7 Myths About Sustainability and The Truth Behind Them
It’s almost the end of 2020, which means you must have heard the word “Sustainability” at least once (or 10 times). And chances are, what you heard is not the full picture.
We’re here to tell you the truth, and nothing but the truth..
And, if you’re still unfamiliar with the concept or need to understand it more, this article is actually a very good place to start.
Don’t worry, we’ll keep it short and sweet.
WHAT EVEN IS IT. THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW.
Very briefly, Sustainability means:
Meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
This includes maintaining the wold’s resources through actions and initiatives like the famous recycling process #ReduceReuseRecycle, limiting our plastic consumption and overall patterns to look after the planet.
However, Sustainability is not limited to just that.
Which is why we’re sharing with you 7 Myths about the topic and the real truths behind them. All so you can be more aware of this very significant matter, as well as start taking little baby steps for the cause and for the future.
You’re very welcome! 😉
MYTH #1:
Sustainability = Recycling
TRUTH:
It’s true that recycling and reusing items make an immense contribution to environmental sustainability, but contrary to popular belief, it’s made up of more than just that.
Sustainability is a continuous process of decisions and habits. Whether that’s socially, humanly, economically or environmentally.
Other examples of sustainability are:
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The Zero-waste movement
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Slow fashion
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Waste to energy conversion
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Going vegan (but that’s a topic for another time)
And many other more..
MYTH #2:
PLASTIC IS THE ENEMY.
TRUTH:
We need plastic. What we don’t need is plastic waste.
More often than not, plastic food packaging actually reduces food waste and lowers carbon emissions, both of which contribute to a reduction in global warming. But the part which most people get wrong is this:
The key is to create packaging that is more environmentally friendly and then dispose of that packaging in environmentally friendly manners.
MYTH #3:
I have to buy new products to be more conscious.
TRUTH:
One common misconception people have is that they suddenly have to turn their lives around to adapt to the shift. They make the huge mistake of throwing aside all the plastic bags and single-use containers to go buy “sustainable ones”.
When in fact, utilizing what you already have at the time and not wasting any resources is also being sustainable. Work with what you own; and remember that little actions go a long way.
MYTH #4:
It’s very expensive to lead a sustainable lifestyle
TRUTH:
This myth actually has a grain of truth to it. It’s true that in many cases, when shopping for environmentally friendly products, lots of items are not cheap to buy in the short term. But the thing is, the return on investment (ROI) is always positive. The cost of a more eco-friendly approach is shown on the long run rather than in a week from now.
To give you a real-life example:
Going out with your very own reusable stainless steel water bottle will definitely cost you less money at the end of the month than let’s say buying plastic bottles from the supermarket every other day. The same goes for other products as well.
MYTH #5:
Sustainability is about choosing the environment over people.
TRUTH:
Sustainability is a win-win situation for people, natural resources and wildlife habitats. The ultimate goal is creating balance between all three.
MYTH #6:
Sustainability means lowering our standard of living.
TRUTH:
That’s not true at all. It does mean that we have to do more with less, but once we start to organize ourselves and innovate within that mind-set, the breakthroughs are extraordinary.
MYTH #7 :
Sustainability is Black or White and it has an end goal.
TRUTH:
Sustainability is a destination.
It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that commitment to sustainability is a static point – something reviewed once in a while depending on trends or the organization’s frame of mind at a point in time. In reality, commitment to sustainability should be a way of life. It is a dynamic journey. It means paying attention to societal trends and expectations.
In a nutshell, sustainability is not about being perfect but more of slowly reducing the waste you’re creating; it’s about creating small habitual environmental changes and adapting to how fast the world around is changing.
In this article, we merely scratched the surface when it comes to this topic. But we hope you’re now more aware of its different shades and that this somehow inspires you to start with yourself!
Stay tuned for more related articles where we’ll suggest little ways you can smoothly ease yourself into this lifestyle as well numerous local brands who are ethical, natural, conscious and eco-friendly to shop from!