So what is Sustainability?
Sustainability can mean different things to different people and or organisations. For me, it’s all about protecting the ENVIRONMENT and PEOPLE.
Years ago I came across a great VIDEO that explains, for me the true meaning of sustainability, especially in the context of product manufacturing. It’s called the STORY of STUFF.
The Story of Stuff outlines the REAL COST of producing products, both in terms of the human and environment cost and looks at the underside of consumption.
This video may be challenging or confronting for companies making products – but I beg you, stay with it. If you manufacture products and or specify products I would strongly urge you to take these 20 minutes and watch the Story of stuff. If you stay until the conclusion of the video, you will see that there is certainly a great deal or optimism and great opportunities for product manufacturers.
We all have a role to play in ensuring we have a more sustainable future, by producing more sustainable products and adopting ethical business practices. And for Designers and specifiers to reward these companies that are taking the lead.
10 years on I still remain extremely motivated to create positive change and provide sustainable solutions to product manufactures. As Annie Leonard concludes in her presentation, “there are people working on saving forests, cleaner production, labour rights, fair trade and conscious consuming, by the people for the people. What we need is a new mindset based on sustainability and equity”.
The video finishes on this final note – “Some say its unrealistic, or idealistic, some say it can’t happen”. I say, lets work together to create a more sustainable environment.
Definition of sustainability development (Brundtland Commission)
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts:
· the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and
· the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs.