Let us be frank. On most occasions, none amongst us was brought up thinking about Environmental Sustainability. In our contemporary world, it feels as though sustainability is a must-discuss topic at every table. It could be from avoiding the use of plastic, conserving energy, or switching to green products. So, when did it all begin?
I still vaguely remember the very first occasion I was taught about sustainability. It was back in school when our teacher showed us a picture of a river laden with plastic bottles. That image was shocking. That image stuck with me. It left me wondering how things ever got so bad and what we could possibly do to fix it.
The Roots of Sustainability
It is not so new a thought as we might think. In those far-away centuries, people lived close to nature. Farmers took away only as much as they needed. Touching their land would mean less returns for them. In many cultures, balance with the environment has been a way of life, especially in India.
Moving into the 20th century, however, things started to change. Better life, yes, but environmental degradation with the factories and machines and modern farming. Trees were getting felled faster than they could grow; the rivers were being stained with pollution. Animals were disappearing.
When the World Started Paying Attention
The world started noticing in the 1960s and 70s. Scientists and activists began warning us that the planet could not take anymore. One famous book, Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson, caused the general public to start opening their eyes to pesticide use and its impacts on wildlife. Slowly, governments started passing laws to save the environment.
Then, an epoch-making event took place in 1987. A report called the Brundtland Report gave a distinct definition to sustainability as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet theirs. With this one line, everything changed.
Sustainability Today
Now sustainability is part of business, education, and even fashion. Companies try to work on environmentally friendly products. Schools teach children about taking care of the planet. People are planting their own vegetables, going shopping with cloth bags, and dusting off those bicycles more and more.
I have personally witnessed the change in my family. My grandmother would save every jar she got her hands on. On the other hand, then, it was just common sense. Today, I find myself following her footsteps of conservation and proudly call it sustainable living.
Why It Still Matters
Well, the damage really has been done, we could say. But we have learned a lot along this way, so that gives me hope, and hope is the acceptability of every action throughout one’s life. From planting a tree to not accepting plastic straws to buying from a local farmer, every little thing really counts.
Conclusion
Sustainability is not some stranger with rules and sidelines of his own carrying the banner of science; it is a lackadaisical term for weariness, caring, and concern for the earth, each other, and the future. If we each do a little, we can create a healthier, kinder planet.
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