Why is the concept of sustainable living such a taboo

Sustainable living seems to be a phrase that when mentioned causes some people to become really defensive and start defending their lifestyle. Or it gets dismissed as something that is for other people, namely ‘Eco-freaks’, but not for them. Why is the concept of sustainable living such a taboo to some people? I have a friend who is genuinely of the opinion that we should not bother to care for our environment to pass it on to future generations in a viable condition because she won’t be around then. When I try to reason with her she just shuts down and won’t listen to any other argument on the topic. The way of life that she has is not in the minority; in fact these opinions are still very much in the majority especially among my generation. How can we explain to people of such a mind-set when they won’t even bother to listen to anything contrary to what they already believe? We’re not asking them to become vegetarian, never fly again or walk everywhere. They could just make small changes to their lifestyle that would make a big change to our planet. Changes that would in fact benefit them as well. Some of these could be using public transport instead of driving everywhere and in doing this saving money on petrol, or using energy efficient light bulbs again saving money. Even using a metal reusable water bottle instead of a plastic bottle helps save not only the environment but also the time and money of buying a new plastic bottle when the old one is worn out and minimises potential risk of contamination. In my opinion it is not asking too much to alter our lifestyles so that others, including future generations, are able to simply live.

Clare Singleton

Bobble, Bobble, Bobble

The idea of Living Sustainably can be daunting, even when one has all the information necessary to change one’s lifestyle it may simply be too big a task. My own approach is to take small steps that are proven to decrease our ecological footprint and that we can spread to our friends and families.

One such step would be to decrease the amount of plastic consumed as in the production tonnes of water and oil are used, both of which are crucial to other areas of our modern lifestyles.



http://www.flickr.com/photos/waterbobble/4390944370/sizes/m/in/photostream/

 As college students our water bottles are like our comfort blankets, they accompany us everywhere and we can hardly function without them and at €1 a pop in the Arts Block café pretty cheap right? But this mass consumption and disposal of ‘single-serve’ plastic bottles is completely unsustainable. The Bobble could be a solution.

Bobble is engineered to be durable, recyclable and healthy. The aim is to buy it and keep it and it will keep you and the planet healthier. The plastic is Bisphenol A free and the carbon filter removes organic contaminants from the water. They make the argument that there is no need for the massive plastic bottle industry when we public taps are available and all we need is an appropriate device to store our water.

So maybe next year when your class are thinking of getting class hoddies somebody might suggest a class Bobble. Pick a colour that emanates your subject and make a small change that could have big affects. http://www.waterbobble.com/

Tara Mallon Doyle

 

Future Food Shortage Crisis

The plight that climate change has caused has been documented to death such to the extent that people have become immune to hearing about holes in the ozone layer and the melting icecaps. For some reason it seems people still cannot grasp the seriousness of the situation and how these changes will affect their lives and the lives of their successors.  For that reason this blog will address something we can all associate with, one of the most basic fundamental commodities we all need for survival and yet is something most take for granted. I am talking about food.

It was estimated that in 2010 13.6% of the world’s population was undernourished. This in itself is startling, however what is even more starling and worrying is the fact that it is estimated that our global population will double in the next ninety years. This means more people to feed with even less resources than now due to the rapid effects of global warming such as desertification,  higher temperatures and rising sea-levels. Ireland is an agricultural island nation, this fact means we will be very badly affected by these changes as we will be forced to change agricultural methods, try and produce climate-resistant crops and deal with the rising sea- levels that will claim fertile land. These revelations beg to question how it will be possible to provide for double the amount of people that are alive now when we cannot even provide for the current number of people adequately. The horrible truth is that realistically we will not be able to. That is of course unless we try to make a change now.

There is no point in lying and saying we can undo the harm we as a population have already caused because we cannot. However, we can prevent further damage and prolong the time we have before we have to face this crisis. With this valuable extra time we may be able to develop climate-resistant crops and introduce new methods for agriculture. Therefore, it is important that we make a change and commit to living sustainably through reducing carbon emissions and helping to control the rising global population.

Kate Hinchion

Could you live a day without energy?

