Right now, no matter where you look - whether you're scrolling through Instagram or out grocery shopping - it's likely you'll see the term "sustainability" being thrown around.
No term has had quite the soaring ambition and community-mindedness that sustainability has. It's a priority that has come to the forefront of many industries globally in order to help our endangered planet. But what is this catch-all solution that’s flooded our collective dialogue?
Sustainability can feel hard to define and even harder to practice.
With Earth Day approaching, we want to go through a few definitions and concepts with you...
What is sustainability?
Sustainability is a very broad term that has many definitions. Simply put, sustainability refers to the maintenance of natural resources in order to preserve ecological balance. It also describes a broader effort to meet our environmental, economic, and social needs without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their own.
It might seem pretty all-encompassing, but according to the UN World Commission on Environment and Development, it’s mainly about the three E’s: Environment, Economy, and Equity.
By pursuing environmental health, economic vitality, and social equity today, we can make choices that will maintain our communities for the future.
Why is it important?
Sustainability is an essential part of creating thriving, resilient communities because it challenges us to question our collective priorities.
Most of us understand the concept of finite resources when it comes to food or money in our own lives, but we have trouble seeing resource depletion on a larger scale.
It’s also important because it requires a three-pronged effort (remember the 3 E's!) to remain informed about what's going on in the world while taking the necessary steps to prioritise its permanence.
This is a journey that's not meant for people to explore own their own, by themselves...
This is a community journey - and we all play an important role in creating a better world!
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