One word that you may have heard in the news a lot lately is sustainability. With the current climate crisis, this word is actually very important. So, what does it mean? There are actually two meanings of this word. One is the general use of it, and the other is the environmental term. According to dictionary.com the basic meaning of sustainability is “the ability to be sustained, supported, upheld, or confirmed.” The more specific definition is, “the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance.”

Sustainability can be achieved on both a personal and corporate level. It is important because it can also help to reduce pollution and lower your carbon footprint. You can do your part in saving the planet by turning to a more sustainable lifestyle. There are tons of ways to be more sustainable, that do not completely change your routine. Even if it is just small things, like using reusable bags, or reusing packaging, you can help the planet even just a little bit. Simply using less plastic and eating less meat, can greatly reduce your carbon footprint. Rather than buying packaged produce, you can use cloth or mesh produce bags and buy loose produce. If you use a product a lot then it may also be smart to simply buy said product in the largest size, rather than frequently buying the smaller size. With this small change, you will create less waste. Using products that you can buy refills for rather than buying a full new product is also a great idea. Simply buying free-range eggs and meat from a local butcher can also be effective. 

Buying ethically made products is also a big deal, but this can be hard for some people to do. But what does an ethical product entail? It basically means that the product you are buying is not made in a manner that is harmful to the environment or society. Many “fast-fashion” brands and corporations are extremely unethical, yet very accessible. This is why this may be hard for some people to do. Many people do not have the money to invest in ethically made products, as unethical products are often much cheaper. These companies are able to produce cheap products because their laborers are criminally underpaid and often have inhumane work environments. Their materials are often also sourced from unethical places that have similar conditions. Many companies, like Fashion Nova, have been known to pay their laborers around $4.66 an hour, and put their workers through harsh work conditions. When you compare the price of Fashion Nova jeans at $24.99, to a pair of ethically made jeans, like ones by Reformation for $128, you can see why it is hard for many people to shop ethically and sustainably, but there are other ways to avoid supporting inhumane companies. You can buy your clothes from thrift stores, or consignment shops, for one. You can also simply invest in some great staple pieces and not have to buy as many clothes as well. Sustainability is all about quality over quantity. These kinds of companies are also commonly overstocked, so when a style is out and they stop selling the item, they have a lot left. This product is simply thrown out, and creates immense waste. All of these things are common within makeup manufacturers as well.

However, you can also buy sustainable and ethically made toiletries for not too expensive. Natural, ethical, and sustainable makeup can be surprisingly inexpensive and good. Buying bamboo toothbrushes is cheap, and not as wasteful. Safety razors are averagely priced, and a great investment. They last much longer than typical razors. Shaving cream, shampoo, and conditioner bars might sound like a gimmick, but they really work. They also create nowhere near the waste of the plastic shampoo bottles you buy every month or so. 

Although it would be ideal if the military and large companies that create the majority of waste and pollution could find more sustainable and ethical methods, that probably won’t happen any time soon. So, doing what you can yourself, no matter how small, makes a difference. It is important to make sure our planet will not be in chaos and poor conditions for future generations.