It is not news that, with climate change intensifying and the pressure on natural resources increasing, the search for increasingly sustainable solutions has become urgent - and this requires, worldwide, major changes in the way we consume, produce and dispose of.

But everyday choices, made by individuals, communities, and companies, can also have a significant impact. In this text, we will understand what sustainable practices are and how they can be incorporated into the routine - from simple attitudes at home to collective actions, in addition to more structured strategies within companies and industries.

What are sustainable practices?

First of all, it's important to remember what sustainability is. The concept became more popular starting in 1987, with Brundtland Report of the UN, which defined sustainable development as one that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Since then, the term has been increasingly used to think about our relationship not only with the environment, but also with social and economic issues.

The environmental pillar of sustainability concerns the need to make good use of natural resources in order to respect nature's own cycles and without causing imbalances in the environment. This is only possible with the development of a sustainable economy, which seeks solutions to minimize the exploitation of natural resources and the environmental impact so that both the environment and the resources themselves are preserved for the future. In order to have a fairer society, it is necessary to take care of the social pillar of sustainability, which encompasses issues such as the guarantee of human rights, education and inclusion.

With this in mind, we can say that sustainable practices are all those actions that seek to reduce environmental impact, preserve natural resources, and promote social development.

They can be manifested in simple choices, such as preferring a reusable bag in the market and giving preference to local producers, or in more complex actions, such as rethinking entire production chains to make them more circular and efficient and with less negative impact on surrounding communities.

For Edson Grandisoli, educational coordinator and ambassador of Circular Movement, the word “sustainability” can gain other meanings for the reality of each individual. “Everyone needs to understand sustainability according to their characteristics: where you are, who you are, what are your possibilities,” she says. “I like to think of sustainability as a value to be pursued, both individually and collectively, and that you will try to incorporate into your daily life.”

The importance of sustainable practices for the environment

If sustainability is an essential concept for thinking about a possible future for people and for the planet, it only becomes a reality through sustainable practices. Without them, the term is just an idea on paper.

Thus, the adoption of sustainable practices - both by individuals and by companies and governments - is central to the preservation of the environment and to combat problems such as pollution, deforestation, and water scarcity.

In the social field, sustainable practices can also contribute to reducing inequalities, improving the quality of life in communities, and promoting public health. Ensuring that everyone has access to decent work, quality food and clean water, for example, are fundamental issues.

However, it is still difficult to disseminate these sustainable practices. “Adopting sustainable habits on a daily basis is hard work, since it usually requires time, energy, and sometimes resources,” says Edson. “People need to be persistent for this to become a habit and for them to start doing it without thinking.”

Rethinking old habits can be challenging, but this change is possible and has happened countless times before. A Brazilian example is the use of a seat belt when driving. “Before, nobody wanted to use it, it was a process for people to join,” says Luciana Branchini, professor of the MBA in ESG and Sustainability at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation. “Today, no one leaves without a belt and everyone recognizes the importance of this.”

Another difficulty is that the benefit of our sustainable practices is not necessarily seen immediately - after all, the positive impacts of some of our actions may be difficult to measure or perceive. But that doesn't mean they don't exist. “The individual is part of this key change,” says Luciana. “With small steps, which we include in the routine, we contribute to generating more awareness so that more changes can take place”.

Examples of sustainable practices

The following are some examples of sustainable practices that you can seek to include in your daily life.

At home

Separate waste and recycle whenever possible, including electronic waste

“Many of us have this magical vision that once we throw the trash out, the waste is gone. But everything we discard accumulates in the environment,” says Luciana. In Brazil, the social impact of recycling and correct disposal is also relevant, since thousands of people have selective collection as their main source of income.

Avoid wasting water

Avoiding “sweeping” the yard with water and always fixing leaks as soon as they appear are some initiatives that can avoid a lot of waste. Other good practices include not taking long showers and keeping the faucet turned off when brushing your teeth or washing dishes. Reusing rainwater, cleaning backyards and installing diffusers in faucets and showers to reduce water flow are also initiatives to consume consciously.

Repurpose food

There are several recipes that teach you how to reuse leftovers and how to use food in its entirety (with vegetable peels and stalks, for example). This attitude, in addition to avoiding waste, is also great for the domestic economy.

Choose efficient appliances

Being aware of what uses the least energy is another important attitude. In Brazil, stamps of Procel, from the National Electric Energy Conservation Program, indicate that household appliances consume more energy efficiently. And when possible, try to repair your equipment before replacing it with new ones.

