The ever-increasing conversion of natural landscapes to agriculture and other human uses may be one of the most serious threats to global sustainability we face today. The loss of natural ecosystems may compromise Earth's ability to support biodiversity and expanding human populations.
In recent decades, forests, wetlands, savannahs, waterways, and other ecosystems worldwide have undergone considerable changes. As people strive to provide more food, water, fiber, and shelter for a growing population, they have converted natural landscapes to croplands, pastures, plantations, and urban areas. Nearly one-third of Earth’s land surface is now being used for agriculture, with millions more acres of natural ecosystems being converted each year (Devitt).
Much of this land conversion comes at the cost of degraded natural ecosystems. The expanding area of these uses has also led to greater consumption of energy, water, and fertilizers, and to a significant loss of biodiversity.
Not only do these ecosystems provide food, forest, and water resources, but they are also crucial for sustaining food production, regulating climate, preserving air quality, and keeping infectious diseases in check.
To balance meeting immediate human needs with the long-term health of Earth’s ecosystems will require looking at "local" land use within a global context, with an eye toward practices that offer both economic and environmental advantages.
Schools impact the environment through the open space they occupy and the burden they place on resources such as water systems. Considerations when considering school construction include:
selecting sites centrally located to student population
avoiding construction on previously undeveloped land
avoiding construction on prime farmland, within flood zones, on habitat of threatened or endangered species, or public parkland
reducing building footprints (building up rather than out, for instance)
protecting or restoring habitat
maximizing open space
sharing space with other community organizations
supporting shared and alternative transportation to minimize space needed for parking automobiles
References cited in this article may be found in "References" in the Resources page of our website.