The Spectrum of Sustainability
Wherever you are at on your journey to becoming more eco-friendly you will fall somewhere on a spectrum of sustainability. Today we are going to look at this spectrum, define some terms and explore possible goals along the way!
Terms
I have chosen to use the terms ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘sustainable’ because they are two of the most explicit terms I have come across. They say what they mean. Whereas a term like ‘green’ could really mean anything – from the colour green to something that is, in some way, environmentally good.
Eco-friendly
Eco is short for ecological or environmental and is to do with living things and the relationships between them, also known as ecosystems. For something or someone to be eco-friendly it means they do as little harm as possible to these fragile and complex ecosystems.
Sustainable
Sustainability in an environmental context is used to refer to improving the way humanity uses the Earth’s resources so that they last for future generations. We are currently not doing so great at this!
Since the 1970s, humanity has been in ecological overshoot, with annual demand on resources exceeding Earth’s biocapacity. Today humanity uses the equivalent of 1.6 Earths to provide the resources we use and absorb our waste. This means it now takes the Earth one year and eight months to regenerate what we use in a year.
I love graphics like this one as it so clearly shows how our world has changed over the years and how increasingly unsustainable we have become. Also do you see the difference in the projection from 2018 to 2020? Almost a months worth of resources were saved in 2020 due to the restrictions we all lived under because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This shows how societal changes do make a significant difference, and how important it is for us all to be working on reducing our consumption, and waste, of the Earth’s resources.
Sustainability Spectrum
I use this idea of a spectrum of sustainability because I find it helpful to think of it as a journey. As with much in life, we set goals and dreams, then work on how to get there.
On the one end of the spectrum, we have the basic changes that a lot of people are making, like taking your own reusable bags to the supermarket or a reusable cup for takeaway coffee. Then further along the spectrum would be more extensive commitments like going single-use plastic free or switching to a greener energy supplier. Finally at the top end of sustainability we get the Zero Waste approach that aims to live producing little to no waste at all.
We all have to find our own place on the spectrum. A place that works for us, our friends and families, our budget and time availability. But we also have to be moving forward towards increased sustainability, individually and as a society, if we are to see (and make) the changes necessary for the future well-being of ourselves and our planet.
I was listening to a podcast (OnScript, 2021) recently with this amazing woman, Dr. Mari Joerstad, who challenged my thinking around sustainability by asking ‘sustainable for whom?‘. After hearing her talk at length about animals, plants and waterways with such care and affection I realised I wanted to care about a sustainability far beyond myself and my own future.
Sustainable for whom?
For me, my family and friends? All humankind? This generation or future generations? Animals, plants, waterways? The soil? The air?
Just how far and how wide would you like to see sustainability applied?
I love the definition of ‘sustained’ below and find it inspiring when imagining what sustainability could look like in its full measure for all life.
Sustained
: maintained at length without interruption or weakening
Imagine humankind finding a way to live on planet Earth without interrupting or weakening nature around us. Maybe you love trees or rivers, animals or a clear fresh breeze.
Whatever it is let yourself dream and envision what sustainability could look like for yourself and for them.