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What is Sustainability?
The formal definition of Sustainability refers to the practice of meeting our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability balances environmental health, economic capability, and social equity as a measure of success. This involves using resources responsibly, minimizing waste and pollution, protecting ecosystems, and promoting social justice and economic opportunities. While this may sound daunting, essentially, it's about creating systems and practices that can endure over time while maintaining the planet's health and supporting human well-being.
A sustainably organized home/workplace enables a sense of peace supported by processes that can be simply maintained. A sustainably organized space should give you back time and save money while supporting an environmentally better lifestyle.
What are the key pillars of Sustainability?
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Sustainability for me includes the following basic principles:
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Human / Person – What does happiness in your space look like? How do you feel in your space? What are your routines? What goals do you personally want to achieve when complete? Improving organization will help reduce stress and help you live a simpler life. Are you making time in your life to take care of yourself and make yourself sustainable? Are you exercising? Are you drinking enough water and eating well?
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Economic – Find new uses for what you already have. What drives your buying decisions? Purchase less and use what you already have. Organization of your belongings will reduce buying to replace products you simply cannot find.
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Environmental – Focuses on the planet's health, including the responsible use of natural resources, protection of ecosystems, and reducing pollution and waste. It aims to preserve biodiversity and ensure that ecosystems can regenerate. The first goal is to assess what you have and what can be reused to solve your problem. Environmental sustainability aims to minimize the impact on natural resources, and the best way to follow this guidance is to reuse.
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Social – While social seems like it would not have a place in organizing sustainably, it is usually one of the reasons why we collect so much stuff. Social protection is to preserve today for a better tomorrow. We need to save the earth and our environment today for future generations.
A simple method to implement in your own environment is to use the “Re” words for your basic decisions:
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Reuse – give new useful life to an old item such as small boxes to organize draws.
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Recycle – recycle old paper, plastic, and metals
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Refuse – do not take the free stuff that people give if you cannot see yourself using it. It turns into your clutter.
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Repair – if your item can get life by repairing it, get it on the list to do. Think about whether you will really use it.
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Reduce – don’t buy more than you can really effectively use even if it is a good deal.
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Re-gift – Can something you’re holding onto be re-gifted if you are not going to use it? Can if be donated and be a gift to someone else?
