Sustainability & You

  Trying to live a sustainable life may seem daunting when you see the cost of building a house off grid or an electric car. However, when we start with the little things at home (and multiply that by 8 billion people on the planet), every bit counts!

  Dear Journal, Having a BSc. in Environmental Science doesn't automatically make you a tree hugger or a hippie or make you live a super sustainable lifestyle. It does, however, make you realize the impact each individual can have on the environment and make you feel slightly guilty about your everyday choices. Guilty enough to change? In some ways, but not always. Before starting my one-week reflective journal about my consumption habits (which I know are not great), I used an Ecological Footprint Calculator to give me an idea of just how much damage my lifestyle is causing.  After a series of questions, here are my results:     The calculator stated that my personal overshoot day is April 2nd. This means I use up a years worth of resources in just over three months. It also means that if everyone on the planet lived the way I do, we would need four planets to sustain the population. Rough!      I question the accuracy of this website, not becau...

    Someone tells you that you need to live more sustainably. That your actions are hurting the environment. That you are not thinking about the children. PLEASE GAWD! Won't someone think about the children???       But what does all of this mean and where should one start to live more sustainably?      A quick Google search will give you the Oxford (2022) definition of sustainable as " able to be maintained at a certain rate or level," which we can apply to the resources we need to survive such as food and water. These days, in most towns and cities, a recycling bin is as common as a garbage can, so simple tasks like throwing your can or bottle into the proper bin should be pretty natural in 2022. Other sustainable options such as curbside recycling or public transit may also be an option for many, though not all.       Although I am in full support of these simple everyday actions and other...