Wellness Journalism: Sustained

Sustainability is the capacity to endure, and a very popular concept in an era when we have exceeded maximum capacity. It describes the means by which biological systems (such as human life on earth) remain diverse and productive (and alive) over time. Sustainability refers to the potential for Long-Term Maintenance of Well-Being…and that, my dears, depends on the well-being of the natural world and the responsible use of natural resources.

Wake up and smell the organic, fair-trade coffee. The concept of sustainability spans every area of our lives. From sustainable thinking to sustainable housekeeping to sustainable relationships, we create our individual and collective landscape.

According to the Earth Policy Institute, there is abundant scientific evidence that humanity is living unsustainably, and returning our use of natural resources to within sustainable limits will require a major effort.

There are many components to going green on a global scale:
• Living conditions (e.g., ecovillages and sustainable cities),
• Economic sectors (permaculture, green building, sustainable agriculture)
• New technologies (green technologies, renewable energy)
• Adjustments in individual lifestyles that conserve natural resources.

Zoom in on that last bullet point…what are you doing, every day, to live sustainably? We have already discussed many important contributions such as recycling, reducing toxic build-up, and conserving energy. Now I would like to bring your attention to a very intimate environmental issue: food.

You are what you eat, and how you eat it. When you focus on sustainable eating habits, you create a frame of mind that says “I care,” and this permeates every cell of your being. Your own health can be vastly improved by taking an environmental approach—sustainable foods just so happen to be the body’s favorite!

I am perfectly aware that not everybody is willing to lead a vegetarian, vegan, or better yet—raw—lifestyle. But even the most carnivorous among us can take steps to reduce meat consumption.

Chew on this: A 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined. This is because the billions of little piggies, chickens, and moo-cows crammed together and tortured on factory farms give off enormous amounts of carbon-dioxide, methane, and nitrous-oxide (see Global Warming for details). Furthermore, in order to make room for this toxic food-source to fester, they cut down trees. Cattle-ranching is the number one reason why Amazonians’s are missing their rainforest.

If you want to support the environment but can’t afford a hybrid car, just go vegan.

It’s hard to change a habit if you don’t have proper motivation. On the other hand, if you thoroughly digest the implications of your behaviors, they tend to change by themselves. Educate yourself. For an enlightening experience, watch Food Inc or visit this website.

Do yourself a favor. Identify two things that you can do with greater vigor and commitment to support your environment. Shop at a healthfood store or farmers market instead of Vons. Eat vegetarian or vegan three days a week.

For starters, here's a link to sustainable eating on campus. I myself eat at the Food Coop almost every day, because people are sometimes playing guitar and sometimes telling jokes, and there are awesome murals and everything is vegetarian and delicious, not to mention inexpensive.

Sustainability is not optional.
There is nothing to discuss, debate, or dissect.
We go green, or perish red-handed.