Sustainable Lifestyle
A sustainable lifestyle is in balance with society and nature, not interfering with and not harming, the functioning of the ecosystems.
Until the industrial revolution the world population had never been more than 1 billion, in 1950 it had increased to 3 billion and now it is 7.5 billion, going towards 9. During this time the economic growth has increased in a similar way and many of us consume as if we had several planets, still wanting to consume more.
The aim is to stay within the limits of the Planetary Boundaries; the limits of what our one and only planet can provide. Under Climate Change, we saw that we have waited too long to act so now it is urgent, climate change is becoming more real and nature is in a bad shape. We need a world movement, and role models that move away from our culture of mass consumption towards a culture that is in that balance with nature. This has already started, but we have to take it to the next level.
What Can I do?
- Adopt a Sustainable Lifestyle.
- Influence colleagues in your workplace and society around you; develop a sustainable way of thinking and acting; be a role model
- Request sustainable production and services; the power of the consumer, the interests of business to sell what the customers want.
- Support and request governments at all levels so that they develop and implement sustainable policies and standards that respect and protect the planetary boundaries.
For more details on each one of these 4 steps, see What does it take.
In 2009 a group of international scientists finalized an important work that identifies and quantifies the boundaries, or earth limits, the Planetary Boundaries, within which the ecosystems and the planet, can recover. There are nine boundaries and we have already passed four of them. Climate change is one of the boundaries that we have passed; the other relate to chemicals, pollutants, land use, water, and biodiversity. (For more information, see Take action, enter a new era).
Having defined these boundaries, we now know the limits that we should try not to pass. We have to live and produce our products, so that we stay within these boundaries.
If we don’t urgently change our way of life, we jeopardize life itself