Ethical Oil and Water?

Ethics may be a driving factor behind why businesses may invest in sustainable development. It is known that focusing on sustainable development may increase the long term success of a company. This is becoming more well-known as companies are starting to need to become sustainable to stay competitive. This strategy is used in all industries including in oil and water companies. Although oil and water companies may increase their sustainability efforts in order to increase profits and remain competitive, there remains further issues of ethics behind their core operations, that are not in agreement with the concept of sustainable development. This is where the differentiation between increasing sustainability and true sustainable development must be made. These companies may be increasing their sustainability by becoming more efficient in their operations (reducing emissions, energy and water usage and waste outputs). However, the core business of oil extraction or water extraction

(at a rate quicker than the waterbody or aquifer can replenish, and removing water from the watershed) conflicts with the definition of sustainable development by not having ample concern for the impacts of their business on future generations. Even if these companies are attempting to increase the sustainability of their operations because these are necessary industries, I don't believe they should be using ethics as justification for doing so.