"Sustainable:" What does it mean, and why does it matter?
Kimberly Danek Pinkson, Founder of the EcoMom Alliance
Sustainable: That which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
I came to the world of sustainability through my father, who worked with indigenous shamans the world over, and my Hungarian-born mother, who introduced my sister and I to global awareness. I always joke that when other kids were eating Twinkies and going to summer camps, we were eating organic papaya out of ceramic dishes, and going to Native American Sweat Lodge ceremonies.
I was always trying to save the rainforests, save the whales, save something. But this is not to say that I didn’t enjoy a day of shopping with my mom and going to brunch at Neiman Marcus. I just always wondered why the two worlds had to be disparate. So, quite naturally I became a bridge builder, looking for ways to bring ideas and people together in ways that would not happen otherwise.
It took becoming a mom though, for me to realize that I had to start taking more steps for a sustainable future. First it was just buying organic food. Then came the organic shampoos, conditioners and toothpastes. Eventually, it was organic cotton clothes and bed linens. And now, I’m the Founder and President of the EcoMom Alliance, an organization committed to inspiring and empowering moms to take "First Steps for A Sustainable Future." Funny how life happens isn’t it?
But what does sustainable mean and why is it important?
It means you matter. For thousands of years, indigenous people have known what contemporary science has now “proven.” We are all connected and what we drop into one “corner” of the ocean, impacts all of the other “corners” too...
It is so easy to become inundated with all of the information that is continually coming our way via the Internet, TV, newspapers and radio that we are paralyzed with fear. Technology and the media have made it virtually impossible to ignore the latest evidence about global warming and what it means for the future. Extreme weather. Diseases. Another ice age (sounds contradictory but it could well be an effect of shifts in the Gulf Stream).
Of course you don’t want this to happen and of course you want to do something to help, but let’s face it, the last thing you need is another item on the To Do List. Here’s the thing though, going green is often as easy as rethinking the things you already do. And making choices for a sustainable future can make your life easier, healthier and more enjoyable too.
Even more cost effective sometimes. Doing less laundry saves time, natural resources and energy costs. Buying a CFL bulb the next time a light goes out. Going to the local farmer’s market. Carpooling. Discovering the newest eco-chic designer.
The sustainability revolution is about moving beyond saying you care about the environment to aligning your actions with your intentions. Socially and ecologically, sustainability is about realizing that what you do, does matter.
The first time I took my printer cartridges back to Office Depot to be recycled, I not only felt proud of myself for remembering, I was also excited about the $3 off coupon I got in return. Yes, I am kind of a geek, and I was voted “Most Enthusiastic” in my high school class, but making choices for a sustainable future is rewarding.
Alone, we are one, but together, our choices add up and we’re a force to be reckoned with. So take your first step. Today.
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So refreshing to hear a voice that is an "echo" of my own on iVillage! Thanks for getting our voice heard EcoMom Alliance. Teaching my daughter how to honor our precious resources shows her how much I honor her as MY most precious resource.
dont understand