Does Developing a Sustainable Mindset Help our Earth?
Psychologists say that our mindsets determine everything. Is a sustainable mindset enough to help our planet? Learn more here.
Photo by name_ gravity on Unsplash
What is a sustainable mindset?
A sustainable mindset is a way of thinking that enables individuals to have a larger view of the world. This view considers not only its impact but ways to improve upon and sustain our natural world. Having a sustainable mindset does not limit the thinker to only having a narrow view of the world around them, but instead allows them to see the interconnectivity between ourselves, our community, and how we belong to a global society. Without an understanding of this interconnectivity, one can easily retract into viewing themselves as singular and not impacted by issues such as climate change and environmental degradation.
To have a sustainable mindset, we must consider our actions and the impact they have on our global society.
Here are some ways one can begin to consider obtaining a sustainable mindset:
Take a look at the bigger picture
Take into consideration the perspectives and experiences of others
Examine how social issues related to individuals in different communities than your own
Look for issues that may affect others
Identify areas of improvement in social issues that would benefit others
What is the impact of having a sustainable mindset?
A sustainable mindset builds the problem-solving framework for issues such as climate change or a shift from linear to circular systems. If individuals can have a sustainable mindset, the result will be a sustainable community. The impact of a sustainable community would be that the community's actions will not diminish social opportunities and the health of the ecosystem, and there will be an integral resilience against social or ecological shocks such as a pandemic or global disaster. Sustainable thinking does not only consider the now but also the future of the planet and its inhabitants.
Here are some examples of how sustainable thinking can help communities move towards sustainability:
Looking at the bigger picture
By considering the motivations behind information sources, political organizations, social groups, or corporations, one can develop their own conclusions about whether they are working towards sustainability or personal gain. By analyzing the facts and evidence presented, critical thinking will help individuals come up with their own conclusions rather than agree with what is being claimed. Here it is important to ask big questions such as how is this product sourced? Is this company creating ethical working conditions for its employees? Or, can I believe the eco-friendly claims made by this business?
Considering the perspectives and experiences of others
Individualism has created a society that struggles to relate to others. Sustainability encompasses all communities, and by taking the step to collective thinking, the possibility for sustainability becomes possible by expanding our concerns and actions to include our global society. Sustainable thinking considers the impacts of our actions not only in our homes but on the inhabitants of other countries as well. The easy access to luxuries or disposable products may come at a cost to other communities that are being expropriated through labor or resources. By considering the experiences of others, one can employ sustainable thinking to critique one's purchases or actions.
Examining how social issues relate to different communities
Politics are the relations between the people living in society. When laws and constitutions protect one community but shun the other, there is a vast impact on the standard of living for the outcasted community. Inclusion is at the forefront of sustainability. By examining how social issues relate to people outside of your community, one has the ability to question and rectify where these laws do not prioritize the rights of others and their access to resources.
Sustainable mindsets and our mental health
The state of our environment is directly correlated to our mental well-being. A study on Greenlanders' levels of anxiety and depression showed the impacts of living in the climate crisis. The unknown factors of living in a changing climate, such as job insecurity, fluctuating weather patterns, and experiencing economic uncertainty, also have a direct influence on our mental health. Individuals who lack access to nature and clean resources and directly deal with air pollution have been shown to struggle with living balanced and satisfying lives. Having a healthy environment not only safeguards human health but also directly improves our state of mind.
Adopting a sustainable mindset can help prioritize our planet, our ecosystems, and the way we interact with others. Without a sustainable mindset, there may be a lack of consideration of the natural world and how our actions can result in negative impacts on the planet.
How can I build a sustainable mindset?
At Carom, we value taking accountability for our actions in the future.
Our eco-activist group is a team of individuals aware of their part in the cycle and ready to change. We offer critical insights that build awareness of our influence on the current ecological state of the earth.
By joining us as an eco-activist, you, too, can take actionable measures that help us reduce businesses' impact on the planet and move us toward a more sustainable future.
Key Takeaways
A sustainable mindset is a way of thinking that enables individuals to have a larger view of the world that considers not only its impact but ways to improve upon and sustain our natural world.
To have a sustainable mindset, we must consider our actions and the impact they have on our global society.
A sustainable mindset builds the problem-solving framework for issues such as climate change or a shift from linear to circular systems.
If individuals are capable of having a sustainable mindset, the result will be a sustainable community.
The impact of a sustainable community would be that the actions of the community will not diminish social opportunities and the health of the ecosystem, and there will be an integral resilience against social or ecological shocks such as a pandemic or global disaster.
Adopting a sustainable mindset can help prioritize our planet, our ecosystems, and the way we interact with others.
Without a sustainable mindset, there may be a lack of consideration of the natural world and how our actions can result in negative impacts on the planet.
