Understanding Our Personal Role In Environmental Sustainability
Pollution, trash, carbon footprints… we are building an environmental legacy that will end badly unless systemic changes are implemented in the near future. Even though society seems to have embarked on a green “revolution,” much of the effort masks a relentless pursuit of personal gratification. For example, a hybrid vehicle still leaves a carbon footprint; the long-term cost will ultimately be borne by the ecology. Does the vehicle meet a need? Or, is it merely a product to sate a desire for something that is unnecessary?
An entire industry has emerged to supply “eco-friendly” products to a society supposedly dedicated to sustainability and environmental preservation. Is that dedication to a sustainable future authentic?
In this article, we’ll explore how the continuing degradation of the planet’s ecology requires more than “green” products. It underscores a personal responsibility for each of us. It requires an introspective look at what drives our actions and contributes to our expectations.
The Quest For More
As a society, we acquire and consume more than we need. The amount of food we eat over the course of forty years is enough to feed two people throughout their lives. The homes in which we live are larger than necessary. The vehicles we drive are a matter of convenience as we eschew public transportation. Televisions, computers, appliances, and other products fill our homes – not because they’re necessary, but because we desire them. Each represents an ecological cost that is inconsistent with sustainable living.
Our persistent quest to consume and acquire things is heavily influenced by how we perceive our personal responsibility to maintaining a sustainable environment. If we shun that responsibility, the ecological degradation we are witnessing today will continue.
Modifying Our Expectations
For too long, we (as a society) have lived with faulty expectations regarding what a “normal” life should include, and the cost of acquiring those things. We further presumed that the impact of our choices would be limited to our personal lives. In effect, we failed to realize that our system of consumption and acquisition would eventually cause environmental decay that would affect others. It is not too late to change our expectations. It is not too late to alter the systems by which we live. In doing so, we can take a proactive role in the sustainability of our environment.
Environmental Sustainability: The Road To Personal Evolution
Aside from the practical environmental benefits that emerge from living a life consistent with sustainability, each of us can also enjoy a level of personal evolution. Most spiritual practices are deeply rooted in caring for others. This ability to care for those around us is instinctive. It is innate. Living sustainable lives allows us to tap into it because our efforts to minimize our effect on the environment play such a large role in others’ survival.
How Far Does Our Responsibility Extend?
Each of us will view the role we play toward maintaining environmental sustainability differently. Some of us will be content to know that we are not living beyond our means. Others will take a more proactive approach in encouraging those within their community to live sustainable lives. Still others will devote their lives to promoting the message of sustainability through seminars, books, and other platforms. Each avenue reflects the the convictions of the individual. For many, sustainability will begin as a personal dedication and eventually extend to doing everything possible to avoid an environmental calamity.
For most people, the first step is to acknowledge that an ecological and environmental crisis exists. Once there is an awareness that both are under siege, each individual can determine their personal responsibility, and modify their lifestyle accordingly.