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Nobody knows what sustainability really means -

The modern meaning of the word entered the lexicon in 1987 with the publication of 'Our Common Future', by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development. The report defined it as the “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

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Sustainability is all about the environment -

The original meaning of sustainability was in finding ways to let poor nations catch up to richer ones in terms of standard of living. That meant giving disadvantaged countries better access to natural resources, including water, energy, and food, which all came from the environment. 

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You have to be vegan -

Switching to a vegan or vegetarian diet has been shown to be one of the best ways to lessen your environmental impact. But this doesn't you have to be fully vegan to live sustainably. 

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Sustainable means green -

Although there’s a fair amount of overlap between the terms, “green” usually suggests a preference for the natural over the artificial. 

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Individual choices won't make a difference -

It would be disastrous for the world if every individual felt like this. Everyone has a role to play in the push toward sustainability and protecting the environment and planet. 

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All glass can be recycled -

Surprisingly, not all glass is created equal. This is mainly because the different chemical make-ups pose a problem when they are mixed to create new glass. 

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Biodegradable and compostable cups are a great alternative -

Even though they aren't plastic, they are still single-use and made of raw materials. Another negative point is that they require specific conditions to be compostable, such as time and temperature. 

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Sustainability is not a population problem -

Every environmental problem is ultimately a population problem. If the world's population was lower, the amount of waste generated wouldn't overwhelm nature’s cleanup systems. The best way to limit over-population is to educate women and generally raise the standard of living in developing countries.

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Carbon-offsetting is a great way to combat global warming -

Carbon offsetting refers to a situation where the emissions you create are balanced out by the initiatives you support that absorb the equivalent emissions. However, this doesn’t address the root issue of needing to reduce the amount of emissions created in the first place.

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Climate change does not exist because it has always been changing -

Some people claim that climate change is a myth because climate change has always existed and is a natural process. However, it's scientifically proven that catastrophic changes are occurring at a much faster pace because of human interference. 

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Consumer choices and grassroots activism are more efficient -

Consumer choices and grassroots activism are important. But progress on some reforms, such as curbing CO2 emissions, can only happen quickly with government intervention. 

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Sustainable fashion is boring -

Sustainable fashion has come a long way. There are many brands out there that are producing ethically-made and fashionable clothing. Also, even if you want to support slow fashion, it doesn’t mean you never have to buy fast fashion again. 

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Food transport has immense CO2 emissions -

There are certain foods that create immense CO2 emissions, and one of the main factors for this is transportation, particularly when the food is imported from different countries. But this only applies to a small percentage of foods that are transported by air. Airplanes are one of the least environmentally friendly modes of transport, but luckily, only 0.16% of exported food around the world is transferred by plane.  

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It’s all about recycling -

While recycling is important, as it reduces the need to extract raw materials from the ground, forests, and fossil-fuel deposits, it's unfortunately not enough. If you want to live sustainably, you need to also think about energy and transportation. 

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New technology is always the answer -

There doesn't have to be a new technological invention to strive for greater sustainability. Sometimes, existing technology and a new business model can make a huge difference.

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Living sustainably is a breeze to figure out -

Unfortunately, a choice that seems sustainable can turn out to be problematic upon closer examination. Nothing can really be declared sustainable until you have done a complete life-cycle analysis of its environmental costs.

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Organic is always more expensive -

This depends, when you buy cheap in large quantities, you generate a tendency to throw away more food which is equivalent to 20-50% more cost of its organic counterpart. So, in the end, if you eat organic produce, you pay the same amount for what you eat. 

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Luxury goods aren’t sustainable purchases -

Due to their financial power, luxury brands have tighter control over sourcing and manufacturing, and the conditions under which products are created. This means they often hire local, skilled workers to ensure a well-made product is created.

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Recycling is easy -

Recycling is typically convenient, and most places offer recycling stations. But what many people don’t realize is that there’s a right way and a wrong way to recycle. For example, if there's any food left on the material, it can't be recycled. 

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Separating waste doesn’t help as it goes to the same place -

Waste separation is an important step in saving reusable rubbish from incineration and is essential for sustainability.

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Sustainability is a phase -

Some people believe that sustainability is a phase, like a period of austerity after an economic recession. Sustainability is actually a long-term plan that companies and governments are taking steps to implement. 

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Sustainability is too expensive -

Considering the long-term benefits, sustainability isn't expensive. You may just be wary of the one-off cost of switching from an unsustainable system to a sustainable alternative, like installing solar panels in your home. 

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Sustainability means lowering our standard of living -

Sustainability doesn't mean you have to do more with less. It simply involves taking better care of what you have, organizing yourself, and being more conscious when it comes to material things. 

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Sustainable living takes too much time -

Research is often required to find sustainable products, and things like composting or gardening do take some effort. But being eco-friendly can seamlessly be integrated into your daily routine. Be realistic and find what fits your interests and lifestyle.

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You can’t use any plastic -

It’s common to assume that in order to be sustainable, you need to eliminate every last piece of plastic from your life. But as most stuff contains plastic, this is practically impossible.

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You have to fit all your trash in a Mason jar -

When the concept of zero-waste living started, a trend surfaced where people showed off all their trash fitting into a single Mason jar. This just gives a false idea of the amount of trash we actually produce. But of course, it's still worth trying to reduce your trash. 

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Sustainability is part of a strategy -

As sustainability started to become a buzzword, many companies tried to include it in their marketing as a strategy to stay relevant. Today, it's no longer a strategy, but rather a foundation for any company or project to actually implement. 

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Zero waste is useless -

Of course, it’s not always possible to live 100% waste-free. But striving for it as much as possible does help, be it by reducing plastic waste or bringing a tote bag when you shop. 

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Sustainability is an end station -

Sustainability is here to stay. It's a mindset that constantly changes, develops, and adapts to both short-term and long-term needs. 

Sources: (Scientific American) (Euro News Green) 

See also: All-natural cleaning solutions that actually work 

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