Sustainability: The Path to a Better Future

 Everywhere we go, there are signs of a movement toward a cleaner Earth for future generations. To live sustainably is to meet the social, economical, and environmental needs of a culture, while also securing resources and environmental quality for future generations. Sustainability, which is as much about economics as it is about ethics, falls into two categories: Weak sustainability and strong sustainability. Weak sustainability argues that "human capital", or man-made capital, can substitute for natural capital. Strong sustainability, on the other hand, doesn't view natural and human capital interchangeably, rather, it views the two as complimentary. Ideal strong sustainability has no natural capital depreciation.


Where efficiency is concerned, it does not go hand-in-hand with sustainability; Instead they can be viewed as two pieces of the same puzzle. Although one does not directly imply the other, they can be compatible. Ideally, efficiency promotes profits, which spur the growth of a company, essentially requiring the use of more energy and resources. If a company has the means to operate sustainibly, both effeciency and sustainability can be achieved. Many companies are currently trying to operate with sustainability in mind, and they are capable of succeeding!

In the last thirty years, many policies and incentives have been put in place to increase the rate of recycling. Recycling is an important part of sustainability, as it allows us to reuse items over and over, in a great variety of different ways. Pay-as-you-throw programs, as well as bottle bills, can make one more considerate of how much trash is produced, and incentives for recycling guarantee more reusable items won't be thrown into the landfill. However, in areas hear borders, there is concern that those who don't want to pay a deposit will go elsewhere to buy beverages, in places where they don't have to pay a deposit. This not only affects profits, but the item may then be placed in the landfill. If too many recyclables are collected, there may not be enough storage space. Additionally, companies are often opposed to these bills, due to the extra staff that is required to process the bottles. Although the creation of more jobs is a positive aspect for employment rates and society, the companies that sign the paycheck don't want the extra expense.

The good news is that there are solutions. Volunteer programs could take the financial burden from the companies, as many individuals are willing to work for this cause. Those who owe community service could easily be placed in these positions, as well as inmates from local institutions. An obvious solution, if bottle bills were implemented throughout the country, there would no longer be complications across boundaries. For pay-as-you-throw programs, there is concern that those who do not want to pay for their garbage will simply dump it. While this is an extremely valid concern, there are solutions to be offered. If there are hefty fines in place for dumping, and the program is affordable enough even for low-income families, dumping may prove to be minimal. A subsidy for participating in such a program could also be offered for added incentive.

The reality is, that with small steps in sustainability, great changes can be made. Think about what you can do to live more sustainably. Would it be worth it for a better environment for future generations?

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