Environmental sustainability is more important than ever because it affects all of us. In our quest for sustainable initiatives, we face challenges such as climate change, pollution, and natural resource depletion.
For instance, each day, we unknowingly waste up to 30 gallons of water. Keeping up with this pace will lead to a rapid depletion of freshwater resources.
Climate change has an impact on it, but environmental sustainability also means fulfilling the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future.
Global temperatures will likely rise over 1.5°C soon, regardless of the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, according to a report published on 9 August 2021 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Companies and people can play a key role in easing the blow. Increasing awareness and changing behavior will enable faster progress towards a more sustainable world.
What is Environmental Sustainability?
Achieving environmental sustainability means conserving natural resources and maintaining a balance in the natural habitat of our planet.
Governments, organizations, and individuals around the world are embracing and promoting environmental sustainability as we continue to see the negative impacts of climate change.
As a result of these efforts, we are working toward protecting our global ecosystems for future generations by decarbonizing our world.
By making conscious decisions about their production and consumption patterns, individuals and businesses can contribute to environmental sustainability.
Using energy-efficient appliances, driving less, eating less meat, and eating less meat can all reduce carbon footprints.
The use of renewable energy and recycling can also help businesses reduce their negative impacts on the environment.
The Pillars of Environmental Sustainability
Environmental sustainability entails meeting the needs of present generations without jeopardizing those of future generations.
Many organizations strive to achieve sustainability through three main pillars:
- Social
Businesses should consider issues such as health and safety, inclusion, empowerment, opportunities for professional development, and work-life balance when assessing social sustainability.
- Economic
Even though economic sustainability seems to focus on an organization’s ability to remain profitable for the long term, there’s more to it than that.
An economically sustainable business drives revenue, maintains long-term business growth, and protects the environment and the health of its employees.
- Environmental
Environmental protection is the main goal of this pillar. In an environmentally sustainable organization, resources are used efficiently, waste is reduced, and carbon emissions are monitored throughout the supply chain.
As organizations adopt sophisticated technology, such as cloud and IoT sustainability solutions, they can track and reduce their impact on the environment.
How Environmental Sustainability Works
The concept of environmental sustainability is defined and interpreted differently, which leads to a variety of questions on how individuals and businesses can help the environment be remedied and improved.
We could, for instance, take steps to reduce the environmental impact of our lifestyles. Also, it is possible to do business in a way that doesn’t harm the environment.
Business is often regarded as a major force for bringing about positive change. When financial institutions become sensitive to their impact on the environment, they can bring about a positive environmental change.
To preserve the planet for future generations, we can live sustainably in the following ways:
- Creating sustainable societies through eco-villages and sustainable cities to improve living standards.
- Advancing sustainable business practices, such as green architecture and renewable energy generation.
- Achieving carbon-neutral transportation and building climate-responsive structures by innovating and developing new technologies.
- Ensuring that your lifestyle doesn’t involve a high carbon footprint and uses minimal natural resources.
How Important is Environmental Sustainability?
Environmental sustainability helps to improve our health and that of the planet. Reducing dependence on automobiles and machinery can enhance our life balance.
We are more likely to walk or cycle when we rely less on vehicles. Consuming local, high-quality foods can also lead to healthier lives.
It is important to note that red meat also causes environmental damage, and we can reduce that damage by reducing meat-based diets.
As a planet with over 8 billion people, we dispose of large amounts of waste daily. Waste disposal in landfills is neither healthy nor a long-term solution.
The amount of trash entering marine environments every year is around 150 million tons. Even biodegradable plastics may outlive us – only compostable products biodegrade within six months.
Whenever possible, recycle and use biodegradable materials to reduce the amount of trash on our planet. In the next decade, we may be unable to reverse the damage if we do not act.
In addition to warming our planet and creating more extreme weather conditions, fossil fuels use up our natural resources.
