Sustainability is it sustainable?

With the pandemic entering our lives, we realized how little and how limited we have many things. Our health comes first, of course. Seeing and realizing the value and value of the breath we take made us think about all other resources. Maybe with this awareness, we have been writing, drawing and reading on the concept of "sustainability" much more than before, in the last few months when the pandemic has lost its effects. Sustainability of workforce, work, sustainability of production, sustainability of environment and ecology etc. etc.

For sustainability, with its simplest definition; We can say that it is the continuation of working, production and human life with methods and processes without using the resources of future generations / without making them indebted, and without harming today's world (or less damaging compared to the alternative). So, is it enough to talk about this concept so much and to have increased awareness about it enough to prevent problems? Is it enough? Let's look together:

• Forest fires continue. We are losing more and more green space every summer. It is obvious that there is a will that is late to take precautions. However, unfortunately, we have not been able to put forward a clear action as a civil initiative. Along with forest fires, the ongoing constructions, especially in forested lands, are annoying or, more precisely, frightening. Those who are slow or silent in explaining the truth in the face of the public's reaction cause the existing problems to worsen.
• The advancement of technology is great. We use technology in every aspect of our lives with smartphones that double their power in all aspects every time. However, there are many environmental and sociological disasters due to cobalt mines in Congo and it will continue to increase when we consume it at this rate. According to the latest UNICEF reports, it is estimated that close to 40,000 girls and boys work in cobalt mines in Congo. (1)
• Last week, tons of cyanide got into the soil and rivers at the gold mine in Erzurum. This situation, which poses a great threat to ecological life, can also be experienced in all other mines in Turkey or in the world. Being in our country, of course, affects us much more. (2)
• Companies try to make their design, production or service processes according to certain constraints. In order to reduce the use of plastic waste, consume less electricity or fossil fuels, and make less carbon emissions, some gains are being made, especially with the awareness of the employees. With the influence of popular culture, these studies, which are given different importance under the title of social responsibility, are in the marketing departments of companies. "Everyone does. We should also take part, we should do", probably causing discussions in the shallows.

But are these approaches, which are discussed in all big or small companies and put forward at different scales, on a scale that can really yield results or is it a populist voting process for all of us?

• According to a news in the newspaper Hürriyet, while the carbon emission of the richest 1% of the world is 50%, the share of the poorest 50% of the world is only 10%. (3)
• As a result of the opportunities they have, the rich cause more pollution of the environment and more use of resources. Frequent flying, traveling by private plane, using a private helicopter in the city or country, high number of automobiles, sea vehicles, excess residences, etc. These, the fuel and energy resources they require, and the resulting pollution, unfortunately outweigh the lives of the poor. (4)
• Engineering science works to develop green houses and green building techniques. Sky gardens, electrical panels, vertical farming areas, etc. are now used in many residential projects. Emerges. However, the fact that it is located in the middle of the city, the garden next to the apartment blocks the sun, causes excessive reflection of the sun's rays, and causes psychological and sociological negative effects on people due to its height makes the effectiveness and efficiency of these equipment on the buildings controversial. The following article by @Ha?met Babao?lu in the @Sabah newspaper can give an idea for possible criticism. (5)

To summarize;

• It's nice, that the plastic bag sells money.
• It's nice to use a paper straw instead of plastic.
• It is nice to use the tea and coffee residues in the garden.
• It is nice to selling in your own container refill projects.
• It's nice to have a car that uses less fuel.

However, after doing these studies on the employees and advertising activities of his company, going home from work with his 4000 cc vehicle in the evening, then continuing the party with his Ferrari, flying to his summer house on the Aegean coast by a helicopter in the evening and fishing with his boat of I don't know how many meters. to go shopping from London to Paris, to have an evening coffee in Amsterdam, to participate in endless shopping sessions and tours, etc. etc. etc. You can list all the consumption items that come to mind when you think of the rich. It is understood that I have the intention to account for what anyone has earned or spent. When you read through its effects, it makes one think that the behavior that really needs to change is not to switch from plastic to paper straws, whereas policy makers and critics only deal with paper straws.

"Climate targets will not be met unless the world's richest people radically change their lifestyles, according to a climate change report by the UK-based Cambridge Sustainability Commission." (6)

Unfortunately, these sustainability efforts, which continue with the discourse of "future generations", in which behavior change is always expected from a certain segment of the population, but that does not foresee any obvious and clear benefit to this segment, where the effort is taken now, and the benefit is always postponed to a later date, may unfortunately not be continued.

In light of all these considerations,

We can say that the studies that will benefit everyone, that are much more comprehensive, in which everyone takes a step in proportion and convince all the participants, where the difficulties are jointly faced and the benefits are shared jointly, will be much more promising for the future.

__________________________________________________________________________

Sources

(1)?https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/analiz/kongo-nun-kobalt-zenginligi-felakete-donusuyor/1547804

(2)?https://www.ntv.com.tr/ekonomi/erzincanda-cevre-kirliligine-neden-olan-altin-madeninin-faaliyeti-durduruldu,8adzRdownk-FnnDcK15ETA

(3)?https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/zenginler-kirletiyor-fakirler-oluyor-41943314

(4)?https://m.bianet.org/bianet/iklim-krizi/242428-en-zenginler-hayatini-degistirmeden-iklim-hedeflerine-ulasilamaz

(5)?https://www.sabah.com.tr/yazarlar/babaoglu/2022/02/01/surdurulebilirlik

(6)?https://www.birgun.net/haber/arastirma-dunyanin-en-zenginleri-hayatlarini-degistirmedikce-iklim-hedeflerine-ulasilmasi-mumkun-degil-341207