What Sustainability Means to Us

Sustainability is a word for something that can be sustained, for example, having the ability to be maintained at a certain level or rate. Sustainability is a broad concept that includes the economic, social, and environmental aspects of the activities of individuals, companies, governments, and society as a whole. "Sustainability" also means" living in a way that what we consume doesn't significantly surpass what we contribute".

What Sustainability Means to Us

Put simply, sustainability for us is taking care of the planet so that it will continue to take care of us. In a "sustainable" world, there exists a harmonious, healthy balance between the earth and its inhabitants. It's avoiding the depletion of our natural resources so that we can maintain a healthy ecological balance.

Whether it is making changes on a personal level. or encouraging communities, businesses, and leaders to work together to promote sustainability, every one of us has a role to play in the fight to protect our planet. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to educate as many people as possible about the true meaning of sustainability, along with the short and long-term effects of not living an environmentally conscious life. Only then will we be able to count on an abundant, healthy future. It's the everyday choices we make that have the biggest impact on our planet.

 It’s important that we all understand the immense power we have to make sustainably conscious choices. In doing so, we reflect how much we care about each other and the planet, empowering others to do the same. Teachable actions could be as simple as turning off the tap water while we brush our teeth and taking shorter showers to conserve water. Maybe it’s checking to find out where our fruits and vegetables come from and how they were raised. Cutting back on or eliminating single use plastics from our lives. Taking the time to find out more about sustainability and how to do your part to support it.

Be the SPARK - Act!

It’s time to determine what sustainability means to you.  Once you do, be the SPARK - encourage others to make the effort to be more sustainable. Take action by first making the commitment to incorporate the ideals of environmental sustainability in your life, embracing practices that include water conservation, energy efficiency, litter prevention, fighting pollution, water conservation, social justice, and global warming prevention. It all starts with being aware of and being grateful for the environment we've been blessed with. It has been said that "gratitude" is a complex feeling that's capable of expanding our awareness and opening us up to the wider world. This definition certainly applies here.

 At the end of the day, living a more sustainable life presents an ongoing, and rewarding challenge. Whether you're an individual who is consciously trying to make good choices, an organization doing its part to influence positive change, a grocery store working to maintain quality -  at the same time reducing environmental impact, we're all in this together.