Why Sustainability?

As I set out on this journey to live a more sustainable, circular, and zero-waste life, I first try to understand what sustainability and circular mean. These words are becoming extensively used, but there is a lack of understanding on what this type of lifestyle means. Based off my research, and defining sustainability and circularity in my Master’s thesis, I have come to define them as the following:

Sustainability: The word ‘sustainability’ is casually used now-a-days, and lacks a clear definition in government regulations. So really what does it mean? According to Webster ‘sustainability’ means a way to utilize a resource without depleting or causing permanent damage. For me living a sustainable life means that I am not causing harm, nor derogating the living world for my own benefit. What that looks like in practice is, for example, is limiting how many new articles of clothing I purchase and attempting to purchased used clothes. This further land from being knocked down, less water and chemical usage in creating the clothes, and less clothing ending up in the landfill. Ultimately, for me, sustainability is utilizing the space and materials given within reason so that it does not cause permanent damage to nature, and allows space for regeneration.

Circular Economy: This model replicates the living-world, where all products and services work in a circular manner. This is contrary to our current model of take, make, and dispose. In a Circular model, a product is used until the end of its life cycle, then it is taken and remade into a new material, or returned to the earth to be used again, thus continuing its life cycle and not causing large amounts of waste. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation puts it best in this video.

This is just touching the surface of what it means to be circular and sustainable, and I acknowledge this is an ever-changing concept. This is not a set-in stone definition, and there is room for improvement. While I attempt to live a sustainable, zero waste lifestyle, I want to be 100% transparent. I do not have all the answers, and I am forever learning myself throughout this process too. But while I am learning, I believe I can share what I know, and learn from you all as well. And in doing so, we can work together to create a more circular, sustainable, and greener world.