19 May Conscious living, ¡¡No to an inhospitable planet!!
Why should we make changes in our way of life?
Whether we like it or not, the world is on the cusp of a series of major changes. A variety of calamities, from the acceleration of unusual weather patterns to the way the pandemic has spread, are symptoms of environmental imbalance. We must move towards more sustainable living.
As a result, we urgently need to rethink how we live our lives and consider the environmental impacts of everything we do. Otherwise, we risk creating a planet inhospitable to humanity and the diversity of creatures.
Many business leaders around the world are recognising that business as usual is neither sustainable nor economically viable. On the other hand the next steps now involve making the necessary transformational changes for sustainable living. This means rethinking the way we design, develop, produce, market and distribute goods and services in all sectors of the economy.
Definition of environmental awareness
The transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy involves systemic interventions that will require a completely new approach that will only be achieved with greater environmental awareness. Indeed, this should become a central aspect of 21st century citizenship for sustainable living.
Regardless tomorrow’s workforce, which should essentially be implemented today, will need a combination of technical acumen and human ingenuity, as well as a deep awareness of the “bigger” picture.
In other words, in less than a decade, more than half of today’s children will be working in unfamiliar jobs. However, there will still be very little significant change if our mindsets and frames of reference remain the same. As Einstein famously said, “you cannot solve a problem with the thinking we use to create it”.
New mindsets and therefore approaches will be needed not only for people entering the labour market, but also for people of all ages and stages of life, regardless of their social and economic status, educational level, skills or disabilities, or geographical location.
Sustainable living as second nature
There are still too few people who would challenge the status quo, challenge the brief and generally change course. However, keeping sustainable living front and centre in everything we do should no longer be seen as a rocking chair or a challenge to the mandate, as it should become second nature.
There are too many examples of “green” products that are far from being sustainable with minimal impact.
Changes in values and attitudes for sustainable living
If we are to improve environmental outcomes and build green ecosystems, skills development must go hand in hand with economic, technological and social change. To do so, we must agree on the broad spectrum of actions associated with environmental sustainability as a whole.
In conclusion changes in people’s values and attitudes will not happen if people do not have the awareness, knowledge and skills to drive sustainability. We need to embrace the major changes needed in education and training.
The innate environmental awareness I refer to will need to be integrated into all curricula. Both vocational and higher education will have to adapt to the emergence of environmentally friendly technologies in a wide range of professions and this will require courses for new professional roles linked to greening.
On the other hand education and training systems will be key, and will need to make the transition to lifelong learning.
Gaining a solid understanding of what the future holds in terms of green economies in the coming decades and looking at how markets for green technologies in all sectors are expected to evolve will continue to shape how we must realign our environmental mindset.
No one can afford to turn a blind eye to what is urgently required of us as responsible stewards of the future destiny of this planet!!! Yes to sustainability!!!!