Talking Sustainability …
Mar 30, 2016 12:48PM ● By Annette Briggs (Owner/Publisher)
“With increasing fervor since the 1980s, sustainability has been the watchword of scientists, environmental activists, and indeed all those concerned about the complex, fragile systems on the sphere we inhabit.” These are the words of San Francisco Bay Area-based author and futurist Jamais Cascio. This month’s editorial theme is Everyday Sustainability. From cover to cover, you will find invaluable information and practical how-to tips that will not only inspire and empower you to live a more sustainable, health-promoting lifestyle but also help cultivate within you a beating heart of compassion concerning the Earth we live in and on.
By definition, sustainability is the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance. Humans have the amazing ability to achieve great things: from traveling deep into space to walk on the moon or survey a far distant planet to finding new ways, through science, innovation and technological advances, to better solve the many challenges facing us here on Earth. Yes … there are good reasons to be thankful and to celebrate our successes. Lord knows what I would do without my iPhone, iPad and laptop!
Yet, even though the human race has the capacity for greatness, in stark contrast, we also have the great ability to be selfish, destructive, uncaring, and even dangerous—especially when it comes to the Earth and its inhabitants.
According to research by scientists at the World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological Society of London, over the last 40 years, the number of wild animals have been reduced by as much as half their respective previous numbers. Creatures across land, rivers and seas are being decimated, as humans kill them for food in unsustainable numbers while polluting or destroying their habitats.
In some cases, wildlife populations have suffered severe losses or even faced extinction due to pollution. For example, the bald eagle, peregrine falcon and brown pelican all nearly became extinct before scientists discovered that the synthetic chemical DDT was the cause of devastating reproductive failure in these species. Oil spills, such as the fouling of the coast of southern Alaska by the grounding of the Exxon Valdez, take an immediate toll on many species that have the misfortune of living nearby. In addition, toxic metals can kill wildlife populations and cause the production of deformed offspring, and acid rain has caused hundreds of fish populations to disappear from lakes in the Northeast.
The emerging question is crystal clear: How can we turn the page and pivot to a new chapter of hope and responsibility? There are steps we can take to make a difference. When practicing sustainability, we preserve more of our natural resources through land protection and energy conservation—benefits to us and future generations. In addition, by reducing the amount of waste produced by engaging in recycling, composting and other great “green” programs, as well as eliminating harmful practices, we minimize the environmental impact and potentially even save money and reduce cost. It’s a fact—our natural resources are precious and dwindling every day. Changing the world we live in for the better of all that live in it will require a change of heart, mind and lifestyle—very difficult mountains to scale! But the costs associated with inaction, continued irresponsibility and apathy are far too great for any of us to pay. The Earth is counting on us!
Happy Earth Day,
