Sustainability: The Word of the Day
Sustainability is the balance between people and the environment. Air, water, and land are all impacted by the behavior and actions of human beings, but these impacts can be controlled so they do not cause as much damage while allowing all involved to maintain a comfortable existence. The art of sustainable living is the ability to support communities today without jeopardizing the environment for tomorrow.
Sustainability touches every aspect of life, from food to housing to how corporations conduct business. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is an organization that sets a framework for global companies to report on their sustainable practices, as measured by economic, environmental, and social factors.
Currently, close to 1,000 companies from more than 60 different countries participate in this voluntary program. Members include professionals worldwide who work with government, corporations, and social organizations. As a result, companies have been acknowledged not just for participating in the reporting but for including sustainability in their mainstream operating practices.
The Dow Jones Sustainability Index manages the criteria and takes charge of monitoring which companies are listed on its index or on other socially responsible investment funds. The Dow Jones Sustainability World Index tracks the top 250 sustainable corporations from the 2,500 largest companies in the Dow Jones Global Index. Some of the companies included on the Sustainability Index include General Electric, BP, and Toyota.
A 2006 study by Brian Halweil of Worldwatch Institute recommends that consumers lead the drive in saving the world's oceans by choosing fish that support a sustainable marine environment. Suggestions include purchasing fish from smaller operations that are less likely to use damaging practices, avoiding threatened species, and eating lower on the food chain (i.e., oysters, clams, and smaller species).
Maintaining sustainability isn't just up to corporations and governments, however; individuals bringing it into their everyday lives make an impact. Sustainability is making decisions with a new set of values — not a value set that hangs over your head like a cloud, but an understanding that there's a great deal you can do to preserve the environment for future generations while providing for yourself today. By making personal choices in what you buy, how you drive, and what kind of energy you use, you can support a more sustainable lifestyle.
