Sustainability
Volume 7, Issue 1 (January 2015)
http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/6/11

Article:
The Informal Economy as a Catalyst for Sustainability
by William Ruzek
Sustainability 2015, 7(1), 23-34; doi:10.3390/su7010023
Received: 13 September 2014; Accepted: 17 December 2014 / Published: 23 December 2014
Abstract: Sustainability typically involves the balancing of three major factors: the economy, the environment, and some notion of equity. Though the economy is already a key aspect, the recognition of the informal economy, seems to be absent from the many possible permutations of these three. This paper will explore the various aspects of the informal economy and how it can make a considerable impact on achieving a more sustainable future. Specifically, this paper focuses on how the informal economy can encourage the sustainable use of goods, while offering an alternative to the regulated market economy. By supporting the informal sectors such as farmers markets, street vendors and non-market activities, a shift away from a car-dominated society and singular economic trajectory can begin. The informal sector can provide, social capital, promote local economies, create jobs and provide the need economic shift toward a sustainable future.

Article:
Fit for the Future? A New Approach in the Debate about What Makes Healthcare Systems Really Sustainable
by Matthias Fischer
Sustainability 2015, 7(1), 294-312; doi:10.3390/su7010294
Received: 26 May 2014; Accepted: 24 December 2014 / Published: 30 December 2014
Abstract: As healthcare systems face enormous challenges, sustainability is seen as a crucial requirement for making them fit for the future. However, there is no consensus with regard to either the definition of the term or the factors that characterize a “sustainable healthcare system”. Therefore, the aim of this article is twofold. First, it gives examples of the existing literature about sustainable healthcare systems and analyzes this literature with regard to its understanding of sustainability and the strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches. The article then identifies crucial factors for sustainable healthcare systems, and the result, a conceptual framework consisting of five distinct and interacting factors, can be seen as a starting point for further research.