Sustainability... What does that even mean?

There are a lot of words that get thrown around when you start being more eco friendly. Sustainability is one of those. So let’s talk about what it really means.

The actual definition of Sustainability is the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level. A wider definition is the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance, such as, “the pursuit of global environmental sustainability”.

Sustainability is IMPORTANT. We need clean air, natural resources and a nontoxic environment to live. We need to be more in harmony with the Earth and live more sustainable lives.

So what’s the difference between eco friendly, nature friendly, green and sustainability? Well, eco friendly, nature friendly and green are all sustainability and marketing terms. They all refer to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that claim reduced, minimalized or do no harm upon ecosystems or the environment.

Okay. That all sounds good, I guess? Yes! Sustainability sets the focus on the FUTURE.

For an example - a product made from renewable resources is considered green. Good. BUT, if a life cycle analysis shows that it requires a lot of energy to manufacture and ship to you and if there isn’t a proper way to dispose of the products then its not considered SUSTAINABLE.

So how does that translate to a sustainable consumer?

BE AWARE. Look at labeling and at the companies you are buying from. Some companies will greenwash their labeling, but aren’t actually green. Things to look for are: is it a Certified B Corpation*? Does it have a Green Seal (for general sustainability)?, USDA Organic Seal? Forest Stewardship Coucil (for products made from trees in responsibly managed forests)? Energy Star (for energy efficiency)?

(*Certified B Corporation  are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.)

SHOP LOCAL. Shopping local and supporting local businesses and farms not only helps your local economy, but are actually eco friendly steps you can take.

REUSABLES. From bags, to produce bags, to sandwich bags, beeswax wraps, cotton rounds, unpaper towels, napkins, coffee pods…. Reusables reduce waste and are better for the environment. If you are using single use items, see if you can find a way to replace those. There are great options. Yes, it means changing habits, but its way more environmentally sound and it saves you money.

REDUCE. To reduce food waste, start a compost pile. Instead of a landfill, your food scraps will become fertilizer for your garden. Asking yourself questions before buying something can help. Is this product something I actually need? Can I replace this with a zero/low waste option? I recently replaced our bottled shampoo and conditioner and moved to a shampoo and conditioner 2-in-1 bar. (It took us a few tries to find one that worked for us, but now we love it.)

RECYCLE. Look at the products you are buying. Can you recycle the packaging? A lot of products will say they are recyclable, but can’t go in your curbside recycle bin. Seeing if there is a local terracycle near you to recycle hard to recycle items is a good step to take.

ZERO WASTE. Join a Zero Waste Group. I joined an online one Zero Waste PDX that is on Facebook, which is a Portland, Oregon group. The knowledge and information that is shared is amazing. Having a community to ask questions and share local resources to live a more sustainable life is so helpful.

Thanks for tuning in! I hope this has answered questions and been a helpful read. Got comments or questions? Feel free to leave a comment.