What is sustainability?

The concept of sustainability is one of the most relevant and ubiquitous in the world today. We hear about it in newspaper reports, at universities and in advertisements. The term has invaded public spaces and become part of modern dialogue.

In this article, we will talk about what sustainability is and about the relevance that this concept can have for our lives and the activities of our everyday life.

The term “sustainability” is related to the perception that many behaviors can lead to desirable outcomes in the immediate moment, without therefore constituting desirable strategies in the long term. It was defined by a United Nations Commission as the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations. However, it is not possible to establish a singular or absolute definition. It is also a parameter that is difficult to quantify precisely, and the metrics suggested for this purpose continue to evolve.

The concept is very old in human history, since communities have always been concerned with living in harmony with nature and have sought to understand the limitations imposed on them by natural resources, but in our time it has acquired specifically modern contours and concerns. For example, although pollution is not a new phenomenon, it gained an unprecedented dimension and impact in the last century. In recent years, in particular, we have witnessed a new phenomenon caused by the unprecedented intensification of the activity of parcel delivery companies. We will return to this point further on.

Although the most common use of the term is associated with environmental issues, it can also refer to economic and social aspects. Many academics, however, argue that the environmental dimension is the most important component of sustainability.

Economic sustainability is the pursuit of strategies that allow gradual and prolonged economic growth, to benefit societies, while at the same time reducing the negative impacts of that growth on the environment and on those same societies.

The third pillar of sustainability is the social dimension. This is a concept for which it is difficult to find a general definition. In brief, it is about guiding development in a way that promotes balance, quality of life and fair treatment of all people.

These are some examples of strategies associated with each of the types of sustainability.

Environmental sustainability: reducing pollution, reducing CO2 emissions, combating climate change, maintaining biodiversity and natural habitats, concern about deforestation and soil degradation.

Economic sustainability: investment in recycled products or products that save natural resources, focus on forms of innovation that make it possible to save energy, reduction of waste, concern about financial stability, preference for local trade, purchase of second-hand products.

Social sustainability: mitigating poverty and hunger, fair hiring practices, fair labor practices, opportunities for education and training.

The problems of sustainability are problems that affect all human beings, so we all share that responsibility. The responses of governments, companies, non-governmental institutions and citizens have been varied.

You can find in this article some valuable suggestions for small changes to your lifestyle that will make a positive contribution. And as individuals, we can support and join initiatives that aim to help.

In the business field, many companies have included sustainability and environmental issues as part of their future projects. This decision not only helps build a better tomorrow for everyone, but also conveys a good image to investors and customers. Many people prefer companies with environmental awareness and sustainable strategies as a form of support.

We should mention the specific case of an environmental problem that has reached enormous proportions in recent years. This is the pollution (and traffic) generated by the delivery industry.

With the unprecedented growth of online commerce, and the resulting increased need to send parcels, the CO2 emissions generated reach worrying levels, and studies say the trend will get worse.

In addition to pollution, the sheer volume of traffic in cities becomes a problem, for example in terms of residents' quality of life and the additional strain on infrastructure.

Among the proposed solutions to the issue of pollution produced by parcel delivery companies, one stands out for its effectiveness. It is delivery to a non-home address, through the use of pickup and drop-off points. InPost is the European leader in this approach, with a network of more than 2000 Pickup Points and Lockers in Portugal.

This strategy is also in harmony in other respects with a sustainable vision of the future. It is more efficient and agile, consumes fewer resources and is more convenient for the person receiving the parcel, since it does not require them to stay at home waiting. It also promotes local trade and benefits street shops through increased customer traffic.

Learn more about these and other advantages of sending parcels with InPost on our website, and try them for yourself. Join us in this vision of a cleaner tomorrow.