What exactly is sustainable development? While we all need to carry on living and all have certain needs and necessities, these can all be met while preserving the environment and thus making sure the future generations can in turn enjoy what this wonderful world.  Sustainable development means that while we  need the natural capacities of the planet we must also learn to use them without abusing them. We need to stop thinking that everything grows back again, there is such a thing as the limits of growth.

There is no denying that we need development and will carry on to do so, claiming the opposite is just being in denial about reality. We must learn however to use a little more self control. The use of chemicals, for example, nuclear power, and carbon emissions are our worst enemies; we have to change our ways so that their effects is reduced to a minimum; there are  some very easy methods to do this:

The first one is to use natural sources of energy as much as possible whenever possible. Solar, water and wind energy go to waste everyday.

Rain water, and there has been a lot of this lately in Costa Rica, can be collected and filtered for washing and for agriculture. Cars should only be running on natural energy such as solar, water, hydrogen or electricity. There should be more focus on ecological industrial fuel such as white coal that is made from grass and from wood, solar energy for heating and electricity, bio gas for heating and bio diesel generators for industrial electricity. Plastic as we commonly know it  should be banned and be replaced by biodegradable plastic, and when plastic is used it should always be recycled. All kinds of metal and glass should be recycled.

Everywhere in the world cities are facing the same problem: What to do with the solid waste? As the population is growing, it is getting more and more difficult knowing how to deal with this menacing problem. Recycling and using biodegradable waste can help a lot.

Farmers should all receive special education and start working on  organic farming. There are many different methods to suit different countries and financial means. Wood should only be used as occasionally as possible, and cement should be replaced by other material that produce less heat.

Maybe the biggest change necessary is the one that is the most difficult to change. The Economy. Money is the number one reason why we are still putting gas in our cars, why we are not using natural resources such as wind, water and the sun as energy sources. Money has become what we live and work for, while small businesses, the artesanal professions, and so on are slowly disappearing. Put this way, it would seem that we need to start all over again! Yet it needed be so difficult. If only enough people believed and were more educated in this field, great progress would be made on the road to sustainable living and development. Those who benefit from destruction and who are too selfish and greedy to care are still a great minority. Damages we do to the planet cannot be fixed by money! Only more efforts, care and knowledge will.  People care, and they want to help, they just need to learn. We just need to remember:  money will not fix the world, money is at the base of all the troubles. While the world is never going to change that drastically, there is clearly a need to review our values and teach our children well.

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Filed under: Living on September 30th, 2010