October 28th is the fourth Wednesday of the month, which means it’s Sustainability Day. While it is often overshadowed by Halloween, this year presents a unique opportunity to highlight sustainability as Halloween is canceled for many.
What is Sustainability?
The UN World Commission on Environment and Development defines sustainability as “sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Or to put it more simply, sustainability is making sure that anything you build doesn’t impact future generations.
For example, harnessing the power of wind doesn’t impact future generations. However, burning barrels of oil does because it release carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
How to Go Green
1. Buy Green Products
If you want to make a difference, the best way to do it is with your wallet. If there is one thing companies understand, it’s money. And giving them money for producing green products will send a clear message.
Now I know what your thinking, how will I know if a product is actually good for the environment?
This isn’t an easy thing to explain, and the answer certainly depends on what you are buying and where you are buying it from. For example, if you are buying a home appliance, look for the Energy Star logo. This means the appliance uses electricity efficiently.
This has been made easier with the new green labels Amazon introduced for 25,000 products. It lets you sort products to find exactly what you are looking for.
2. Recycle
It doesn’t take much to recycle, but for some reason, many people still do not take the time to separate their trash. And trust me, with over 300 million tons of plastic being produced each year, there is a great need to start recycling more.
If not, by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.
Recycled materials can be refashioned to make new products which reduce the need to make new materials. As a result, it will help reduce waste, pollution, and emissions.
3. Drive Less
Odds are you are an owner of one of the 287.3 million registered vehicles in the United States. Unfortunately, transportation is the biggest source of emissions in the country, but there are two easy ways you can do your part.
The first is pretty obvious, drive less. I know, it’s pretty simple. But there are a lot of people who go back and forth to the store all day long. As Santa would say, “Make a list and check it twice” because that is a serious waste.
The second way is to simply switch to an electric car. There are no emissions and the prices are becoming competitive with traditional cars.
Everyone Can Make A difference
It doesn’t take much to make a difference, and there is no better day than Sustainability Day to get started.
Even if it’s something as trivial as recycling, it can have a huge effect over the course of a lifetime and you may even encourage others to follow your lead.
