The Costs of Inaction

Almost as ambiguous as the question, “What is sustainable development?” naturally comes next, “What are the costs of inaction?” Immediately my mind brain is flooded with images from the Hollywood movie movies where the end of Earth as we know it is upon us. An acropalypce descending from the heavens where massive earthquakes destroy, tsunamis crush, blizzards ravage, droughts devastate and humans are at war for the last resources needed to survive. Sounds like fun, eh?

Found on the internet at http://www.theasylum.cc/product.php?id=140

Ok, so that may be a little over dramatic, but it’s pretty hard to ignore the blaring signs that media has laid out for us. It is quite obvious that if we continue on the path we have been traveling on, things are going to change. To what degree, how fast, where, when… Nobody can answer that question. Maybe that is why it is so hard to motivate society to make any type of move substantial enough to divert our path on this road of climate change. It has already become evident in some areas of the world that climate has already been impacted by the effect of humans.  Ozone holes growing, polar icecaps melting, ocean levels rising, loss of biodiversity, desertification of farmland, these are all very real threats that are happening now. Environmental refugees are expected to increase in number year. Approximately 50 million people in 2010 were displaced due to environmental crisis. (Ling C, Symptoms of Un-sustainability, Jan 2011)

Found on the internet at http://www.genderacrossborders.com/2009/06/20/june-20th-%E2%80%93the-world-refugee-day/

One of the biggest weaknesses of the human race is procrastination.  No one really wants to deal with the work or inconveniences associated with more sustainable living. Most of us know many changes that we should be taking to reduce our impact, but it’s a matter of not wanting to put the effort in today. The sad thing is, once we see the real effects that are big enough for us to realize the impact of our lifestyles, it will probably be too late. As a procrastinator myself, I know that nothing motivates me like a deadline looming in the future. The problem with climate change is this deadline is unforeseeable and our mess continues to grow, causing it to race even faster towards the unpredictable future we’ve come to fear.  

Found on the internet at http://www.toonpool.com/cartoons/global%20warming%20cartoon1_25659



What is Sustainable Development?

Image from http://www.bluearthrenewables.com/sustainability/

Sustainable development is the consideration and growth of communities in a matter that benefits environmental, economic, and social aspects today and for future generations. Sustainable development can be achieved by expanding, and improving development of all three aspects and filling everyone’s needs within a reasonable biophysical footprint that allows equal opportunities for all.

The previous definition is a combination from many different sources. Such as the most quoted, Brundtland Commission which refers to responsible economic development which meets our present needs and does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own.

All of the important aspects of development are supported by the environment. This is illustrated by the ``Bull`s Eye`` representation of sustainable development. The economy relies on societies need to buy goods to sustain itself thus creating business, these goods are all provided by resources found in the environment. The environment does not need humans or the economy to exist. And humans have met needs in the past without an economy to survive. Thus why each pillar is increasing in size at it moves out representing the dependence on the outer pillars to exist.

Found on the internet at http://julienroberge.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/sustainability-bullseye-vs-mickey-mouse.jpg

It is important to pick out the word ‘needs’ when reading into the definition. In the Western Hemisphere the difference between needs and wants is insurmountable.  It is possible to meet everyone’s basic needs through sustainable methods. But when you take into consideration what we consider to be non-essential items or wants, it is human nature to always want more. The heightened demand population creates for non-essential items, the faster rate the Earth`s resources get used up. Therefore the disposable lifestyle creates an enormous strain on the Earths ability to sustain our current standard of living. One of the biggest challenges is going to be convincing people that their current lifestyles and aspirations, such as building a new large house to fill with more belongings and multiple large vehicles is not necessary or is it a sustainable way of living. 

Sometimes we need to step back from commercialism that pollutes our society and realize that less can be more, money doesn’t buy happiness, and our disposable lifestyle centered around possessions clutters more than just our homes and overfills our dumps. We are drowning in our own useless possessions which convolute and complicate our lives. Not only does our growing longing to own more or the desire to continually upgrade bigger and better stuff already continue to grow out of control but the human population continues to expand as well. With an ever growing population with their own basic needs to be met, let alone the increased consumer demands, resources will be used up at an even FASTER rate. All of these strains on Earth`s resources should cause for people to look for more sustainable ways of living if they want to maintain the standard for future generations to come.

If everyone fixated on the essential needs and fewer luxury items we could all afford to take a little time off work and focus on enjoying nature on a more personal level. Maybe then people would realize the importance of protecting what beautiful landscapes, ecosystems, and resources we take for granted every day. Let's just hope everyone realizes that we all need to cut back and focus on necessities after being focused on our large flat screen televisions for so long. Life shouldn’t be based around consumerism but celebrating, enriching and enjoying the planet. Take a hike, there's an even larger, brighter picture waiting at the top of your local mountain. Before consumerism hit places like Greece, European workers who took time to siesta, enjoy their walk to work, time spent with family, truly enjoy life and the beauty of Earth. In comparison of the fast pace North American lifestyle that has replaced family dinner with packaged TV meals, late nights at the office, and time wasted idling in rush hour.

http://www.chrismadden.co.uk/eco/hourglass.html