Today, the state of our environment is a major concern to many people. The same people who worry about its condition often hope that there was something that they could do to contribute to the reconstruction of a healthy environment. Although there are a multitude of approaches to creating this type of environmentally friendly lifestyle, one question remains: is this lifestyle something that can be sustained? 

Living a lifestyle driven by sustainability is notorious for being quite expensive. One example of this would be that buying organic food is significantly more expensive than purchasing regular food. Buying organic food is not only beneficial for health reasons but also because buying organic animal products and organic produce may imply that the food is derived from more ethical processes than non-organic food. Consumer Reports says that although the price differences between, organic and non-organic food ranges widely, organic food is, on average, about 47% more expensive. 

Another example of this would be that buying reusable food storage containers and wraps, water bottles, straws, silverware, etc. can also get pretty pricey. Take the company Bee’s Wrap, for example, a company that sells reusable beeswax food wraps. One roll of Bee’s Wrap is $24.99 while a roll of regular plastic wrap costs about $5 on average.  

Although there are many expensive “sustainability-based” products on the market today, there are also some that either cost less than non-sustainable products or their extended lifetime of usage compensates for their higher costs. For example, one pack of wool dryer balls cost about $5.50 costs about $5.50 and lasts for around 1,000 loads of laundry whereas a 240-count box of dry sheets costs around $10 and only lasts 240 loads. Not only are the wool dryer balls a less expensive alternative but they will also last longer. 

A second cost-effective sustainable alternative is shampoo, conditioner, and body wash bars. A generic brand of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash bars can cost anywhere in the range of $5-$25, whereas a shampoo, conditioner, or body wash bar typically costs around $5-$15. These bars are a cheaper alternative as well as have a longer lifetime of usage. For me personally, a bottle of shampoo or body wash lasts anywhere from 1-2 months whereas soap bars are said to last anywhere from 4-6 months. 

What I am able to conclude from all of this is that a sustainable lifestyle is only sustainable for the people who can afford it and who have access to products like these. Although some of these products might be more affordable than their sustainable alternatives, it is unlikely that most people who are living in low-income communities have access to these products because they don’t have enough popularity to be the default. Mechanisms like refillable product stores that could save people money by buying in bulk and with reusable containers are also scarce, not only in low-income communities but also in general. In my opinion, sustainable products are marketed towards higher-income individuals specifically because people who have money view a higher price with a higher quality product, and a large portion of sustainable products fall within that higher-priced category.

Building a fully sustainable lifestyle would be nearly impossible for someone living in lower-income circumstances for a few reasons: sustainable products carry the reputation of being more expensive (even if some are not) and this likely deters people from seeking out these types of products to begin with, some products are just naturally more expensive than their conventional alternatives, and sustainable products are often less convenient and higher maintenance than regular products. People living in low-income often do not have the time or money to prioritize implementing sustainable products into their lifestyle. So, no, a sustainable lifestyle is not sustainable, and not only that, it is also highly impractical to expect everyone to convert to it because of its socioeconomic implications.

This semester, we have covered a variety of sustainability-related works in our class touching on a range of topics from a watershed in Iowa to the ice deposits on the moon. Although each piece served its purpose for our class, there were two specific works we covered that particularly caught my attention when it came to the question of, where the fate of the world stands. In enrolling in this class, this was the question that I was most interested in getting to the bottom of. 

In the reading, “Our planet is not doomed. That means we can and must act” by Dagomar Degroot, the author speaks on the dangers of climate “doomism” as it has become the default perspective of most people when they think of the Earth’s future. He goes on to share that doomism only stifles progress in the movement toward a stable climate because people have already given up hope. The primary argument he is making here is that because change is still possible and we have not passed the point of no return, the fight is still worth fighting. 

Conversely, in Greta Thunberg’s short film, “Our Relationship with Nature is Broken”  she presents her argument differently.  Just by comparing the titles of the works, Thunberg introduces her case in a much more negative and urgent manner by saying “Our relationship with nature is broken”, which allows the viewer to assume one question before even watching the film: can it even be repaired? Furthermore, when looking at Degroot’s title we can see that the argument is presented in a more optimistic light by saying “Our planet is not doomed”. 

Although Greta ultimately makes a very similar case to Degroot in the overall message of her film, the way she delivers it, not only in the title, may deter people from joining her in her efforts to counteract the damage made to the planet. As Degroot says in his article, when addressing the fate of the planet coming from a doomism perspective only discourages people because they believe the fight has already been lost, which I believe is what Thunberg did in her short film. There was an eeriness to the message she presented which brought on a feeling of guilt and panic for me as a viewer. In my opinion, invoking an audience to feel this way will not make them want to move forward with any cause you are trying to promote. 

As I analyzed the delivery and presentation of each work, I asked myself, which was more effective at prompting me to make a change? I think the answer to that is quite clear by now. Degroot’s optimistic outlook on the future of the planet and reassurance that we still have time to repair the damages done made me feel positively about the future of our planet. Knowing there is a brighter future ahead makes me want to be a part of building that future and continuing the fight for sustainability. In contrast, I could certainly see how Thunberg’s delivery may be more effective in prompting change in others because it creates a sense of urgency that may encourage people to act as soon as possible. Although this may be productive for some, I would much rather be motivated by positive reinforcements for building a renewed and replenished future for our planet than by negative ones that are fueled by the fear and distress of the public.

