only have impacts on the land unit itself and the direct land users but also on close or distant neighbours and ecosystems. Impacts include effects on land productivity, on runoff, soil erosion and sedimentation, movements of nutrients and chemicals, contamination by wastes, atmospheric deposits through burning and wind blow, as well as wider effects of floods, drought, landslides and climate change (Buckley Carney, 2013). An improved approach must ensure: - development of policies which will result in the best use and sustainable management of land - improvement and strengthening of planning, management, monitoring and evaluation systems - strengthening of institutions and coordinating mechanisms - creation of mechanisms to facilitate the active involvement and participation of communities and people at local level (Morugn-Coronado et al., 2014, May). Q3: Planting sandalwood on his poor soils is stabilising a wind erosion ,water collected by Michael is used for the trees that are recharged away. By putting down 25 species of different types of seedlings and mix of local seedlings has made the wild life coming out and birds are again seen. He is achieving great growth rates for his bio diverse sandalwood plantation in a paddock that was not achieving a return from conventional agriculture. BENEFITS OF PROGRAMS: LCAs can help avoid a narrow outlook on environmental concerns by: Compiling an inventory of relevant energy and material inputs and environmental releases; Evaluating the potential impacts associated with identified inputs and releases; Interpreting the results to help make a more informed decision (Bessou et al., 2013). Green purchasing helps conserve natural resources, minimize pollution, reduce water and energy use, avoid environmental health hazards on our campus and within our community, divert material from the landfill (Grimmer Woolley, 2014).Improve the availability and use of environmentally preferable product, encourage Suppliers to reduce their environmental impact and to send that message up their supply chain, support locally produced goods and services, educate and inform ourselves, campus requestors and end users, and suppliers of the best environmentally responsible purchasing choices (Juwaheer et al., 2012). Reference Badgery-Parker, J. (2015).Keep it CLEAN: Reducing costs and losses in the management of pests and diseases in the greenhouse. NSW Agriculture.Albarran, S., Albarran, D., Alejo, J., Barajas, I., Bascou, R. L., Castillo, D. J., ... Machuca, R. (2015).U.S. Patent No. 9,072,225. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Bessou, C., Basset-Mens, C., Tran, T., Benoist, A. (2013). LCA applied to perennial cropping systems: a review focused on the farm stage.The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment,18(2), 340-361. Bezemer, J., Janse, J. (2014). New greenhouse concepts: Good for energy bill, now initiate sector: Looking for ways to reduce cost price (interview with Jan Janse).In Greenhouses: the international magazine for greenhouse growers,3(2), 46-47. Bowman, D. M., Ludlow, K. (2013). Assessing the impact of a'for government'review on the nanotechnology regulatory landscape. Buckley, C., Carney, P. (2013). The potential to reduce the risk of diffuse pollution from agriculture while improving economic performance at farm level.Environmental Science Policy,25, 118-126. Buonassisi, A. J., Sabaratnam, S., Woodske, D., Bitterlich, I. (2013). Biosecurity Guidelines for Post-harvest Greenhouse Tomatoes: Prevention of Post-harvest and Storage Rot. Byrnes, L., Brown, C., Foster, J., Wagner, L. D. (2013). Australian renewable energy policy: Barriers and challenges.Renewable Energy,60, 711-721. Carew-Reid, J., Prescott-Allen, R., Bass, S., Dalal-Clayton, B. (2013).Strategies for national sustainable development: a handbook for their planning and implementation. Routledge.