Sustainability

Life, as it is today: Is it sustainable? The tricky part about the concept of sustainability is that everyone understands it, yet no one does! In some innate way, we all have a definition of sustainability, or a sustainable life. The problem is that our definitions of sustainability as a group or as individuals are always skewed and not inclusive. As an obvious example, ask a group of capitalists on one side about their views on sustainability and a group of environmentalists on the other, and you’ll notice a glaring contrast. Even when you see at an individual household level, you’ll see a very varying notion of sustainable or balanced lifestyle between a parent, a teenager and a toddler. An average parent is likely to view a balanced lifestyle as one that centers on a stable 9-to-5 job, a decent healthcare and a decent saving by retirement; a teenager could suffice on Airpods, social media and pizza; and a toddler, perhaps, on an abundance of candies and an iPad. Is either of these lifestyles sustainable if left unchecked, especially in a prolonged lock-down situation?

Beyond the household, sustainability has emerged as a very hot topic over the past two to three decades, primarily owed to the realization of our catastrophic footprint on the environment through the industrial revolution. A group of 11,000 scientists (Alliance of World Scientists) worldwide recently declared “clearly and unequivocally” that the Earth is facing a climate emergency – a climate crisis closely linked to the excessive consumption of the wealthy lifestyle. So, while our lifestyles have been improving and the world’s economy has been growing, the environment (or the ecosystem around us) has been taking a huge hit.

Economic growth and the environment aren’t the only aspects at odds. There’s a third piece of this equation – the social aspect. The decisions on economic growth and environmental protection have a significant impact on the society. At a global level, developed economies have done a reasonable job of raising the average lifestyle of their residents. But have they completely eradicated poverty or achieved an equitable lifestyle for all? Developed countries (at least those with reasonably credible leadership) are slowly realizing that they’ve depleted natural resources beyond sustainable measures. But what now, of developing nations trying to gain a superior economic stature? Is it reasonable for those who have exploited the environment for decades to expect the developing or underdeveloped nations to employ similar restraints to curb their environmental footprint? Do they not have the right to improve the lifestyle of their people as well? Whether at a micro- or macro-level, there is no doubt that there’s an intricate relationship between the social, economic and environmental aspects that dictate decision-making for sustainable development or sustainable living.

While many models help to explain the inter-dependencies to tread on a path to sustainable development, these three dimensions are widely used to explain the concept: social development, economic development and environment protection. The inter-dependency between the three is unmistakable. For simplicity, I prefer the Venn Diagram representation, as it defines sustainability at the intersection of the three dimensions. Focusing too much on one or two dimensions would eventually lead to unviable, unequitable or unbearable outcomes.

The simplicity of this representation hides the extremely complex relationships that exist between these pillars. Conventionally, we approach problems a bit linearly, through the process of “analysis”. When approaching complex subjects like sustainability or sustainable development, we need a more holistic approach. One such approach is Systems Thinking, an approach that relies on “synthesis” rather than “analysis”. The big difference between both approaches is that analysis just views a system as a sum of its parts, whereas synthesis decomposes an entity into its relationships, whereby emphasizing the importance of the interconnections between entities. Here’s a great video to illustrate the difference.

This following video highlights how systems thinking is critical to solving seemingly simple (yet, genuinely complex) healthcare and well-being problems. Dieting and exercising have historically been looked at for addressing obesity or simply staying fit; but there is a far better understanding today that obesity is not just a dietary issue, but a much broader issue that requires a holistic approach to address the crux of the problem.

Though not an expert on the subject, over the years of studying complex ecosystems in the technology space, I’ve often resorted (often unknowingly!) to systems thinking rather than just analysis. We have an innate heuristic ability to use systems thinking in our daily lives without knowing. But when faced with bigger challenges at work or personal life where methodical thinking is required, at best, most of us still resort to analysis for decision-making; while many still rely on gut feeling! For (over-simplified) example:

-       The company didn’t do good numbers this quarter. Since it’s about “numbers”, the CEO is likely to call in the functions of Sales, Marketing, and Finance to analyze. But what if the underlying issue is related to HR policies or operations?

-       A company hasn’t launched any new blockbuster products or features for three years running. The Business Unit Head calls in the Product Management team. But what if the underlying issue is related to company culture that inhibits innovation?

-       A kid didn’t do well in the last term. An obvious culprit has to be the extra screen time. What if the underlying issue is related to lack of attention at home or bullying at school?

We are all faced with a monumental challenge today – as individuals, as families, as communities, as nations, and as mankind. The horizon of this pandemic's end is unclear, and its social and economic repercussions even more so. This problem cannot be dealt with linearly. It’s not just about finding a vaccine, about making ventilators, or about stimulus packages. While all these elements are critical to address the immediate threats, a holistic and more sustainable way of thinking is required at each level to absorb the longer term impacts. This is why effective leadership at an international level, national level, community level and even household level is pivotal for pulling us out of this quagmire.

While systems thinking is not viable for every problem we face, I believe it’s critical for all of us in this very uncertain period. We all need to come up with at least a mental model of how we can move sustainably hereon, knowing that our actions are not just impacting ourselves as individuals or our households, but also the communities around us. The community could be our neighbors, our towns, our cities or even our work communities. Empathy towards these communities has to be woven into our decisions, now more than ever. Being a healthy 20-, 30- or 40-something might give us a sense of invisibility against this pandemic, but think (for example) how not wearing face masks or taking preventative measures may put the more vulnerable people in our communities at risk. Contrarily, being totally paranoid - reading and passing around each and every negative article, statistic or news - is equally unempathetic. Spreading misinformation is akin to a sin today (or any other day!), not knowing what sort of psychological impact it may have on individuals or groups that we share information with. So before doing a “forwarded as received”, think about whether it needs to be “forwarded at all!”

Today, we stand at a critical juncture of introspection. It might be a time for social distancing, but it’s certainly not a time for total social isolation! We have a choice to sulk during this time of loneliness, go out and party; or contemplate on how we can contribute to come out stronger after of this calamity. Luckily, unless you’re a front-line worker, we all have some extra time to think! This pandemic will have profound environmental, social and economic impacts, but these impacts will be felt harder by some compared to others! Think about your pillars that you need to balance to not only survive this uncertain time, but to come out stronger, and help those who will get impacted more than you. A person may feel trapped working from home; but there’s someone out there who lost his job; there’s someone out there who hasn’t had a job for some time; there’s someone out there who doesn’t even have a home; there’s someone out there who doesn’t know where his next meal is going to come from; and so on, and so on, and so on!

We will come out of this. We are a resilient species. But we have a choice to come out broken, or come out stronger…not just as individuals, but as a community. This time is a great equalizer! This is a time to think about the less fortunate and the needy. Surely there are ways to contribute without even getting out of the house... like how’s this for an idea – donate a percentage of your liquid assets (say 0.5%, 1% or 2.5%) to serve the needy this year! The decisions we make today as individuals and as a community will shape our future. So don’t think in isolation. Think sustainably.

DISCLAIMER: All the cool views presented in this post are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of my past or present employers.