One of the trends in the world when it comes to sustainability is the so-called Green Money, or, loosely translated, “green money”. This is not a currency in itself, but a socially responsible investment in relation to the environment.
These are companies that represent balance and social justice, sustainability and high corporate governance. The big challenge for sustainable companies in the 21st century is to work in a way that does not harm the environment, trying to do less and less pollution in production.
Permaculture professor and researcher Marcelo Venturi emphasizes that “the most sustainable companies are always local. The smaller it is and the more it produces from local products, the more sustainable the company is. The more and more dependent on products from more distant places, the more unsustainable,” he explains.
Therefore, a product from the street where you live is more effective, as it appreciates the local. “I love the idea of having a vegetable garden and a compost pit at home,” Venturi says, while reflecting on the need to look at big companies that are also responsible for the most environmental damage.
In Brazil, the top five most sustainable companies are: Natura Cosméticos, Unilever, Nestlé, Valeo and Samsung.
“What these companies have in common is demonstrating how it is possible to grow, produce and sell while preserving natural resources and the harmonious continuity of relationships between living things,” notes a graduate student in the Department of Environmental Engineering at UFSC (Federal Santa Claus University). Katarina), Paula Guerra, 32 years old.
However, while the corporate world is on a more conscious path, consumption must also move in that direction. “Sustainable development is in the rhythm of production and consumption. And this is due to the lifestyle of people, which directly affects the pollution of the planet,” he said.
A survey conducted by the UFRN (Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte) showed that if the world’s population adopts the level of consumption of the population of North America, we would need four to five planets to support this lifestyle. The math is simple: subtracting resources from nature for transformation processes results in waste. In other words, the exploitation of natural resources and the unconscious disposal of waste resulting from excessive consumption are costly. There is a limit to transformations on the planet, which is based on the concept of sustainability.
Sustainable living starts with recycling
If in the corporate and government realms we engage in daily activities that require large financial investments to ensure sustainability, what prevents us from adopting this lifestyle are bad habits, such as long showers or leaving the lights on when leaving the room – then, which wastes basic resources such as water and energy.
Fabiana Tasca, 32, is a plumbing engineer and member of Acesa (Santa Catarina Association of Plumbing and Environmental Engineers). He suggests that a sustainable society needs quality, not quantity. “I hear around that it is difficult to apply sustainability in everyday life, that it is expensive, that rush does not allow. But you shouldn’t even practice it, given its significance, ”says Fabiana.
At UFSC Environment Week 2022 from June 20-24 this year, vegan nutritionist and environmentalist Alessandra Luglio outlined five approaches to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Check and practice:
- recycle garbage
- eat more organic
- reuse packaging and favor bulk products
- clear more food
- consume used parts
The idea is to think about healthier forms of consumption for the population and the planet, with a focus on preserving the life of the ecosystem, that is, the community and the environment.
A family that lives with respect for the environment
Surname – Natural Nature in social networks. Motto: Nature, love and connection for a new era. Leticia Wagner, 28, from Rio Grande do Sul, and Gabriel Neto, 30, from Minas Gerais, have been together for 10 years, since 2012. This love gave birth to Gaia at the age of one year and six months, born in Garopaba, on the coast of Santa Catarina.
Today, three hearts inhabit the university city of Pedra Branca. The couple’s daily routine is to wake up at 5 am, meditate and do yoga. Then they wake up little Gaia at 6 am. In the morning they prefer to eat fruit bought from the local market.
Then the care of the daughter begins: changing a cloth diaper and changing clothes during the day. All of Gaia’s clothes are purchased from thrift stores. “We believe that the most sustainable clothing is the one that already exists on the planet due to all the environmental influences,” says Leticia.
Gabrielle rides her daughter to kindergarten on a carbon-free ride, and Leticia starts cleaning the house and washing cloth diapers from yesterday. “Gaia has never used plastic diapers, we have been choosing clothes from thrift stores and cloth diapers since she was born,” they say. Then the preparation of lunch begins with organic and agroforestry products, as local as possible. They don’t eat meat.
Cleaning dishes, clothes and home is done with a biodegradable, ecological, homemade product that does not harm the skin of the family or the environment: coconut soap in bars, as natural as possible. The supermarket is only used for very punctual purchases and they take eco-friendly bags so they don’t use plastic or paper. They don’t buy packaged food, only bread.
And the plastic bags go in the trash in the bathroom. “We do not use materials derived from oil; single-use plastic is very harmful to the environment,” warns Leticia. Early in the morning, Gaia returns home on her bike with her mother and it’s bath time with a vegetable sponge, solid shampoo, conditioner and soap. Afterwards, Gaia and her mother take the opportunity to play outside and connect with nature. In addition to clothing, Gaia either finds or donates toys.
“We don’t buy toys for Gaia, most of them come from a child who no longer plays, or we exchange them with a friend from the condominium. Whenever we go to clean up the beach at Garopabe, we find toys for her to play with. Everything is found, collected and taken out from the beach.”
According to Letizia, everything in the family’s life is regulated by sustainability, and she thinks twice before consuming something new. The idea is to try and fix it before you buy. Meanwhile, Gabriel runs Agroforestry Carbon, which is working to offset the carbon footprint of the agroforestry system by encouraging small farmers to think of new sources of income.
At the end of the day, it’s dinner time: vegan food. The family does not eat out. “We really appreciate food at home, for health reasons, communication with the family,” says the mother. In the end, Gabriel properly disposes of the garbage. Conscious recycling is also adopted by the family.
All materials are properly designed. Their daily routine is based on a healthy and conscious diet, and it cannot be otherwise. Mother Gaia says emphatically, “Everything you eat affects your health and the environment.”
Source: Ndmais