A sustainable lifestyle is the representation of the new era of consumption in the 21st century. People’s values have passed through significant modifications during the last hundred years. It is possible to assume that these changes are caused by the deterioration of the ecological situation, the increase in the number of severe diseases, and the level of development of society in general. However, there still does not exist a universal explanation of the term and its clear and precise characteristics. Humans perceive the notion in diverse ways that might affect the effectiveness of the implementation of sustainable consumption in everyday life. This essay argues that, regardless of the career that the author chooses to pursue, sustainability will be an essential part of it.
In the modern world, a sustainable lifestyle becomes a type of fashionable attribute of the developed community. Nevertheless, humans do not understand the exact possible actions to implement this way of life into their ordinary routine. Schlosberg and Coles (2016) maintain that sustainability is characterized by the individualistic approach and specific values. People prefer not to engage in communication or events that do not guarantee a positive impact on both sides of the interaction. What is more, the authors of the article claim that the most important type of relationship in the sustainable world is the link between a person and a community (Schlosberg & Coles, 2016)? If this connection is long-lasting and stable, the development of the society will be beneficial for the majority of the actors. The researchers introduce the term “sustainable materialism,” which means that for contemporary society, individualistic happiness is essential for the successful operating of the community (Schlosberg & Coles, 2016). In this case, the system of values plays a crucial role as human beings prefer not to consume everything available but to choose products and brands according to their moral compass.
The level of influence of a sustainable lifestyle is, at the same time, advantageous and challenging for commercial companies. In general, it can be observed that the new way of contribution is beneficial for the ecological situation in the world as people pay significant attention to the production process or the implementation of the ethics rules in the organization (Grubor & Milovanov, 2017). Sustainability improves the quality of life as it functions as a high bar both for individuals and the commercial sector. Sustainable consumption requires ecological knowledge, which can be the first step to the amelioration of the situation and waste avoidance. Moreover, the brand has to share the values of people, for example, “conscious consumption” of the sources, because it has a direct impact on the income (Grubor & Milovanov, 2017). Every employee should ensure that the company is oriented toward sustainability and explore ways in which they can contribute to it through innovation and adoption of measures that are used by other organizations.
Sustainability also plays a crucial role in the social sphere of the community. It improves the level of justice as it makes the products available for humans with diverse levels of income (Daly, 2018). What is more, it is an essential part of a rational contribution that helps to allocate the resources among people in the fairest way (Daly, 2018). To achieve sustainability, the person should seek the rational use of resources, which does not necessarily mean their capitalistic accumulation in one organization. Workers that are oriented toward it should seek to give back to the communities where the company operates, recognizing the eventual benefits that can result from such an approach.
It is necessary to mention that sustainability is only in the initial phase of societal development. Some researchers put forward the idea that there is a need to create an innovative system in order to implement sustainable consumption in the everyday routine of people (Schultz & Stieß, 2017). To that end, people should spread the ideas of sustainability through discussions of it and its incorporation into the processes of institutions throughout the nation. Social workers can contribute to the former, highlighting the ideas of sustainability in public forums and advocating for them in government legislatures. Complementing the effort, the representatives of the commercial sector have to optimize the process of production and distribution that would help to reduce the expenditures and, at the same time, meet the requirements and values of the society.
The creation of a sustainable system is the responsibility of every person, regardless of their discipline or career. The author has not yet decided upon a specific career that they will pursue, but they have obtained a broad overview of the efforts that are expected of a person regardless of their position. If they choose social work, they will aim to educate people on sustainability and how everyone is responsible for creating an environment characterized by it. If they decide to pursue a career in a company, they will aim to improve its processes through innovation and influence its strategic direction. In each case, it is essential that the author recognizes and remembers the importance of the community in the creation of a sustainable nationwide (or worldwide) system.
References
Daly, M. (2018). The most powerful form of activism is just the way you live: Grassroots intentional communities and the sustainability of everyday practice [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Sydney University of Technology.
Grubor, A., & Milovanov, O. (2017). Brand strategies in the era of sustainability. Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems, 15(1), 78–88.
Schlosberg, D., & Coles, R. (2016). The new environmentalism of everyday life: Sustainability, material flows and movements. Contemporary Political Theory, 15(2), 160–181.
Schultz, I., & Stieß, I. (2017). Linking sustainable consumption to everyday life. Perspectives on Radical Changes to Sustainable Consumption and Production, 1(1), 47.