It's clear that we need to talk more about this concept. And that's also why I decided to keep this exact term, "sustainability," and not replace it with another, like "ecology." Because I strongly believe that only by discussing it more will we truly understand its meaning.
But what is there to understand, after all? More than the dictionary definition? Which quite clearly states that sustainability refers to using present resources without affecting the resources of future generations. That is, we satisfy our needs, but in such a way that our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren can still satisfy their basic needs.
There is a lot to understand. And perhaps at least we Romanians would understand more quickly what it's about if we used the term "durable development." But when you say durable development, you think of a country, a state's economy, a city, a private company, an organization. And somehow less about people. Yet, we too, as individuals, must choose this path of sustainable living.
Why?
Let's imagine we are shipwrecked on an island. We and our children. On that island, there are only two palm trees. We, being shipwrecked, have nothing, so we need fire to warm ourselves, wood to make that fire, a roof over our heads, and therefore wood to build a small house. If we cut down the two palm trees from the start, in a short time neither we nor our descendants will be able to satisfy the same needs that we satisfied today.
And maybe they won't die. Maybe they'll adapt, somehow. Because that is human nature, the nature of nature. The question is, how will they adapt and what will adapted people look like? Will they still resemble the people we know today? Will the note of humanity that still makes us so different from animals still exist?
The moment we start asking ourselves such questions, the moment we start thinking long-term, we begin to grasp the meaning of sustainability.
One can philosophize endlessly. But one thing is certain: it's about a path, a transformation, a change, a call to action. Ours, all of us. Citizens, governments, companies, authorities, and NGOs.
Responsible Companies
In the business environment, CSR and sustainability are often considered interchangeable. And there is indeed a very large intersection between these two, but they are still different concepts. Corporate responsibility is older, spoken of since the 70s. Sustainable development, based on the three dimensions—economic, social, and environmental—began to be discussed somewhat later, from '87. Of course, an organization that wants to be responsible also looks at how it can contribute to sustainable development.
And it has very clear ways to do this, because there are the 17 sustainable development goals established by the UN for 2030. These turn this vague and vast concept into something concrete. No more poverty, no more children dying of hunger, clean water and green energy, equal opportunities for women and men, and so on.
The eeco.ro platform aims to contribute to at least three of these major goals: 11, 12, and 17. Sustainable Communities, Responsible Consumption, and especially Partnerships, for the fulfillment of these aims.