Sustainability is a broad term that is thrown around far too often, especially by marketers. The Oxford dictionary defines sustainable as, “able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.”
So, when I think about sustainability, I’m thinking about how humanity can continue to exist on this planet without depleting every single natural resource, without destroying civilization as we know it, and without driving entire species of animals and plant life to the brink of extinction.
Dramatic? Probably.
But for something to be sustainable, there must be a balance of factors that aren’t skewed towards one – just because something is environmentally friendly, doesn’t make it sustainable.
There are three core pillars of sustainability:
- Environmental (duh)
This is probably the most obvious pillar. Sustainability factors include the use of natural resources, pollution prevention, manufacturing waste, etc.
- Economic
Here is where things start to get a little vague. For something to be sustainable, it needs to be economically viable. Sustainability factors include economic growth, profit, job growth and poverty implications, etc.
- Social/Society
I read so many articles researching this blog post, and no one can agree on a definition of the social/societal pillar of sustainability. So here’s my spin: when I walk into a store and see a $3 t-shirt manufactured in another country, I can’t help but wonder what type of wage was paid to that worker. What conditions are they working in?
As you can see, things are fairly complicated and there’s a lot of grey area here. For example, manufacturing clothing is not great for the environment no matter which way you look at it. But we need to wear clothes, for obvious reasons. So manufacturers need to look at how they can balance the pillars of sustainability, and consumers also need to be responsible for their actions.
The Triple Bottom Line
Another way to think about sustainability is through John Elkington’s alliterative triple bottom line: people, planet, profit.
I love to think about sustainability with these parameters in mind because it really calls out that there is an impact to be considered in very simple terms.
People: Not just a company’s employees, but its customers and partners and the larger community are all impacted by its decisions.
Planet: There are so many ways an organization can impact our planet – both good and bad!
Profit: Beyond just a company’s profit, there are larger considerations including employee wages, donations, taxes, etc.
So, the next time you’re searching for sustainable yoga pants, make sure you consider all the factors. Even if your yoga pants are organic, the production of those pants still had a negative environmental impact. Do you really need another pair of leggings, or can you make do with the pairs you already own? Have you considered a resale site like Poshmark or ThreadUp?