Written by: Mildred Yeo Wen Min
Visual by: Chiara Valenzuela
Nowadays, the word “sustainability” is used widely. Ranging from ‘leading a sustainable life’ to ‘operating a sustainable business’, more individuals and firms are embracing this concept of renewable resource allocation. But what does sustainability actually mean? According to Investopedia, being sustainable is defined as meeting the needs of an individual without compromising future generations.
There are three essential pillars that guide us in maintaining a sustainable perspective or lifestyle. The first conceptual pillar is protecting the nature that surrounds us and using the resources it provides for us wisely. Secondly, we must promote social development through a healthy interaction among various communities and different cultures. This allows quality life to be shared by each and every member of society. Lastly, producing wealth for individuals and pursuing economic growth for enterprises is a sustainable goal, which should take place without harming the environment.
With the world experiencing multiple negative consequences of climate change, from rising sea levels to increased temperatures, it is crucial for us to understand why sustainability is so critically important these days. Unless we maintain a balance in the Earth’s ecosystem, we will be unable to maintain a desired quality of life. We should always continue to reduce the use of non-renewable resources, including energy that is generated by humans burning fossil fuels. The pollutants from both industrial complexes and fuel burning land, sea, and air transportation that are excreted into the atmosphere engender much damage to our ecosystem. Levels of carbon emissions are increasing rapidly. According to National Geographic, global carbon emissions increased by 1.7% in 2017 and a further 2.7% in 2018.
Many K-12 school curricular programs include the teaching of sustainability as a critical pursuit because the younger generation will eventually grow up to be the ones making decisions about future generations. What they learn now will influence their decisions and choices, which will, in turn, impact the lives of their own children and grandchildren. We have to educate them now about protecting the environment, how the world will change in the future and how our efforts at sustainability will affect the perceived outcome.
There is a school named The Green School, located in the midst of Bali, Indonesia, in Southeast Asia. At this school, officials and teachers implement sustainability in their students’ everyday lives. Their mission is to build a community of learners that will be capable of making the world sustainable. Their buildings and infrastructures were constructed in an open-air format and the raw materials used were bamboo, which they also harvested. The Green School also relies on renewable energy. One third of their school’s energy is from solar panels, as well as having a water vortex system, which turns running water from a nearby river into energy for the school to use. They also hold an annual event, Sustainable Solutions Expo, where they share different solutions to help the environment and interact with different communities around the world.
In conclusion, it is essentially important for schools to teach students about sustainability, so that they will understand the most effective ways to protect the environment for future generations and help develop policy that will guide individual and industrial action. As we act in the present, we should always remain aware of the future.
Works Cited:
Grant, Mitchell. “Sustainability.” Investopedia, 2020, www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sustainability.asp. Accessed 22 Sept. 2020.
H., Megan. “Why Is Sustainability Important?” The Permaculture Research Institute, 25 Oct. 2017, www.permaculturenews.org/2016/01/07/why-is-sustainability-important/.
“Why It's Important to Teach Our Kids About Sustainability.” Elephant Journal, www.elephantjournal.com/2019/04/why-its-important-to-teach-our-kids-about-sustainability/.
Hammon, Dawn. “Green School in Bali Shows Students How to Live Sustainably.” Inhabitat Green Design Innovation Architecture Green Building, 7 Mar. 2019, inhabitat.com/green-school-in-bali-shows-students-how-to-live-sustainably/.
Mulvaney, Kieran. “Climate Change Report Card: These Countries Are Reaching Targets.” World Climate Change Report Card: These Countries Are Meeting Goals, 19 Sept. 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/09/climate-change-report-card-co2-emissions/.
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