Sustainable Development Indicator (SDI) Group
SDI Inventory, Organized by Sponsoring Organization
Working Draft, Version 3, October 8, 1996
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Council on Environmental Quality SDI

The SDI Group selected the following indicators from the Council of Environmental Quality's 24th Annual Report. Clicking on the issue or the SDI Framework element name will allow you to view all related indicators.

Ambient Toxins In Air (139)
Definition: measured concentrations of harmful chemicals at USGS National Trends Network stations
Issue: Environment Quality/Air Quality
SDI Framework Element: Air Capacity
Air Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Pollutants

Contaminants in Shellfish (146)
Definition: annual contaminant concentrations in mussels and oysters measured as part of NOAA National Status and Trends Program
Issue: Environment Quality/Contamination of Biota
SDI Framework Element: Crude Foods and Feeds
Crude Foods and Feeds Characteristic: Amount of Pollutants

Crop Pesticides (148)
Definition: millions of pounds of pesticides used on major crop fields
Issue: Production/Pesticide Use
SDI Framework Element: Releases into Soils
Releases into Soils Characteristic: Mass of Pesticides

Endangered Species (154)
Definition: number of species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Issue: Biodiversity/Changing Biodiversity
SDI Framework Element: Species Diversity
Species Diversity Characteristic: Number of Species

Energy Consumption Per Capita (158)
Definition: Total energy consumption divided by total population organized by type of energy source (coal, oil, gas, nuclear, renewable, etc.).
Issue: Production/Energy Efficiency
SDI Framework Element: Economic Processes
Economic Processes Characteristic: Amount of Money Spent on Energy

Energy Consumption Per GDP (441)
Definition: energy consumption per dollar of Gross Domestic Product
Issue: Production/Energy Efficiency
SDI Framework Element: Economic Processes
Economic Processes Characteristic: Amount of Money Spent on Energy

Forest Area (149)
Definition: percentage of U.S. covered with forests, which vary from sparse scrub forests of the interior West to highly productive forests of the Pacific Coast and the South
Issue: Biodiversity/Habitat Change
SDI Framework Element: Forest Land
Forest Land Characteristic: Area of Forest Land

Fossil Fuel Reserves (155)
Definition: proved reserves of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas plant liquids
Issue: Resource/Energy Resources
SDI Framework Element: Non-Renewable Resources
Non-Renewable Resources Characteristic: Amount of Fossil Fuel

Greenhouse Gas Emissions (141)
Definition: emissions of greenhouse gases, which are CO2, CH3, NO2, CFC's, and ozone
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Emissions into Air
Emissions into Air Characteristic: Amount of Greenhouse Gases

Heavy Metals in Water (377)
Definition: concentrations of Lead, Cadmium, and Ammoniun
Issue: Environment Quality/Water Quality
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Pollutants

Lakes Requiring Cleanup (142)
Definition: percentage of rivers, lakes, and streams that need pollution control actions, as determined by EPA
Issue: Environment Quality/Water Quality
SDI Framework Element: Water Systems
Water Systems Characteristic: Number of Water Bodies

Lakes With Lead (143)
Definition: number of water systems that exceed the lead action level of 15 ppb suggested by EPA
Issue: Environment Quality/Water Quality
SDI Framework Element: Water Systems
Water Systems Characteristic: Number of Water Bodies

Life Expectancy (164)
Definition: life expectancy at birth for the U.S. population
Issue: Health/Population Health
SDI Framework Element: Length of Life
Length of Life Characteristic: Time

Materials Consumption per Gross Domestic Product (165)
Definition: metric tons of materials consumed per million dollars of GNP
Issue: Production/Production Efficiency
SDI Framework Element: Economic Processes
Economic Processes Characteristic: Mass of Materials

Nuclear Material Used (156)
Definition: millions of pounds of nuclear materials used
Issue: Resource/Energy Resources
SDI Framework Element: Finished Fuels and Related Products and Power
Finished Fuels and Related Products and Power Characteristic: Amount of Nuclear Fuel

Oil and Chemical Spills (147)
Definition: number of oil and chemical spills annually
Issue: Environment Quality/Toxic Chemical Releases
SDI Framework Element: Discharges into Water
Discharges into Water Characteristic: Number of Releases