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Consume from responsible companies

Seek to know the social and environmental practices of the companies you consume and what care they take with the environment and the community. In addition, giving priority to local producers and small businesses also helps with sustainable development.

In the community

Sustainable practices can be much more effective - and even easier to adopt - when done together, either by a group of residents of the same building or neighborhood, or by school communities and other institutions. Check out some simple examples of collective mobilization:

Organize cleaning efforts in public spaces such as squares and parks

A cleaner environment not only improves quality of life and prevents the spread of pests and diseases, but it also encourages people to take better care of the space.

Create community gardens

They help with both healthy eating and environmental education. “It is also possible to compost organic waste to be used as fertilizer in these gardens,” says Luciana Branchini, professor of the MBA in ESG and Sustainability at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation.

Implement selective collection systems

Installing dumpsters, determining rules for disposal, and seeking cooperatives to act in partnership can increase adherence to recycling. “It's much easier to recycle when you do it together with other residents or colleagues,” says Luciana.

Promote the exchange of clothes, books, or objects

In addition to avoiding waste, organizing exchange bazaars can also strengthen a sense of community and help to save on a daily basis.

Share equipment and materials

“In a building with 64 apartments, for example, does everyone need to have their own hammer, their own blender?” , says Edson Grandisoli, educational coordinator and ambassador for the Circular Movement. Organizing spaces with tools and appliances shared by all residents can have a major impact on reducing consumption and waste generation.

Encourage the use of public or shared transportation

Organizing ride groups and installing bike racks in residential and commercial condominiums are good practices to reduce the number of cars on the road.

Think about collective actions to put pressure on the public authorities

If there is no collection of recyclable waste where you live, for example, this is a change that can be more easily achieved through a collective organization that seeks the agenda with the responsible politicians.

Read more
Circular economy: what it is and examples

In companies

Companies are major players in sustainable development. “They have a lot to contribute to the design and the way they produce,” says Luciana, from FGV. On a daily basis, companies can, for example:

Efficiently manage natural resources

Seeking to use resources as efficiently as possible is fundamental for all companies committed to sustainability, whether large industries or companies that offer services. To do this, it is necessary to review the stages of the process and seek the best solutions for saving and reusing resources such as water and energy.

Ensure the well-being and health of employees

“Having a community of healthy, well-paid, and respected employees is also part of a company's sustainability value,” says Edson, from the Circular Movement.

Define codes of conduct for suppliers, with environmental and social criteria

The commitment to sustainability must go beyond practices within the home and seek to influence the value chain. That's why creating a culture of sustainability throughout the business cycle and supervising suppliers is so important. “It's no use thinking only about what you do inside the house if the supplier is violating some type of environmental law, for example,” says Edson.

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In the industry

In the industry, the impact of sustainable actions is highly significant, since it is responsible for a large part of energy consumption, waste generation, and greenhouse gas emissions.

“Companies need to think about reducing waste at every stage of the production process,” says Edson. And, once there is waste, it is necessary to give it the right destination, be it effluent treatment, recycling, reuse to generate energy or other inputs, among others.

Reuse of waste

Industrial waste can be transformed into new products. Suzano, for example, a pulp and paper producer, has circular economy practices in its operations. An example is the transformation of inorganic industrial waste into soil amendment provides positive and perennial results: this acidity regulator replaces the mineral limestone used to correct soil pH in the company's eucalyptus planting areas in Brazil.

Reuse of water

Another good practice for industries is the implementation of water reuse systems to reduce consumption. Suzano, for example, recirculates an average of 80% of the water in the production process.

Use of renewable energy

Evaluating the use of renewable energy is also important to reduce dependence on fossil energy. An efficient way to do this is to seek renewable energy from the production itself. At Suzano, that's a reality. The company uses black liquor (a by-product of pulp manufacturing), biomass, and waste from pulp production to generate its own energy, which is clean, circular and renewable, making some of its factories self-sufficient in generating electricity.

Sustainable design

When developing their production processes, industries must think about the entire life cycle of a product, from manufacturing to final disposal. To this end, it is important to apply Life Cycle Assessment techniques, which measure the environmental performance of products and seek process improvement.

Conclusion

Putting sustainability into practice is a challenge that involves the entire society and requires not only changes in habits, but also a lot of innovation and research so that more sustainable solutions can be created, in addition to effective legislation and oversight.

Remember: the idea is not to be perfect in all our actions, but to rethink, whenever possible, the way in which we produce, consume, and discard. In this transformation, every small step counts.

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