sus ‧ tain ‧ a ‧ ble AC /səˈsteɪnəb ə l/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ sustenance , ↑ sustainability ; verb : ↑ sustain ; adjective : ↑ sustainable ≠ ↑ unsustainable ]
1 . able to continue without causing damage to the environment:
The government should do more to promote sustainable agriculture.
the sustainable use of rainforest resources
Cycling is a totally sustainable form of transport.
environmentally sustainable development
2 . able to continue for a long time:
The party is promising low inflation and sustainable economic growth.
—sustainability /səˌsteɪnəˈbɪləti, səˌsteɪnəˈbɪlɪti/ noun [uncountable]
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THESAURUS
▪ environmentally friendly not harmful to the environment:
Cycling is very environmentally friendly.
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environmentally friendly holidays
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Is there such a thing as an environmentally friendly car?
▪ eco-friendly [usually before noun] not harmful to the environment – used especially about products:
We always try to use eco-friendly cleaning products.
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eco-friendly coffins made from newspapers
▪ green [usually before noun] not harmful to the environment – used especially in the following phrases:
green products
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green technology
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green energy
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It was voted the greenest building in Britain.
▪ clean [usually before noun] clean fuels or forms of energy do not release any harmful substances into the atmosphere:
We need cleaner fuels for cars and other road vehicles.
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clean energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines
▪ renewable renewable energy comes from sources that can be easily replaced naturally, so that there is always more available:
The building is heated using renewable energy from the sun.
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The government needs to invest more in renewable energy sources.
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Wind power is renewable and produces no greenhouse gases during operation.
▪ sustainable using the earth’s resources, without causing damage to the environment – used especially about farming, ways of living, and development:
The flowers are produced to high environmental standards using sustainable farming methods.
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Many people want to lead more sustainable lifestyles and to conserve the planet’s resources.
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sustainable use of the world’s resources
▪ carbon-neutral balancing the amount of carbon gases that you put into the earth’s atmosphere with other activities that will effectively reduce the amount of carbon gases, for example by planting trees:
a carbon-neutral company
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Stirling is aiming to become the UK’s first carbon neutral city.
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All new homes will be carbon-neutral.
▪ low-carbon [usually before noun] producing only a small amount of carbon:
Research is being done into the development of low-carbon electricity.
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We will need to have a low-carbon economy.
▪ low-energy [usually before noun] low-energy buildings and lightbulbs use very little energy:
Position is a key factor in the design of a low-energy house.