As a college student it is extremely hard to execute any form of sustainable behavior due to a few different reasons, one being that many sustainable actions are inconvenient and another being that a truly sustainable lifestyle is quite expensive- and money is something college students don’t have. With these reasons combined, it is clear to me that this season of life simply does not permit the kind of changes that need to be made in order to lead this kind of lifestyle. Although I cannot live a sustainable life to its full potential in this chapter of my life, I do have goals for the next, where I will hopefully have the means and the convenience to carry them out. Here, we will explore these goals and examine the significance of them in terms of their sustainable impact. 

1. Composting  

Composting has been a goal of mine for many years now. My aunt and uncle have been composting for as long as I can remember and have taught me the many benefits of it, one of the most significant to them being that it can be used as fertilizer for their gardens. According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) composting is also highly useful for preventing polluted runoff, insulating carbon into soil to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and regenerating poor soil. 

        2.  Gardening 

Gardening is such a fascinating element to sustainability and arguably the one I would be most interested to explore. This particular method of eco-consciousness takes an incredible amount of labor and resources to begin and maintain, however its long-term  benefits will significantly outweigh these costs. Building my own garden will help prevent overwatering, reduce plastic waste from food packaging, and reduce methane emissions from food waste. 

       3. Attempt at Zero Waste  

Accumulating zero waste will likely be the most difficult goal to accomplish within this list. Since coming to college and living on my own I have been made highly aware of the amount of waste I create as an individual person and I will say it is more than I’d like to admit. Some of the top contributing methods I would use to reduce my daily waste would be shopping with companies that sell in bulk and at package-free grocery stores, using reusable bags, cups and containers, shampoo and body wash bars, and using reusable menstrual products.  

      4. Reduce Overconsumption 

In my opinion, reducing personal waste and reducing my overconsumption tendencies go hand in hand. When I like a certain product I tend to buy it in multiple different colors or styles (because obviously I need five different Owala water bottles!!). However, my closet is particularly impacted by overconsumption. One way that this can be avoided moving forward is shopping sustainably through thrifting, buying clothes made with recycled materials and upcycling. In terms of reducing overconsumption in other aspects of my life, I hope that simply having restraint from buying things I don’t need will prevent me from further over-buying.

       5. Have a Small Family 

Arguably, this goal will have the biggest impact on the collective movement towards eco-consciousness. Here, not only will my lifestyle change towards a sustainability focus, but my family’s will as well. Along with that, having a small family also dramatically reduces food and water waste, greenhouse gas emissions, plastic use, as well as a general decrease in the strain on the Earth’s resources. Considering the possible fate of the planet when it comes to climate change, many people are discouraged from having kids to begin with, including myself, for the simple fact that it would be unfair to bring another person into a world that is burning.

Now more than ever, hemp is a material that is beginning to become integrated into a variety of different arenas of people’s daily life. Some people use it for medicinal purposes, while others use it for making textiles, such as bags, or clothing, and now we are even beginning to incorporate the use of hemp within construction. Although the integration of this plant is becoming more and more popularized as time goes on, some people still feel the stigma against hemp as it is often associated with the recreational drug, cannabis. 

As a public policy major, and an individual who pays close attention to the social movements that are being made in terms of cannabis laws in the United States, I believe that only good things can come out of the de-stigmatization of cannabis because it will open the door for hemp to be used for as a sustainable alternative for an array of products and materials, while simultaneously supporting the small communities that provide it. Because of the stigma that surrounds the drug cannabis, many people are hesitant to open their minds to the potential benefits it has when it comes to its contribution to eco-consciousness. Although the stigmatization and decriminalization of cannabis is beginning to spread throughout the nation, a significant number of individuals still object to the integration of cannabis and its contribution to sustainability is often overlooked because of this. In the article “Tribes Revive Traditional Hemp Economies”  by Winona LaDuke, the author explores a variety of different topics that concern the integration of hemp within a working economy. She first touches on the contribution native tribes have made to the cultivation of hemp for over two decades. This idea helps give a new perspective to the roots of where some of our hemp comes from, which may hopefully prompt those who oppose its production to instead support its cause because of the origin of its creation. The fact that hemp production provides a gateway of inclusion for our native communities into our economy is also a concern as someone with an interest in public policy because it displays the social progress that has been made in re-integrating our native communities into spaces they have otherwise not been included in previously and in way that does not exploit or disrespect them. 

One of the products that is making its way to the forefront of the discussion of hemp integration is hempcrete. This is a sustainable alternative to concrete that is made out of the inner core of the hemp plant. In a New York Times article titled “In Search for Sustainable Materials, Developers Turn to Hemp” written by Kevin Williams, this particular product along with hemp panels, and hemp blocks (made using the same concept of hempcrete) are the tokens of sustainable developments being made in the arena of construction. Although not quite cost-effective because of current low demand, these products are highly beneficial when it comes to cutting production time because of the simplicity of their installment. 

As mentioned, looking through the lens of public policy we can see that incorporating hemp into various spaces has made a great impact, whether that has been through the inclusion of native communities, or making a positive contribution towards the cause of the climate crisis. The only thing holding us back from reaping the economic and sustainability benefits from hemp products is the stigma that still looms over it.