IMPERFECT SUSTAINABILITY
When people think of sustainability, they think of recycling, organic agriculture, veganism, bicycling to work, and electric cars. Although these are generally positive ideas, they categorize sustainability in the narrow context of “ideal” lifestyles limited to certain socio-economic groups or require strict guidelines. These views also overemphasize the role of individual choice to live sustainably and lack analysis of the roles that industries and policies have in environmental issues.
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Instead of our typical idea of sustainability, imperfect sustainability promotes that doing what you can is better than doing nothing at all - while using as many resources you already have. It also shows creative ways to incorporate sustainability at all levels.
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“Perfect” sustainability doesn’t exist. At this time, there is no true net zero solution for all sustainability issues we currently face. Products meant to decrease waste, like reusable water bottles and shopping bags, still need manufacturing. The life cycle of products can be endless from start to finish.
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Think about reusable grocery bags. When you go to the checkout isle at the grocery store, there are reusable grocery bags for sale (especially if you live in a state that’s already banned single-use plastic bags). Some stores have cotton reusable bags, but that’s another product life cycle to explore elsewhere.
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Most reusable bags are made from polypropylene (PP). They are not compostable or biodegradable, according to Plastic Education, but are still a better alternative to traditional single-use plastic bags after 14 uses. If PP bags are made from recycled materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), that’s even better!
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Reusable bags are a great alternative to single-use plastic bags, but disposable bags can sometimes be a better option. According to George Washington University’s Online Public Health Resources, in certain cases, “assistive products, [including] non-sustainable items such as disposable wipes … and plastic bags … enable people to live healthy, productive, and independent lives”.
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Additionally, a 2019 study from the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management showed that “an annual 40 million-pound reduction in plastic bag waste resulted in the sales of heavier plastic bags” due to the 2016 plastic bag ban in California. The end result is similar plastic production with increased personal costs. I personally like to reuse plastic grocery bags to clean out my cat’s litter box or take compost scraps to the backyard pile.
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This isn’t to say that individuals can’t do their own part increasing their personal sustainability. What’s more important is increasing our acceptance of imperfect sustainability to address systemic culprits, while using resourceful strategies to prevent unintended consequences.