Sustainable development refers to work that simultaneously satisfies economic, social, and environmental requirements (United Nations 2002). It is self-evident that work must be economically viable so that customers are willing to pay for the work supplied. Work must also be safe and otherwise socially compatible.

Furthermore, work needs to be environmentally acceptable in that harmful discharges are minimized, wastes are decreased, material and energy resources are conserved, and any other detrimental impact on the environment is minimized.

Some academics suggest that it is the engineer’s responsibility to attain the ideals of sustainable development. They view it as the major challenge facing engineers in the future (Cruickshank 2003). Do you agree with this notion? Why or why not?