Ozone Exposed People (137)
Definition: number of people living in counties that do not meet the ground level ozone standard
Issue: Environment Quality/Air Quality
SDI Framework Element: Urban
Urban Characteristic: Number of People

Park Visitors (153)
Definition: number of people visiting National Park Service and National Forest Service lands
Issue: Individual/Recreation
SDI Framework Element: Amusement and Recreation Services
Amusement and Recreation Services Characteristic: Number of People

People in Poverty (163)
Definition: number of people living below the poverty level
Issue: Poverty/Poverty
SDI Framework Element: Determining Access to Resources
Determining Access to Resources Characteristic: Number of People

Reforested Land (150)
Definition: millions of acres of public and private forest land reforested
Issue: Land Use/Deforestation
SDI Framework Element: Forest Land
Forest Land Characteristic: Area of Reforested Land

Renewable Energy Consumption (157)
Definition: percentage of U.S. annual energy use that is produced using renewable energy sources, which include hydropower, solar, biomass, municipal solid wastes, wind and geothermal energy
Issue: Resource/Energy Resources
SDI Framework Element: Finished Fuels and Related Products and Power
Finished Fuels and Related Products and Power Characteristic: Energy Consumption

Shellfish Harvest Areas (145)
Definition: percentage of waters in 23 shellfish growing states approved for harvest at all times by the NOAA National Ocean Service
Issue: Environment Quality/Contamination of Biota
SDI Framework Element: Ecosystems, Estuarine
Ecosystems, Estuarine Characteristic: Area of Shellfish Fisheries

Silviculture Logger Education (152)
Definition: number of states that have received grants to develop and test the incorporation of silviculture and ecology instruction into planned or ongoing logger education
Issue: Government/Sustainable Development Education
SDI Framework Element: Governments and Legal Institutions
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of States

Superfund Sites (160)
Definition: number of sites listed in the NPL, which identifies the nation's most seriously contaminated hazardous waste sites eligible for permanent Superfund cleanup
Issue: Waste/Waste Handling
SDI Framework Element: Waste
Waste Characteristic: Number of Sites

Temporary Nuclear Waste Storage (162)
Definition: Volume of nuclear waste (in cubic meters) at commercial and temporary disposal sites
Issue: Waste/Nuclear Waste
SDI Framework Element: Nuclear Waste
Nuclear Waste Characteristic: Volume of Nuclear Waste

Timber Harvest (151)
Definition: billions of cubic feet of timber harvested in the U.S.
Issue: Land Use/Deforestation
SDI Framework Element: Crude Lumber and Wood Products
Crude Lumber and Wood Products Characteristic: Volume of Lumber

Toxic Release Inventory (161)
Definition: number of Toxic Releases Inventory (TRI) releases, which include chemicals released into the air and water, on the land, and underground
Issue: Environment Quality/Toxic Chemical Releases
SDI Framework Element: Waste Production
Waste Production Characteristic: Number of Releases

Unclean Air Areas (136)
Definition: number of nonattainment areas for the NAAQS pollutants.
Issue: Environment Quality/Air Quality
SDI Framework Element: Air Capacity
Air Capacity Characteristic: Area of Land

Unclean Air Days (138)
Definition: number of Pollution Standards Index days greater than 100
Issue: Environment Quality/Air Quality
SDI Framework Element: Air Capacity
Air Capacity Characteristic: Time

Waste Recycling (159)
Definition: recovery and disposal rates of wastes such as paper, glass, aluminum, plastic, metal, and rubber
Issue: Waste/Waste Handling
SDI Framework Element: Waste
Waste Characteristic: Mass of Waste

Water Constituents (140)
Definition: concentrations of selected chemical physical, and sanitary constituents of water at stations
Issue: Environment Quality/Water Quality
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Pollutants

Wetlands Lost or Restored (144)
Definition: number of wetlands lost and restored under the Pilot Wetlands Reserve Program
Issue: Biodiversity/Habitat Change
SDI Framework Element: Wetland
Wetland Characteristic: Area of Wetlands