The term sustainable is self-explanatory: it means sustaining life on this planet and the ecological balance required to do this.
There must be sufficient resources left to meet future generations’ needs. This requires using resources responsibly: to avoid irreplaceable depletion of reserves or causing lasting environmental damage.
Why is sustainability important?
There must be a balance between protecting the environment, exploiting natural resources, and serving society’s needs. Consuming too many resources and disrupting nature has severe consequences, contributing to issues such as climate change and topsoil erosion.
Fossil fuels are a finite resource that take millions of years to form. Switching to renewable energy or adopting a more sustainable lifestyle through closed loop or zero-waste living.
Sustainable manufacturing and agriculture
Low-energy practices, making use of freshwater supplies without disrupting or diverting them, and avoiding the release of polluting chemicals all help make manufacturing more sustainable.
In agriculture, organic and regenerative farming draw much of the focus. Biodiversity loss, dried up rivers, and scarred landscapes are the cost of unsustainable farming practices, which can inhibit healthy plant growth for years.
Funding for sustainable product ideas and manufacturing processes encourages sustainability. This could involve finding ways to use as much of an existing crop as possible, reducing waste, and maximising efficient use of land and resources.
Living a sustainable life
From choosing where to shop and what to buy, to deciding on the mode and frequency of travel: it’s within all our abilities to make everyday decisions that have a net positive impact on the environment. Many tips for sustainable living cover both short- and long-term changes.
Being sustainable at home
Our homes are good places to begin the practice of creating a more sustainable lifestyle. It’s at home where small changes can lead to larger positive legacies.
Conserve energy
‘Ready to wake’ devices or other electrical items on standby may only consume a little energy, but cumulatively they create a significant unnecessary load, wasting energy that could otherwise be conserved.
In addition, appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines should only be used with full loads to make efficient use of the water and power needed to run a cycle.
Reuse existing resources
Finding another use for products you already own reduces the need to buy or manufacture new ones, saving the resources and energy from those processes. Reusing and repurposing also reduces unnecessary landfill waste.
You can also reuse natural resources. Water butts in the garden collect rainwater that can be used to water plants, while compost heaps turn food waste and garden clippings into nutrient-rich natural fertiliser.
Grow your own food
Homegrown food reduces the need for wasteful packaging, corporate food waste, and emissions from transporting food.
Growing a range of produce also increases biodiversity compared to a lawn, providing favourable conditions for various pollinators, insects, and microorganisms.
Shop sustainably
Choosing eco-friendly products is one of the most sustainable choices you can make, from fashion and furniture to food.
If you can consume it safely, buy food close to its expiry date to reduce retail landfill waste. Unused food can be preserved, frozen, or used to make stock to avoid it going to waste.
Make use of recipes that utilise peelings and scraps, or compost them at home.
Choosing eco-friendly products makes sustainability easier
Compostable tableware made entirely from natural materials provide a convenient way to be sustainable. Once disposed of, they can fuel the cultivation of other foods and natural resources.
At FOOGO green we use natural, toxin-free resources in our manufacturing process. Organic materials are saved from other agricultural processes, where they would otherwise be discarded as waste.
The result is disposable plates, bowls and cutlery that are of a high quality, durable, adaptable, and kind to the environment.
See for yourself: check out the range of sustainable products available in our online store.