Everybody should care about sustainability for a number of reasons. You don’t necessarily need to be a self-proclaimed eco-warrior to do your part for the environment, but it’s important to take steps to protect the planet in every way possible.
Despite how it might feel, you can make a difference in the world as an individual. The small steps that you take in your life to live more sustainably can have a larger impact on the environment. Something as simple as purchasing eco-friendly sofas instead of traditional pieces of furniture or recycling pens and pencils can preserve raw materials and reduce carbon emissions.
Why Should You Care About Sustainability?
We only have one planet, so we need to take good care of it. Keep reading to learn more about why you should care about sustainability.
Reason 1 - We rely on the Earth to survive
The modern-day lifestyle relies on the Earth’s natural resources. We need Earth for food, energy, and materials for clothing and housing.
Without the Earth’s resources, we wouldn’t be able to survive as a human race, especially with the lifestyles that most of us lead nowadays. Eventually, these resources will become so depleted that there’s no turning back unless we start taking action now.
Although ore is being done to reduce the usage of raw materials and there has been significant developments since the creation of recycling, there’s still a lot more that can be done!
Reason 2 - Sustainability has ethical roots
Sustainability isn’t just important for preserving the Earth’s natural resources. It’s also rooted in ethics.
More and more people are becoming aware of the damaging impacts our actions as a human race have on the environment. The increased rate of global warming and mass deforestation is causing millions of animals and plants to die every year.
By living sustainably, we can slow down global warming and save our planet and all of its inhabitants. Recycling, reducing your personal carbon footprint, and reducing your energy consumption at home are all great ways to lead a more sustainable lifestyle.
Reason 3 - Sustainability supports the economy
Living sustainably can boost the economy in a number of ways. For example, one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to shop locally. Purchasing your food and products from nearby farmers and stores not only cuts emissions but also supports your local economy.
Sustainability can also create new jobs, known as green jobs, in several sectors, such as the renewable energy industry and the recycling industry. Recycling centers require an ongoing cohort of staff to sort through waste materials, and policy creators are needed to create new rules and regulations around recycling and composting.
The University of Massachusetts completed a study showing that for every green job created in the United States, an additional 2.5 jobs are created elsewhere. Plus, green jobs are often better paid than the equivalent non-green jobs.
