The goal of sustainable living
What does sustainable living look like?
#1 – Vote wisely
#2 – Organic and regenerative farming
#3 – Grow your own food
#4 – Food waste
#5 – Reducing individual modes of transportation
#6 – Sustainable building models
#7 – Self sufficiency
What to do next?
Sustainability is a term that gets thrown about a lot. However, what does it truly mean?
According to McGill University in Canada sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability is not just environmentalism.
Embedded in most definitions of sustainability we also find concerns for social equity and economic development.
So we can say that sustainability has three main pillars: social, environmental, and economic. These three pillars are informally referred to as people, planet and profits.
Unsustainable practices can lead to an economic or environmental crash. That crashes can occur in our lifetimes or the lifetimes of our children.
Sustainability is a political choice, not a technical one. It’s not a question of whether we can be sustainable, but whether we choose to be.
Gary Lawrence
The Main Goal of Sustainable Living
The goal of sustainable living is to bring the ecosystem back into balance. This is known as net zero living or zero energy balance with the Earth.
To put it another way, anything you take from the earth must be returned.
This is, of course, the most perfect kind of sustainability.
To reach zero environmental effect is quite impossible for any of us. As a result, sustainability in its broadest meaning also refers to the degree to which that goal is attainable.
The three pillars of sustainability are environmental, social, and economic. It’s not possible to have one without the others.
Despite the fact that we’re primarily concerned with environmental sustainability, it’s crucial to keep in mind that without economic and social support, it is vulnerable and prone to collapse.
The economist and visionary thinker Kate Raworth developed the Doughnut Economics idea, which is another fascinating approach to think about living sustainably.
This approach encourages us to look at the larger picture, and how to change our local and global systems so we may better manage our resources, and also live within our means as humanity.
In her own words: Humanity’s 21st century challenge is to meet the needs of all within the means of the planet.
In other words, to ensure that no one falls short on life’s essentials (from food and housing to healthcare and political voice), while ensuring that collectively we do not overshoot our pressure on Earth’s life-supporting systems, on which we fundamentally depend – such as a stable climate, fertile soils, and a protective ozone layer.
The Doughnut of social and planetary boundaries is a playfully serious approach to framing that challenge, and it acts as a compass for human progress this century.
To understand it better, we recommend watching this short video:
However, if you want to know what we as individuals can do to live more sustainably, keep reading.
Understanding Sustainable Living
There are several tactics, behaviors, and lifestyle changes that, when combined, result in a far more sustainable way of life.
The following are some of the most important and practical elements of sustainable living:
#1 Vote Wisely
One of the most important things is using your voice.
You may make a difference directly by raising awareness and advocating for change, or indirectly by making sure your money is going to worthwhile causes.
In order to make a difference, you can vote for people who are challenging the status quo, promoting constructive environmental and social change, and demanding more from our leaders in power.
Vote with your money by buying things from those who are making a difference.
#2 Organic and Regenerative Farming
Most organic food is produced without the use of chemical pesticides or herbicides.
In addition to being healthier for you, it’s a lot better for the environment as well.
As a matter of fact, inorganic farming is a major contributor to biodiversity loss (which is one of three planetary limits evaluated above the level of acceptable human/environmental interaction).
That’s because pesticides used in agriculture are killing insects.
A decline of 40% of the world’s insect species makes a food chain collapse likely…
Regenerative farming is an organic agricultural approach that returns carbon and health to the soil. Carbon dioxide emissions might be reduced as production rises, making this a really exciting trend to be a part of.
What we as consumers can do is choose to buy from farmers that use organic and regenerative farming practices.
Farmers markets are a good place to look for these farmers, and many of them have online shops as well.
The more of us who can afford the additional cost, the more viable and affordable these methods will become.
Plant-rich diets reduce emissions and also tend to be healthier, leading to lower rates of chronic disease.
Project Drawdown
According to a 2016 study, business-as-usual emissions could be reduced by as much as 70 percent through adopting a vegan diet and 63 percent for a vegetarian diet, which includes cheese, milk, and eggs.
$1 trillion in annual health-care costs and lost productivity would be saved.”
83% of all farmland is used for raising livestock, and the meat and dairy business is responsible for 60% of the industry’s annual emissions of greenhouse gasses, which total 13.7 billion tons.
The Vegan Calculator states that eating a plant-based diet may save 401,500 gallons of water, 10,950 square feet of forest, and 7,300 pounds of CO2 emissions per person every year (not to mention all the animal lives).
Less Beef, Less Carbon by the Natural Resources Defense Council is only one of several studies that show that the current method of farming beef is unsustainable (and also incredibly inhumane).
In order to make a difference, perhaps consider switching to a plant-based diet.
However, the idea of being completely vegan may not sit well with some people, while health problems may come in the way for others.
If this describes you, at least try cutting down on meat consumption.
Again, every little bit counts, and if everyone embraced Meatless Mondays, weekday veganism/vegetarianism, or a flexitarian diet, the effect would be tremendous.
#3 Grow Your Own Food
Using organic ways to grow your own food not only helps the environment, but it also sequesters carbon, makes cities greener, boosts biodiversity, and lowers the distance food has to travel before it reaches your plate.
Not to mention the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction you get as a result of the whole process.
#4 Food Waste
Food waste is the most absurd issue we face as a species, yet the solution to it should be so simple.
In landfills, food waste accounts for 8% of total emissions, making it a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste occurs all across the supply chain.
We can all do our part to cut down on food waste at home by planning ahead, conserving and freezing food, repurposing food scraps, composting, and even growing our own vegetables and herbs.
Another way to keep waste out of the landfill is by purchasing food that is nearing its expiration date.
#5 Reducing Individual Modes of Transportation
Sustainable living aims to replace traditional gas or diesel vehicles with fuel-efficient, hybrid, or electric ones. Even though they do emit less CO2, electric vehicles bring to the table different problems for the environment. To learn more about electric vehicles check out our article Green Cars. Or… Are They?
The best would be to use human-powered forms of transport (cycling, which has a variety of additional advantages), public transit or simply walking.
#6 Sustainable Building Models
Sustainable living focuses on organic and biodegradable materials like adobe, untreated wood, bamboo (like Tencel), recycled metal and straw as well as reclaimed brick.
Today very popular in construction are vinyl and PVC (which is not recyclable), so take a few minutes and learn why PVC is the worst plastic out there by watching this video by the Safe Water Advocacy Alliance.
Green building designs create the foundations for future sustainable constructions.
#7 Self Sufficiency
If you want to be self-sufficient there is a wide range of ways to do it, and some people have made significant progress!
A high level of sustainable living is referred to as “off-grid,” which means that we are no longer reliant on fossil fuels or other traditional non-renewable energy sources for our daily needs.
Those kinds of homes rely on rainwater collection, composting toilets, and wood-burning heat, in addition to renewable energy. They also grow their own organic vegetables.
Next Steps for Sustainable Future
Sustainability must become a norm if we want to protect the planet for future generations. We, as people, companies, industries, and communities, must begin to behave as good stewards of our magnificent planet.
You may start right now by sharing this article and spreading the word about the significance of living sustainably. Progress was made even if one person reads it and then chooses to cycle to work tomorrow.
As individuals, we may feel small, but collectively we can have a huge impact.
We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.
Howard Zinn
If you are wondering what else you can do to start living more sustainably, be sure to check out our article that offers 32 zero waste lifestyle tips.