Sustainability requires a sustained effort.

Ever since I became cognizant of the fact that every product we use contains the fingerprint of petroleum I have pondered why.  The reason is that they can be mass produced cheaply. A prime example, and perhaps the most obvious is the plastic container. Not to mention the consumer product itself, every item we buy is encased and transported in plastic. Lunch containers, clothes bins, zip-loc bags, etc. can be cheaply obtained, so much so that we neglect the idea of recycling them and just throw them in the trash because we can always get new ones. The green movement that we are going through is certainly a positive trend in the right direction. Large supermarkets no longer support plastic bags and instead opt for a reusable canvas or paper bags.

I must also point out however, that though it is a good contribution towards our planet that we each do our part when we can, it is not enough. To effect change, we must make sustainability not just a convenience or a fad; it must be a priority. We need recognition and resources, we need to break away from the established methods of production and implement new ones. All this is very hard to do. There are great forces against us, namely the government and large corporations. What incentive do they have to adopt a new business model? Why should they throw out an efficient and profitable petroleum-based manufacturing flow and replace it with new, unproven, and costly methods. Why should the government invest in renewable energy sources when it is risky and promises no immediate benefits?  Politicans, corporations, and individuals within the decision-making sphere are the biggest obstacles must also embrace change.

What about the developing nations? Just as a person will have no time for philosophy if his stomach is hungry, the developing nation has neither time nor resources to care about the planet. Their interest is in increasing GDP, increasing the standards of life for their citizens, or in the case of a country with a corrupt government: to fatten the ruling party's wallets.

As we can see, effecting change is more difficult than the most optimistic of us would like to believe. All odds go against what members of a Eco project class can do, and is precisely so because after this term is over, most of would go back to the way we were living. I would like to start this blog off with the mindset and theme of continual contribution to the planet, regardless of who we are, where we are, and the situation we may find ourselves in. We must become activists for the rest of our lives. The goal of sustainability will take several lifetimes, but it will only work if we are diligent in our path for all the days of our lives.