What is Sustainability?
Sustainability as a core concept definition is simply: meeting the needs of the present without compromising future generations to meet their own needs. This textbook definition stated in the Brundtland Report in 1987 focused on policy that centered around the three main pillars of Sustainability. These pillars are social, environmental, and economic and each must be in balance and complement each other when making decisions at a global level, national level, and even individual level.
The Brundtland Report focused on the growing concern between the aspirations of mankind towards a better life on the one hand and the limitations imposed by nature on the other hand. For many people, sustainability relates to environmental issues or environmental sustainability because it’s common to think of environmental movements that started in the 1960’s and ‘70s. Even Earth Day, which started April 22nd 1970, demonstrated support for environmental protection. In many ways, Earth Day nurtured the first green generation.
That isn’t to say that environmental sustainability or living a sustainable lifestyle is a one size fits all approach. There are many different ways to be sustainable or to live a sustainable life. There are some people who choose to live an “extreme” sustainable lifestyle by claiming they “walk the talk” when it comes to living a sustainable life by living in an ecovillage, or a small sustainable community that focuses on the least amount of negative environmental impact or choosing to implement regernerative design principles. This is typically done through physical design of said village and intentional behavior shared by common beliefs of the group. They see ecovillages as models of how we must all live eventually.
Although there are many different ways of protesting climate change and living a sustainable life, it’s important to note that 100 energy companies have been responsible for 71% of all industrial emissions since human-driven climate change was officially recognized, according to a recent report. But the energy sector isn’t the only one to be held responsible. This issue is widespread among different corporations across different sectors. Recognizing and consciously choosing more sustainable products as a consumer is a step in the right direction, as it holds corporations more responsible not only for their emissions, but for the products they produce and how they produce them. The Consumer Sustainability Survey (2019) even found that 72% of consumers buy more environmentally-friendly products than five years ago. This means that consumers are choosing now more than ever to vote for more sustainable products with their dollar, even if it means paying more for said product.
Sustainability doesn’t have to be complicated, nor should someone feel guilty about not living a 100% sustainable eco friendly life. Any effort counts whether it’s meatless Mondays, an electric vehicle, bamboo toothbrushes, or reusable bags. Sustainability is a lifestyle choice that asks for mindful effort, not perfection.
