"Pollution" Reflective Response
- Jenna Lynn
- Apr 18, 2022
- 2 min read
“For a system to be sustainable, the rate at which waste is released can be no greater than the rate at which it can be processed, recycled, or absorbed. (Robertson, 2017, p.133.)”
I’ve had to read this quote over a few times to make sure I understand what it’s trying to convey, and I’m still a little uncertain, but I like it and think it brings about a really important point. Waste is released more frequently than it would take it to be processed, recycled, and absorbed, and because of that, we’re not sustainable. There’s an unhealthy balance between what we know to be right and actually taking those steps to contribute to the change positively.
To be fully sustainable, we really need to make changes. We can’t just say we want to be better and do better, we have to actually do it. In particular, this has been the hardest part for me because I get overwhelmed easily and give up, or I lose motivation and stop doing what I set out to initially do. I could probably speak for days about how important the planet is, but we already know that. What steps can we take to become truly sustainable?
Produce less waste, which I know is far easier said than done. Bike or walk instead of driving. I think it would be beneficial to potentially minimize supermarkets and influence individuals to grow their own fruits and vegetables. I imagine this idea would be initially met with some resistance, but the benefits to this far outweigh the cons. And to those who don’t have the means to do so, they can partner with others who do or purchase from local farms where the quality of the food they’re receiving is better than what could be purchased from a Walmart, etc. There are never-ending possibilities.
Reference:
Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and practice. Routledge.
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