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Sustainable Decisions: Everything Counts, Everything Adds Up

By Cristina Rodríguez Estrada - Compañia Minera Cuzcatlán
Deputy Director of Sustainability

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By Cristina Rodríguez Estrada | Deputy Director of Sustainability - Thu, 08/18/2022 - 10:00

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Sustainable development is a great responsibility. It is the way in which our activities change the environment, other social groups, and other regions around the planet. Even so, today, there are groups that continue to have deep doubts that prevent them from assuming this responsibility.

The word sustainability became fashionable a couple of years ago. However, it was first used in 1987 in the United Nations Brundtland Report. Today, we understand it as the balance that allows us to achieve our economic and social goals, without putting the environment at risk. Likewise, when talking about sustainable development, it also means that future generations will not be threatened.

How can we get involved in this change? Just think of a common day. From the moment you leave home, you must decide what means of transportation to use. If we analyze it from a sustainable point of view, the first thing that comes to mind is walking, cycling, or even using public transportation.

This becomes more complex if we think about the following: What happens if my place of work is too far for walking? What if it is raining? What if public transportation is not available? Or if I suffer from a disability?

Contributing to this change becomes complicated. The same happens with the decisions made by governments and authorities at all levels, companies, families, private and public organizations.

Decisions with complex implications that affect the environment are made every day. This is how countries work when they must define an agenda aimed at sustainable development. Each country, city or community has different priorities and requires negotiations, brainstorming and deep awareness of the environmental, social, and economic impacts and their consequences in the future.

Given this, is it possible to have a magical and fair solution for everyone? Not necessarily. But to make advances, it is necessary to start with three elements:

1. Sustainability education from an early age.

2. Awareness and dissemination of knowledge to young people and adults.

3. Participation of all in decision-making.

You can act from home, locally or in political and regulatory management. Each decision that you make can move closer or further away from the goal.

So, in action, I suggest asking yourself these questions:

  • What kind of products and services do I consume?
  • Where do I buy them?
  • Where do they come from?
  • Have I asked my representatives to manage a change?
  • What means of transportation do I use?
  • What type of energy do I consume and why?
  • What type of lighting do I install?
  • How much waste do I generate and of what type?
  • Can I do it better?
  • Do I need to take part in the government to make it better?

We cannot escape these questions and decisions if we want to achieve economic and social goals and open the possibility of a healthy environment to future generations.

The loss of biodiversity, climate change and efficient and effective management and use of natural resources are phenomena that highlight the close link between economic activity and environmental impact. We cannot dissociate one from the other, which is why sustainable development will allow us to preserve the planet.

It is not about caring for the environment without considering the development of humanity or thinking about it without attending to the conservation of the environment. Both factors must be in balance.

I believe that every one of us can make personal decisions in our spheres of action: At home, at work and in public areas; through actions, such as reducing and recycling plastic, paper, and waste; efficiently using various means of transportation; employing technology to increase and improve energy efficiency; saving water, reducing energy consumption; and issuing actions to contribute to addressing climate change.

Governments, citizens, students, businesspeople, industrialists, and everyone in general, will have to apply the actions that they consider achievable and convenient according to their circumstances and their legal framework. All small or large actions contribute to sustainability.

Everything counts. Everything adds up.

 

Cristina Rodriguez is an environmental engineer, with a master's degree in quality and productivity. She is Deputy Director of Sustainability at Compañía Minera Cuzcatlán.

Photo by:   Cristina Rodríguez Estrada

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