Why is sustainability important?

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another blog.

Today’s topic is on sustainability and why it is important in the 21^st century. As of recently, I have decided to begin posting about sustainability on my Instagram – @bethlucyblogs to raise awareness about the climate crisis and how being a conscious consumer can make a huge difference in combatting the dangers of living an unsustainable life.

But what is sustainability and how can we make more sustainable decisions in our lives?

Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. It also means the avoidance of the depletion in natural resources to maintain an ecological balance. For me, sustainability means making more ethical consumer decisions and ensuring that I shop from reliable sources. Sustainability can be shopping from second hand stores, charity shops and thrifting, but also means shopping from reputable brands and keeping good-quality items for a long period of time.

 When you want to shop from a business make sure to check that they are sustainable – they should be: peta and vegan approved, using biodegradable and compostable packaging, using upcycled or quality materials to make their products and paying their workers fair wages. Most sustainable businesses will also plant a tree with each purchase and donate a small amount of their profits to help preserve wildlife.

We can all make more sustainable changes in our lives and we can make a difference ourselves, as well as holding multi-national corporations accountable for their unsustainable decisions and environmental damage. Some changes to be made by us can be small – e.g. turning the light off, not using heating as much, researching and educating yourself on ethical and eco-friendly living, walking more than using the car and following social media pages promoting a sustainable existence.

Other changes are much more significant, such as: having an organic diet, not throwing away clothes but rather doing a clothes swap with friends, upcycling materials or giving clothes to a charity shop to sell. You could also stop buying from fast fashion brands and deter from holding problematic hauls and instead begin investing in small sustainable business products which are better for the planet. Using apps such as depop to source second-hand products is also a great way to avoid contributing to your carbon footprint and instead sourcing sustainable items in your local area.

Why is sustainability important?

In short, sustainability looks to protect our natural environment, human and ecological health, while driving innovation and not compromising our life. Being an eco-conscious consumer means that you recognise and acknowledge the problems in society surrounding unsustainable businesses and that you are willing to buy from businesses that are helping to preserve and protect our planet and future. It is really significant that we now use materials and resources through upcycling, rather than depleting our finite resources. Sustainability is about promoting a better economy where there is little waste and pollution, but instead more jobs and a better distribution of wealth. Having a sustainable outlook on life and making these ethical decisions will help in combatting the current climate crisis we face.

So please consider from shopping from small sustainable businesses, which are so much more environmentally-friendly than the exploitative fast fashion chains and that also need investment during this difficult period of uncertainty.

Thank you for reading!

I’ll be sharing a list of small and affordable sustainable businesses to support soon! Comment, like and share if you found this blog helpful!

Beth x