DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE
Dr. SUN XIAOLONG
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We mankind are facing a war, a war that pits us against the wastes we generate.
Humanity’s demand from the planet’s natural resources and its ecological footprint are now exceeding the planet’s regenerative capacity. This global overshoot is growing and, as a consequence, ecosystems are being disrupted, while waste is accumulating in the air, water, and land. The resulting water shortages, resource depletion, and climate change are putting the well-being and development of all nations at increasing risk. If we continue with business as usual, by the early 2030s, we will need two planets to keep up with humanity’s demand. For all governments, enterprises, and individuals, this imminent crisis raises fundamental questions about how we can adapt our ways of business to include the imperatives of nurturing the world’s natural resources, living within their regenerative capacity, and appreciating the true value of the goods and services they provide. The protection of ecosystems must be a priority in our quest to wealth and well-being. The only sustainable solution is to close the material cycles by converting wastes into value-added resources. That is, to achieve “Zero Waste”. Zero Waste is a philosophy, a goal that is ethical, economical, efficient, and visionary, to guide people in changing their lifestyles and practices to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all waste materials are transformed into new resources. Implementing Zero Waste will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that are a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health. This would be a challenging task, as it necessitates a paradigm shift of people’s mindset, governmental policies, and waste treatment technologies. ZA pledges to be a consistent advocator and stakeholder of this magnificent revolution in waste management. By remediating polluted fields and waterbodies, treating and transforming wastes, and creating new environmental industries, ZA advances fundamental changes to the structure of nations’ economies, and contributes to the forging of a global green economy, in which economic thinking embraces people and the planet. When that day comes, we will leave a healthier planet to future generations. |
