Institutionalizing Sustainability into the Total Army
Abstract
Globally, we are living in an unsustainable state. The Earth's major life-supporting resources are declining, while at the same time human consumption of, and demand for, those resources continue to rise. The U.S. Army is a microcosm of the Earth and is in an unsustainable state. The Army defines sustainability as meeting current as well as future mission requirements worldwide, while safeguarding human health, improving quality of life, and enhancing the natural environment. Sustainability affects the institutional and operational missions of the Army. Implementing sustainability makes good business sense for the Army with tangible and intangible benefits. Army sustainability is a national security imperative and it is clear that linkages between the environment and security are powerful and important. There are embedding mechanisms available to Army senior leaders as ways and means to institutionalize sustainability throughout the entire institution. The purpose of this paper is to provide a background of the concept of sustainability; discuss its impact on Army readiness and national security; and to offer recommendations on how the Army should approach institutionalizing sustainability into its culture.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 14, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA479716
Entities
People
- Douglas A. Warnock
Organizations
- United States Army War College