September 4, 2023
What on Earth is sustainability? Why is sustainability a key keyword for every company and brand? By roughly inferring from the meaning of the word, "Ah...There are many cases where people think something sustainable is done and it is an eco-friendly brand. In this article, I would like to examine the meaning of sustainability and why it is used prominently wherever it goes.
Sustainability is an indispensable keyword in all aspects of human life, including the current environment, industry, society, and economy. So, what does sustainability mean? To interpret sustainability literally means the ability to 'keep going' over time. Sustainability can be interpreted in various ways depending on the field or context. Still, it commonly aims to lead a "sustainable life" on Earth based on the depletion of current resources. However, sustainability is not enough to be defined simply like this. Therefore, in this article, I would like to first deal with the meaning and critical elements of sustainability and then examine in detail why sustainability is vital.
In the past, the word sustainability meant environmental sustainability. Today, however, we often use the term sustainability in the environment and also management, development, production, design, and marketing. This is because we feel the urgency that the value of sustainability is no longer limited to the environment. After all, due to temperature increases and infectious diseases caused by the acceleration of global environmental pollution, discussions should occur in all areas involved in human life. The concept of sustainability in the comprehensive sense currently used can be seen as being first used as the word "Sustainable Development" in a 1987 UN report. Here, sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations. In other words, sustainability means making it sustainable in the future, considering the ripple effect on the future environment when implementing something.
The concept of sustainability can generally be divided into two prominent cases. The first is the concept when discussing 'environmental and social sustainability.' At this time, sustainability means that sustainable growth and development can be achieved when all three factors are balanced: environment, society, and economy. The second is when it comes to 'organizational sustainability.' At this time, an organization may be for economic benefits, such as a company, or it corresponds to all organizations gathered with a common purpose. All organizations might want to "continue to grow" rather than stagnate and fall behind. For example, companies can support employees' sustainable growth internally and activities for economic benefits for sustainable development, use office supplies in company buildings as eco-friendly products, or carry out environmental or social contribution activities that fit the current trend of society. The second concept can be applied to individuals by reducing the applying scope. In addition to striving for self-development for sustainable growth, individuals can engage in activities that can contribute to the environment and society, such as reducing meat consumption or using eco-friendly products.
As mentioned briefly, sustainability is usually explained by three key elements: environment, economy, and society (sometimes divided into earth, profit, and people). To realize sustainability, these three axes must grow in balance. These three areas affect each other when humans engage in activities.
1. Environment
The environment is a crucial factor when it comes to sustainability. Environmental sustainability mainly focuses on preserving natural resources (including both exhaustion and non-exhaustion) used in economic production activities. Environmental sustainability emphasizes that the ecosystem must be maintained for human life to continue. Examples of realizing ecological sustainability include the government's new renewable energy policy to replace existing fossil fuels, reduce environmental pollutants through changes in corporate production methods, and reduce the use of disposable products by individuals.
2. Society
If the environment focuses on the material resources of economic production activities, society focuses on human resources for economic production, that is, "people." People can be divided into several categories depending on their size, ranging from individuals to local communities and even the international community. At this time, activities for social sustainability include efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger and combat inequality between gender, class, and race.
3. Economy
The economy of sustainability means striving for economic growth but always carrying out economic activities with sustainability in mind so as not to affect the environment and society negatively. The representative group pursuing economic growth is the company. At this time, the company may follow economic benefits but donate to environmental and social organizations to contribute to sustainability, conduct sustainability workshops for employees, and make efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
As environmental pollution accelerates, abnormal climate events frequently occur worldwide, and food shortages due to overpopulation will come shortly. Since it is not a reality just around the corner, we know it in our heads, but it is not easy to feel serious with our skin. However, food and water shortages are already one of the fundamental problems in many countries, and Korea's four-season climate is also gradually changing to summer and winter. Therefore, it is essential to realize sustainability for environmental maintenance and preservation. Sustainability is significant in that it protects the ecosystem, improves our quality of life in the long run, and preserves resources for future generations. Next are what specific benefits sustainability brings us.
1. The Future for All
Regardless of being citizens of any country, as members of the Earth-born Earth Society, we are obligated to preserve our current resources for the future Earth society without indiscriminately wasting them. Therefore, we can ensure that our children, and even subsequent generations, live in a safe and pleasant environment by preserving current resources and being conscious of the impact of our present actions and choices on the future society. In addition, sustainability guarantees biodiversity and humans through environmental protection and maintenance.
2. Reduce Energy Use Costs
Electricity costs can be saved by reducing the electricity use in the home or using products with high electricity efficiency. Also, using electric vehicles or solar renewable energy facilities that produce electric energy can reduce carbon emissions and energy use costs in the long run. At the corporate level, electricity bills can be saved by converting the company's office building into a green building.
3. Public Health Improvement
Sustainability is directly linked to our health. For example, pollution of water resources lowers the quality of drinking water supply, air pollution causes diseases such as asthma and pneumonia, and rising temperatures due to global warming reduce the quality of life. Therefore, environmental conservation through sustainability and economic and social efforts are essential for our health and quality of life.
4. The Creation of New Jobs
Sustainability opens up and expands new markets, such as renewable energy and environmental monitoring, that did not exist before, creating new jobs accordingly. This is because professionals such as researchers and engineers are needed to grow the sustainability market. Furthermore, job creation is carried out because it is necessary to recruit auxiliary personnel for professional personnel to perform their work. Therefore, expanding the sustainability market is also very important for economic benefits and growth at the macro level.
Through this article, I shared the meaning of sustainability, the principle of operation through three factors, and why sustainability is essential. At first glance, sustainability seems grand, but it is actually a value that can be practiced through individual efforts, such as reducing disposable waste in everyday life. Of course, when the actions of the government and companies are added at a more significant level, synergy can occur, resulting in a greater sustainability effect. However, efforts at the individual level are substantial because individual efforts are gathered and eventually become the whole effort. After all, businesses and governments will pay attention to and act on these moves by the public. Therefore, if you had a mindset of 'I'm just one individual...' I hope it changes to a 'starting from me...' attitude
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