To start off, let’s touch on what sustainable living actually is.
According to the Oxford dictionary, sustainability is “the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.”
Simply put, sustainable living it is the concept of reducing our impact on the earth and its resources with our lifestyle choices. This is centered around the 3 pillars of sustainability. Environmental, Economic, and Social. These three concepts are the "pillars" of eco-living and help us navigate the process of reducing our carbon footprint,
You see, these are all complimentary concepts that are considered the basis of sustainable development. They depend on one another and flow together to create a solid foundation based on sustainable practices.
Over time, these more eco-conscious practices improve our environment, create space for community that supports this way of life, and benefits the economy by reducing the amount of shipped products to the region.
It is a delicate balance to maintain the relationship between man and nature. There is a growing recognition of how far we have swayed away from our connection with the planet. For some time, our species seemed to turn a blind eye to the destruction we were creating on our planet, but as the impacts are becoming more apparent, we clearly see that there needs to be a huge change in the way we operate as a society.
Within the last 20 years, over 50% of the animal species on earth have become extinct.
Our oceans have become incredibly polluted with all types of plastics that contaminate the water and harms our ecosystem and marine life. Climate change is drastically increasing due to toxic gases being released into the atmosphere from our overrun landfills and burning of trash.
We have seen monumental effects on our climate and our overall well being. Pollution is affecting all aspects of our lives on this planet, and it is harming the ecosystems that depend on healthy environments.
There are infinitely better options in the process of following a more eco-conscious path, but the main thing is to have the awareness of what our daily habits can do to the planet over time.
Sustainable living is having the awareness of our impact on the planet, and taking the necessary steps to reduce your impact. We have the power to create a more green, ethically conscious earth.
What kind of world do we want to leave behind for future generations?