Sustainability is more than recycling. We all must make it an integral part of our lives.
Some people think sustainability means being good at sorting recyclables and making sure you turn lights off when you leave a room. But I view it with a much wider lens. Sustainability touches every aspect of our lives, from what we drive to what we eat and where and how we live.
Helping people become more conscious of sustainability is one of my missions as the new executive director of the Louisville Sustainability Council.
Amid our current climate crisis, it’s no longer an option not to act. We all have to pull together — every group, political party and community — and make sustainability an integral part of our lives.
There are ways to do this as an individual. For example, I’ve had two home energy audits and have systematically addressed things like a more efficient HVAC system, additional insulation and an ultra-efficient hot water heater. I went even further when my wife and I installed solar panels on our roof and purchased electric cars.
There are also ways to do this collectively. Almost nine years ago, I co-founded Evolve KY, Kentucky’s nonprofit electric vehicle group almost. Back then, it was difficult to find other electric vehicle owners, and the group was a way to speed up the adoption of EVs and associated infrastructure. Our first meeting had four people at a local Heine Bros. Coffee shop. Fast forward to today: The group has a large membership and has installed over 130 fee-free EV chargers in over 60 locations all around Kentucky and Southern Indiana. It started as an idea, but with work, became much more and an asset to our community.
But even with my strong commitment to the environment, some of the more mundane parts of the sustainability equation eluded me. Bringing reusable grocery bags to the market was an ongoing source of frustration; I forgot them more often than not. I addressed this by buying more of those bags and keeping them in my car so that it would almost be impossible for me to forget.
We are at a point in time where there’s no doubt that climate change is a reality. With more extreme weather events like record heat, Canadian wildfires and much more frequent and severe flooding, it’s clear that climate change is here and the discussion now should be more about what can we do now that we are in climate crisis. It is interesting to me how sustainable actions often lead to more sustainable actions!
But, everybody has be part of this. Sustainability has to happen in every neighborhood and on every block as more often than not, the poorest communities get hit the hardest.
It’s not a time to scold, but rather a time to look at ways that we as individuals can make a difference while holding large corporations in our communities accountable. It’s a time to promote and celebrate the many non-profits and individuals that are doing the right thing and actively supporting green actions. And, in this way, the Louisville Sustainability Council plays a vital role in connecting and engaging to move things forward.
It’s only by taking a good look at ourselves and our situations that we can make a true difference.
Stuart Ungar has over 30 years of nonprofit experience, spending the last decade focusing on the environment and sustainability. He is the executive director of the Louisville Sustainability Council, has a podcast called “Stu’s EV Universe,” and is one of the co-founders of Evolve KY, Kentucky’s electric vehicle group.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Why we all must make sustainability an integral part of our lives.
