Sustainability: The Basics
What does sustainability really mean? What's wrong with its common definition? Is the word "sustainable" tossed around too loosely? How can I live a more sustainable life? Why should I even care??
So many questions can be asked on this topic! And to provide you with in-depth answers to every query will require much more space than what a typical article provides. That is why we are going to begin with the basics and continue to deepen our understanding of the macro and micro ideas and practices of sustainability overtime on SUSTI.
I'd like you to take a moment and consider our first question. What is sustainability? What makes something sustainable?
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Was defining such a familiar term an instant, no-brainer? Did it cause bewilderment at the difficulty to define it? If you chose the latter, don't worry. I felt that way too when I began my research. That's because the popular idea of sustainability is vague and ultimately misleading.
Sustainability is all the rage right now...for the good and the bad. The word "sustainable" has been slapped in front of business practices, buildings, lifestyles and products so much so, that without really understating the term, it has lost its value.
So, what does it mean?? To answer this question, I am going to give you two definitions.
Definition 1:
“meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Definition 2:
"staying within the allocated share of the safe operating space within one or more environmental impact categories"
Definition 1 is the common definition of sustainability created in 1987. So what's wrong with it? The real Achilles heel here is the word "needs". It's too subjective. The needs of a society in a first-world country vary from that of a developing or third-world country. The needs of one culture are different from another. And most importantly, most things we "need" aren't really needs at all. I don't need a new winter coat when I have two perfectly good ones in the closet. I don't need the latest smartphone or laptop when my current devices are working just fine. I don't need to swing through that fast-food restaurant on my way home because I don't feel like cooking in my already stocked kitchen. When I reflect on what I need, the list really dwindles down, and I'm sure that yours will, too.
That is why I added Definition 2, created by environmental engineer and sustainability consultant, Anjila Hjalsted. This is her short and sweet definition of "absolute sustainability": sticking to your share. It almost sounds too simple, doesn't it? As simple as it sounds however, it eliminates any subjectivity and turns it into a clean numbers game. Anjila's definition has been translated into English from loads of mathematical equations, and is founded on two questions:
How much is something allowed to impact the Earth? vs. How much is it actually impacting the Earth?
This comparison is applied to nine planetary boundaries that humans have to be mindful of in order to sustain future generations. This includes carbon emissions, freshwater use, ocean acidification, land system change (deforestation vs. afforestation, urbanization vs. rewilding), etc.
How big is my share and how much am I using? Unfortunately, we can't cut a share of the resources the same way we can a piece of pie. When it comes to the Earth, it's more of a collective share. How much are we using as a collective group? Well, thanks to Johan Rockström and a brilliant team of scientists, we can see the use on a beautiful visual map right here.
Green means we're sticking to our share. Red and orange means we are over using. As you can see here, humanity is most certainly NOT sticking to its share. So, if we want the Earth to remain inhabitable and plentiful with resources for future generations (our kids, grandkids, great-grandkids), we should, as a collective, take this map very seriously. Keep in mind that this is primarily caused by large companies and poor policies protecting our resources. We are going to get into brand shaming on a later date so as not to stray from our basics today, so here are some key takeaways that I hope you will keep and share with others:
Sustainability has become not only an honest movement for change, but a marketing tactic. Don't believe every sustainable product out there is actually sustainable. Those floss sticks might be made from corn, but how much freshwater is used to make said sustainable sticks and how much plastic waste goes into packaging? Do you really think the new "recyclable" toothpaste tube from Crest is meets the standards of your common single-stream waste management system? Hmmmmm.....
As one single person, making all the right choices to live an absolute sustainable life isn't easy, so start with the basics: shop consignment, reuse those glass food jars, compost, support local farmers and please, please clean your recyclables so they actually have chance at getting recycled.
Educate yourself on environmental policies - what are they actually protecting and how can we do better?
Remember that most of the pressure to change lies on large companies and politicians. For the individual, it's a marathon, not a race. Incorporate one or two sustainable habits into your life at a time and before you know it, you're making a difference.
“Earth rejoices our words, breathing and peaceful steps. Let every breath, every word and every step make the mother earth proud of us.”
- Amit Ray
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