Some Key Stats on Environmental Sustainability
As technology and regulations change, environmental sustainability evolves as well. Check out these recent stats to find out what’s happening now.
- Ten to fifteen years from now, fossil fuels could be replaced with gas boilers or heat pumps and 80% of carbon emissions could be reduced.
- Compared to standard heating options, low-carbon heating will cost less in 2023.
- In 2023, the trend of reducing and reusing products will continue to grow. In the age range of 18 to 37, 42% of shoppers purchase second-hand products.
- By 2026, the market for second-hand products is expected to grow by 127%.
- Solar energy production for residential purposes grew by 34%.
- Renewable energy consumption from wind accounts for 10% of total consumption.
- Changing from unsustainable practices to sustainable ones could save $26 trillion by 2030.
Further stats reveal that,
- Globally, air pollution causes around 7 million deaths per year, with 90% of deaths occurring in low-income countries.
- Compared to five years earlier, most consumers across the globe became a little more environmentally friendly in 2022.
- The current cost of living prevents many consumers from protecting the environment in 2022, even though they wish to. Brazil and India were the most affected by this sentiment.
- During the year 2022, the construction sector accounted for 39% of world carbon emissions.
- Humans and living beings waste 1/3 of the food they produce.
- Using a bike instead of a car for a day reduces carbon emissions by 67%.
- Home and office heating accounts for 40% of global emissions.
- Environmentally friendly packaging is preferred by 70% of customers.
- Compared to 2020, consumers are more likely to purchase eco-friendly products in 2022.
Zero-Waste Living vs. Environmental Sustainability
There is a lot of confusion between zero-waste living and environmental sustainability. Since both lifestyles aim to preserve the environment, it is easy to see why.
Quite a bit of overlap happens between them, even in practice. By reducing plastics, for example, we are inherently also practicing environmental sustainability.
However, zero-waste lifestyles are often also characterized by other environmental sustainability practices.
Sustainable living and zero waste are driven by the same underlying motivation but prioritize different lifestyle changes.
A zero-waste approach focuses on a closed-loop cycle of production and consumption (consumer level) and the trash problem (systemic level). It does not address specific things like green superannuation or pension funds.
Those are the backbone of environmental sustainability. It focuses on ways to reduce the environmental impact of large-scale, daily activities that do not necessarily produce tangible waste.
Consider these examples:
- Food
Living a zero-waste lifestyle consists of reducing food packaging while environmental sustainability involves reducing the impact of the entire food system. To achieve this, it strives to use organic, plant-based products.
The concept of zero waste doesn’t care so much where the food comes from or whether it’s organic, but if it has a plastic PLU sticker.
- Travel
Supporting local economies rather than international chains and avoiding attractions that violate animal rights are important aspects of sustainable travel and tourism.
In foreign countries without recycling or waste management systems, zero-waste travel encourages us to use reusable bottles instead of plastic ones.
Even though zero waste is a narrow movement, it boosts the environmental sustainability movement by offering actionable steps that are easy to carry out. It can be overwhelming at times.
Environmental Sustainability: How to Reduce Your Footprint
Efforts on environmental sustainability across the globe are on the rise, but many people have no idea on where to start.
To help you get started, here are a few examples and tips for reducing your organization’s environmental impact:
1. Use renewable energy instead
Renewable energy sources like solar, hydro, geothermal, and wind are becoming more popular among organizations to reduce their environmental footprint.
According to projections, 50% of the total power generated by renewable sources – mainly wind, solar, and hydroelectric – will come from renewable sources after 2035.
2. Be committed to zero-waste living
Estimates show that we consume 100 billion tons of material daily, but only 8.6% are recirculated back into the economy. Materials management is increasingly taking a circular approach, which helps ensure zero-waste living.
It doesn’t only mean sourcing materials responsibly for products, operations, and packaging, but also increasing the use of recycled content.
3. Decrease carbon emissions
Carbon emissions across the supply chain can be measured, recorded, and reported using innovative environmental sustainability solutions.
