For most of us, there is a widening dichotomy between the environments of our evolution as a species, and modern day surroundings. “The way the world works” more so refers to stock markets, retirement accounts, and commutes than it does soil health, migratory patterns, and plant identification. What it means to be human, a product of Planet Earth, has been grossly overcomplicated. Spiritually, I think a lot of us feel that. And let me tell you, there is indeed a whole world of knowledge under the umbrella of environmental Sustainability which many adults would rank themselves low in awareness on. And I don’t just mean natural systems, but how to apply Sustainability principles to our modern systems as well. Principles like energy efficiency, greenhouse gas mitigation, and waste management. And so is it any surprise that here we are, facing global biodiversity and climate crises of our own causing.

For myself, and I know many others, “the way the world works” doesn’t feel like “the best that it could be.” Some of us believe deeply that we can do better by Earth and by each other. So we start to ask questions. We educate ourselves. This is what I had to do in my first years as a Sustainability Lead. I wish I had been taught much of what I’ve learned in this field years ago. I believe we’d be better off if we all had. The good thing is that you don’t have to have a PhD in economics to understand that while our planet is large, irresponsible use of resources is an act of diminishing returns. You also don’t have to have a PhD to understand the very real solutions that are already within our reach that we can implement to make our ways of life more sustainable. Undoubtedly, some of the solutions are hard and force us to confront governments, economics, and the ugly side of human nature. But the good thing is that most of the solutions are pretty simple and straightforward. One of my favorite things about Sustainability is the practicality it brings to our businesses, our communities, our mindsets. Now that I can speak confidently on many of these topics (but forever learning,) I hope to build my business and use my years of experience to educate folks as we grow Sustainability literacy together. 

For most of us, there is a widening dichotomy between the environments of our evolution as a species, and modern day surroundings. “The way the world works” more so refers to stock markets, retirement accounts, and commutes than it does soil health, migratory patterns, and plant identification. What it means to be human, a product of Planet Earth, has been grossly overcomplicated. Spiritually, I think a lot of us feel that. And let me tell you, there is indeed a whole world of knowledge under the umbrella of environmental Sustainability which many adults would rank themselves low in awareness on. And I don’t just mean natural systems, but how to apply Sustainability principles to our modern systems as well. Principles like energy efficiency, greenhouse gas mitigation, and waste management. And so is it any surprise that here we are, facing global biodiversity and climate crises of our own causing.

For myself, and I know many others, “the way the world works” doesn’t feel like “the best that it could be.” Some of us believe deeply that we can do better by Earth and by each other. So we start to ask questions. We educate ourselves. This is what I had to do in my first years as a Sustainability Lead. I wish I had been taught much of what I’ve learned in this field years ago. I believe we’d be better off if we all had. The good thing is that you don’t have to have a PhD in economics to understand that while our planet is large, irresponsible use of resources is an act of diminishing returns. You also don’t have to have a PhD to understand the very real solutions that are already within our reach that we can implement to make our ways of life more sustainable. Undoubtedly, some of the solutions are hard and force us to confront governments, economics, and the ugly side of human nature. But the good thing is that most of the solutions are pretty simple and straightforward. One of my favorite things about Sustainability is the practicality it brings to our businesses, our communities, our mindsets. Now that I can speak confidently on many of these topics (but forever learning,) I hope to build my business and use my years of experience to educate folks as we grow Sustainability literacy together.