For most of us in the modern world electricity/gas/oil power various activities that we need and/or enjoy throughout our days, from the hot shower in the morning to the midday cappuccino. If you strip back the day, how many things that we do in fact require no energy?

Personally, walking to college seems like the most eco-friendly part of my day. I wake up with the heating already on, turn on the lights, eat something from a refrigerator, shower, dry my hair, boil the kettle, turn on some music, take the lift and that’s all before I leave the house!

Therefore I propose a challenge for myself and who ever reads this to go a day without electricity. Just one day, 24 hours. Cold showers, non-perishable food and cycling may be required of the day! A man named Colin Beavan aka ‘No Impact Man’ went a whole year without electricity in New York City. With its hotter than hell summers and sub zero winters this was not an easy task. His documentary and story has inspired me to think ‘what if?’. I could never reach the feat of a whole year like Colin, not to sound pessimistic, but a day is possible. I admit I am too accustomed to the modern world and its frivolous yet enjoyable aspects, such as that midday cappuccino. Though energy was required to make the clothes we wear, produce the food we eat and build the bed in which we sleep, the aim of a no impact day is to lessen the load of current energy used and thus to get us thinking green! Link

Jessica Maddock

Am I sustainable?

“Ideal” sustainable living

I have my own vegetable patch. I try to only eat food that is locally grown, and I never buy things that are out-of-season.  Any paper I write on is recycled, and everything I use ends up in recycling or composting. I don’t use a dishwasher. I cycle everywhere, and if need be I take public transport. If I need to travel I never take planes.

Why, then, am I not sustainable? Despite all of these lengths gone to, I still use more than one planet’s worth of resources. How can that even be? The truth is, sustainability is not just about individuals making a difference. Don’t get me wrong – every person has a part to play in terms of sustaining our environment, but laudable as it is, if it is left to individuals it is futile. For example, although recycling paper saves a tremendous volume of water and energy over producing it anew, the process itself is still incredibly costly (source: nationalgeographic.com). My life and my work revolve around using a computer, as do the lives of most others in the modern world – as long as Ireland’s energy production is reliant on fossil fuels, this is unsustainable. I can’t choose to only use renewable energy, after all. Every time I step on a train, every time I turn on a light, I’m contributing, little by little, to the planet’s downfall. Every cycle of the washing machine costs around 95 litres (source: wearefreeradicals.co.uk). The clothes I wear, the bike I cycle, these are usually made in an unsustainable manner. I mean, even the meat I eat isn’t sustainable (cows are one of the biggest producers of methane and other greenhouses gases in the world).

This is all a bit depressing, isn’t it? Do I simply, then, appropriate the blame on everyone else? Do I tell off the restaurateur whose business I frequent for not shelling out on an eco-oven? No, the fault lies at least as much with myself. We make claims about our contributions to sustainability, but by our own complacency in daily life that fragile shell of using “one planet’s worth” is haemorrhaged. Do I stop using my washing machine then, or even construct my own bike? No, because sustainability is not mutually exclusive of a high quality of life. Sustainability can only be achieved if individuals stand up and say no. If we want to truly be sustainable, we have to do more than just putting paper in the recycling bin. We have to band together and force the hand of companies, large multinationals, and ultimately governments that engage in unsustainable practice. Legislation needs to be put in place to force the hand of those who do not provide sustainable services. Renewable energy. Recycled materials. Safe and sustainable production practices. It’s the only way.

This is a bleak scenario and a steep road to climb. It’s not going to be fun and it’s not going to happen overnight. But imagine if we succeed. Technology, life in harmony, not at odds with nature. A life safe in the knowledge that this world will continue to trundle on after us, that we are preserving a world for generations to come. I’m not sustainable, not yet. But I want to be; I will be.

Killian Hanlon

Personal Definitions of Sustainability Invitation

Trinity College
Dublin

You are invited to submit your own personal definition of sustainability to our blog.  It must not exceed 50 characters in length…if it does it gets sent back to you.  It must also be original.

Students on the Living Sustainably module here at Trinity College Dublin write their own definition at the beginning of the course and these will be posted over the coming months.  We would be pleased to publish yours as well.

Please send definitions to Professor Nick Gray