Sustainability is the practice of meeting present needs while also considering the needs of the future. It requires us to think about how our actions affect the planet, people, and the environment, not only today, but 100 years from now and beyond. Recently, there has been a growing cultural trend toward eco-friendly behaviors. However, this raises an important question: when does a sustainable practice truly make a difference and when does it simply follow a trend?
Let’s dive into an example. Morgan has always used plastic straws for her morning smoothie. One day she is out shopping with friends and they find reusable glass straws at their local eco-shop. Glass straws can be reused for an entire lifetime and are recyclable which makes them more sustainable long-term. Her group of friends are so excited to try these glass straws because they have seen them advertised on instagram as a sustainable choice. The next day, Morgan decides to throw away 10 boxes of plastic straws because she now has a reusable straw. Morgan is trying to switch to a sustainable option, but was the execution really sustainable?
If you throw away a usable item simply to replace it with a “sustainable” one, the true purpose of sustainability is lost. This concept connects to the core slogan of sustainability: reduce, reuse, recycle. First, reduce the amount of “stuff” you consume (especially items that are single use), reuse the materials you already have by finding new ways you can use them, and finally, recycle the materials you decide to discard.
A small shift, like finishing a product before replacing it or borrowing instead of buying, can make a big impact on our planet. 📷 Licensed from Adobe Stock
So, what are some sustainable practices that are actually sustainable? Slowly transitioning to more sustainable products is an awesome strategy! Let’s take Morgan for example. Instead of throwing away all of her unused plastic straws, she could have saved them, finished the box, donated the unopened boxes, or used them for crafting. Finishing the box still adds waste to the landfill, but it uses the product for its purpose first. Once you have used a product to its full potential, then it’s time to transition to using an alternative product that is more eco friendly. When your synthetic kitchen sponge has seen its last days, then consider using a natural loofah sponge that is compostable after it wears out. Using up the products you already have is one of the most sustainable practices you can engage in.
Thrift shopping is another great example of a sustainable practice. About “92 million tonnes of textile waste is produced every year” (Igini, 2023). Enough clothes for the next six generations currently exists, and yet we continue buying/making clothes from cheap materials that wear out quickly (Sustainable (ish))”. If you need something new for your wardrobe, checking out your local thrift store is a great place to start. Look into free clothing swaps or trade clothes for a week with a friend or family member. When you need to get rid of clothes that don’t fit or aren’t your style anymore, consider donating to a thrift store instead of throwing your clothes away.
Going back to our reduce point, borrowing items helps to keep things out of the landfill. If you need a new book, check out the library. If you need something that you only use every few months or once a year, check in with your neighbor. Borrowing helps build relationships within your community and is a great way to practice sustainability.
Sustainability means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. At its core, it means being responsible for our own actions and trying to reduce our impact on the world around us.
Tessa Magner is a naturalist at Walking Mountains whose favorite winter activities include hiking, admiring the snow, and practicing photography.