As an organization, you can make lasting, positive changes by reducing your carbon impact and increasing efficiencies.
4. Protect all ecosystems
A healthy planet depends on healthy ecosystems. Global ecosystems are degrading faster than previously thought.
For this reason, organizations dedicated to preserving natural resources for a sustainable future are taking steps to manage their impact on ecosystems.
5. Conserve natural resources
The conservation of water, land, and forests is also a crucial aspect of environmental sustainability.
Natural habitats and ecosystems can be protected and preserved, water and land resources can be managed responsibly, and forestry and fishing practices can be promoted sustainably.
6. Purchase local goods
As food travels less distance from its origin to its destination, CO2 emissions decrease. Choosing eco-friendly or eco-certified products is also important.
7. Water conservation
Environmentally conscious companies are reducing their overall water consumption – and some are aiming to be water-positive by the end of the decade.
Globally, water demand is increasing because of population growth, increasing consumption, and economic development. By 2030, projected water shortages will reach 56 percent, if we do not act.
8. Promote policies that promote sustainability
Increasing sustainability efforts can also be achieved by advocating for policies that support it.
Among these policies are those designed to reduce carbon emissions, promote zero-carbon energy, improve ecosystem management, and increase access to, and availability of, clean water.
Making a substantial difference in your community, country, and the world can be achieved by pushing for greater sustainability action.
To achieve environmental sustainability, we must integrate it into our daily lives and decision-making processes. Every individual has a role to play, and preserving the environment for future generations requires taking responsibility and making conscious choices.
Individuals and governments must work together to achieve environmental sustainability. It will be possible for future generations to live on a healthy and livable planet by working together and reducing our environmental impact.
Environmental Sustainability: The Roles of Renewable Energy
We can achieve environmental sustainability through renewable energy in the following ways:
Eliminate fossil fuels
Global warming is primarily caused by fossil fuel combustion. The use of renewable energy sources can significantly reduce carbon emissions since they emit no greenhouse gases.
Fuels like natural gas, coal, and oil are finite and non-renewable, so renewable energy can reduce dependence on them.
Enhance air quality
By reducing air pollution from fossil fuel combustion, renewable energy sources can enhance air quality. People in the surrounding areas can benefit from improved air quality.
Conserve natural resource
Water can also be used to generate electricity from renewable energy sources, contributing to the conservation of natural resources.
Creation of jobs
Research, development, manufacturing, and installation of renewable energy projects can lead to job creation, which benefits the local economy.
Low-cost
The cost of renewable energy is decreasing. Individuals, businesses, and governments can now afford to invest in solar and wind power due to dramatic reductions in costs in recent years.
Why Should We All Try Environmental Sustainability?
Zero-waste lifestyle and environmental sustainability have now become global trends. For the sake of future generations, we need to embrace this lifestyle ethos.
Aside from the fact that our grandchildren might never have the opportunity to view a glacier, the planet is on its way to becoming uninhabitable.
The climate is changing. There is a loss of biodiversity and a depletion of resources. As a result, not only are we running out of fossil fuels, but we are also running out of fresh water, which is essential to every living thing on Earth.
We can only sustain life on Earth through environmental sustainability. It is more important for us to protect our only planet than to protect ourselves (a still naturally selfish motivation) because there is no guarantee we will ever find another.
We humans play a fundamental role in the future of this infinitesimally rare planet. Every individual, business, industry, and community should act as stewards of the planet.
Environmental Sustainability: Final Words
We must focus on ways to foster environmental sustainability, including renewable energy, conserving water, reducing waste, promoting sustainable products and services, and creating sustainable cities.
All of us are affected by the issue of environmental sustainability. It is our responsibility to protect the environment and make the right decisions.
Investing in sustainability will ensure that the environment is maintained and future generations are protected. Now is the perfect time to start promoting environmental sustainability in your community and your life.
