Sustainability

Sustainability encompasses far more than recycling; it’s a mindset, a way of life and a different way of conducting business.

Sustainability is often described as the 3 Es—Economy, Environment, and Equity:

1. Economy. Our economy relies on natural resources and consumption of goods and services to function. Our economy becomes dysfunctional when people cannot afford to buy these goods and services (equity), or if our natural resources and supply chains are out of equilibrium (environment).
2. Environment. Our environment is currently strained by population growth and unsustainable consumption. Anthropogenic climate change, depletion of resources, and species extinction are indicators that our current practices are unsustainable.
3. Equity. Many don’t realize that social equity is one of the core foundations of sustainability. If people cannot meet their basic needs, they cannot realize their true potential. Furthermore, research shows that the impacts of climate change disproportionately affect poorer populations even though they did little to cause climate change.