Weekly Blog #2 - Sustainability and Critical Thinking

The word sustainability can mean a lot of things; however, in the use of context of environmental use. It could mean reusing items and being more cautious in the choices we make. For instance, buying products with less plastic wrapping, being cautious of how much waste we throw away, and being mindful of the items we use. Even these small choices may not have a huge impact on the environment, though it can help reduce the amount of waste we discard, slowly improving the condition of the environment over time. 

A few ways I practice being sustainable are by using a reusable water bottle and recycling soda cans and plastic water bottles. Furthermore, I don't really go out and buy clothes unless I need to. A recent trend I have heard is "Fast fashion," and it is where people buy something new each time. This can cause a negative impact on the environment because consumers would buy clothes every month and toss away old clothes or wear them less. This causes a cycle of overconsumption and increases pollution from the production and transportation of clothes from other countries to your doorstep. In my opinion, I feel like fast fashion is a waste of money and time because once something is popular. The older items would fade away and be tossed away. 

If people decided to throw away less waste as a society. I believe that it could be a challenge for everyone. Many of the products we throw away can't be recycled. For instance, Styrofoam from egg cartons and packages can't be recycled and are sitting in landfills. Adding on, much waste comes from single use platics. These items aren't made to be reused and often tossed away after being used for a short period of time.