The concept of sustainability is recurring, but people are often unclear about the term in question. The latter was first used back in 1992, during the first U.N. Conference on Environment and Development, which was held in Rio de Janeiro and is of fundamental importance to the field.
The Rio Conference (1992) was the first meeting of the 172 U.N. countries committed to solving one of the most long-standing problems ever: the gap between rich and developing countries. Not only that but it was also an opportunity to lay the groundwork for what is now called sustainable development.
The concept of sustainability, however, needs to be explored properly and in an entirely new way since it is often linked to a non-exhaustive meaning that brings with it doubts and misunderstandings.
The concept of sustainability today
We can say that today the term sustainability is used so much, and sometimes inappropriately, that a misunderstanding has been created around it. The first thing to do, then, is to understand what is meant by sustainability.
To be sustainable means to be durable over time. Wanting to go even deeper, it means doing something today so as not to jeopardize the future of the next generations.
To fully embrace the concept of sustainability requires, therefore, a change in mindset, and this is the challenge of the present, which must project into the future now more than ever. And it is precisely for future generations that this change, which must be radical, is called for.
Until a few decades ago, concerns about waste and resource management were entirely marginal. However, climate change and economic crises related to the scarcity of certain resources have amplified the need for a paradigm shift. If before it was not essential to think about the overconsumption of certain resources and the disposal of waste produced by everyday life and the production cycle, today these thoughts must be the basis of all thinking. And this is where the concept of sustainability, properly understood, comes in.
Sustainability and circularity: two concepts, one goal
Waste management is the building block that has changed the game forever. Waste that is not reused is just a waste that has to be disposed of, burdening the environment. Think, for example, of landfills and their impact or incinerators in which this waste is burned and is harmful to the air we breathe and to the whole ecosystem.
Is there another way to manage this issue? The answer is yes, and it is called circularity, a term increasingly associated precisely with the concept of sustainability. Waste from waste becomes a resource again. This is what the change of mentality must be based on, which aims to make the future better and more sustainable.
Today, as it is, we are in the midst of a transition that, however, must be accelerated and must see the participation of everyone: states and national governments, local governments, companies and even the people. All united toward a single goal: that of making the future sustainable-that is, durable. If we walk on this path, new generations will not be faced with a real catastrophe.
The best solutions for a sustainable future
One of the most interesting solutions of all is to develop sustainable thinking. This means that we have to change our habits and adopt sustainable behavior in everyday life as well. Here, then, is the need to give the right information to all the actors who come into play on this path. Only in this way can solutions actually be found.
Becoming aware is necessary, because only in this way can appropriate action be generated. It should, therefore, be given foundations and tools from school age on so as to train the citizens of the future, people committed to the sustainable transition. The minds that will one day manage every aspect of society, from the environment to the economy, must have a sustainable vision so that they can change the future and make it better for the generations to follow. A kind of virtuous circle, then, that starts now but will produce its benefits in the medium to long term.
For this reason, for example, it is increasingly important to talk about the green economy, that is, the economy committed to building prosperity but also focused on reducing environmental impact. That is why there is a need to shift the focus to harmful carbon dioxide emissions, which must be minimized, intelligent use of resources, and so on.
What must always be clear is that our every action has an impact on the environment and, consequently, on the future. Sustainability can start with small everyday gestures.
