Sustainability 101: What Exactly Does It Mean?

Sustainability is a term that has been popping anywhere and everywhere. Dictionaries define it through the root word "sustain" which means "to support, hold, or bear up", or "to keep up or keep going". As broad as the word may seem, it has been linked to its environmental essence. Environmental sustainability is probably its most widely recognized aspect. When we read or hear it, recycling and conservation immediately come to mind. A simple definition would be "improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems". Short and simple, but what exactly does it mean? What can be the simplest and truest sense of sustainability for an average human being?



Googol Learning posted some definitions of sustainability as understood by children. One reads "Sharing what we have with others and not taking more than our share". Another one goes "Making the world a better place for the future". A funny but probably the most striking one reads "…is not just cleaning up your own room – it’s about keeping tidy an even bigger room that belongs to everyone!" .

The last one may be a very simple yet outstanding definition by analogy. We can try to gather, read, and understand numerous definitions, but there are so many that it becomes too confusing. So why not settle on the easiest one – one where everybody can relate to? It makes sense looking at the planet as a room – a big one where others dwell, so it needs cleaning, fixing, and maintenance.



Good thing numerous companies are now resorting to sustainability solutions to reduce costs and increase yield while maintaining eco-preservation efforts. GoodEarth Products, one of the leading sustainability providers, supplies companies the best equipment, products, and tools that reduce risks to employees and the environment, decrease operational expenses, and augment profits. These produce speed and efficiency without the damaging effects. GoodEarth can customize these solutions to meet each company’s needs.