/r/sustainability

Photograph via snooOG

Sustainability is the ability of system to endure. While most people associate the term with the environment, true longevity requires social and economical sustainability as well as ecological sustainability.

Sustainability is the ability of system to endure. While most people associate the term with the environment, true longevity requires social and economical sustainability as well as ecological sustainability.

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/r/sustainability

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3

What’s the best thing to do with broken/not fully functional iPhones?

Over the years I collected about 10 broken (or no longer usable) iPhones and 2 iPads. repairing and reselling is definitely not financially worth it and would probably produce more waste than it saves. In my opinion recycling should be the best option. What is the best way to find a company to recycle them? Is it better to give them directly to Apple?

4 Comments
2023/11/25
07:15 UTC

7

Fact: Up to 40% of clothes produced are never sold

Up to 40% of clothes produced are never sold, highlighting overproduction as a significant sustainability concern in the fashion industry. Addressing the reliance on continuously selling more products is crucial for effectively tackling environmental impact.

https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/how-many-clothes-produced?utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

1 Comment
2023/11/25
07:13 UTC

3

Recommendations for a minor to take

I’m currently in community college and plan on transferring to a 4-year college to get a bachelors in urban and regional planning. I want to be a environmental planner. I would also like to minor in something but I’m note really sure what would be helpful to me. If anyone has any tips or suggestions pls let me know !

6 Comments
2023/11/25
03:45 UTC

1

Beauty products with plastic free packaging?

My mom wants plastic free beauty products for Christmas, any suggestions? Maybe some fun colors/small brands? (:

0 Comments
2023/11/24
22:15 UTC

89

Why don't people talk about using landfill waste as an energy source more often?

Are there countries that already do this a lot?
Is this considered a part of "biomass" energy? Or does energy from waste/landfill have it's own name? (Like 'solar', 'wind', etc).

67 Comments
2023/11/24
19:55 UTC

5

Another day and another vent on Black friday

It's so sad and frustrating how crazy people get on Black friday to buy stuff just because they see deals. People really don't think if they actually need those stuff and the wastage they are trying to create.

The more frustrating part is companies are greenwashing the consumer by stating carbon neutral shipment/ carbon saved etc. One such example is https://bfcm.shopify.com/ where they state carbon removed per order. Why people are not using thier common sense ? :(

8 Comments
2023/11/24
18:42 UTC

51

Environmentally safe candles?

Any recommendations for environmentally safe candles? Preferably pillar, standalone and not in a glass jar, doesn't have to have scent.

48 Comments
2023/11/24
13:33 UTC

32

Questioning the bamboo baby clothes trend

So many social media influencers are advertising bamboo clothes for babies and kids. Is it ok for the environment? Does anyone know if it's better or worse for their skin (irritation or comfort wise)? I got gifted a pajama set and it says 95% viscose from bamboo. Why is this a new fad?

42 Comments
2023/11/23
18:43 UTC

1

Sustainable Wintershoes??

Heey, does any of you have experience with a shoebrand that makes sustainable winter shoes (preferably European)? I live in Denmark and I'm slowly preparing for winter😅 Thanks in advance!

0 Comments
2023/11/23
14:48 UTC

4

House of Marley

I recently got a new phone, well I got my wife's "hand-me-down" phone, and it doesn't have a AUX port. Instead it has the S Pen, which I guess is cool, havent really messed with it yet. Anyway I was looking at eco-friendly wireless earbud/headphone options and found House of Marley. Has anyone tried their products? They seem to get good reviews. I honestly might just get a USB-C to AUX adapter for now until my current set of earbuds die because they are still in good condition but I haven't decided. Would be nice to get rid of the wires.

10 Comments
2023/11/23
16:02 UTC

14

Container to freeze food in that isn't plastic

Thank you for your replies

28 Comments
2023/11/23
14:02 UTC

31

Sustainable switches

I am currently almost out of toothpaste and floss and want to take the opportunity to switch to more sustainable options. What brand recommendations do you have? I want to avoid brands that are simply greenwashing.

41 Comments
2023/11/23
00:54 UTC

82

Random thoughts and discussion about outdoor clothes dryer

Does anyone in sustainability culture dry their clothes outdoors?

If everyone here didn't answer yes if they have backyard, are people afraid to use outdoor clothes drying because it looks "low-class" or "poor"? I have to admit that I am hesitant to use mine even though I am in financial crisis with broken electric dryer, underemployment, crime victim, and so much more, but I live in warm weather state so want to do good for mother earth.

I think many people don't reuse, reduce and recycle enough because it looks to outsiders like poverty, when it's just steps to help environment. Sustainability is about CONSUMING LESS of anything, does anyone agree? Anyway I could use encouragement to be sustainable anyway, even when I know my stalkers/neighbors will laugh posting photos of clothes dryer with nasty comments online.

176 Comments
2023/11/22
23:57 UTC

2

Alternative for Polywoven bags

I work in an industrial setting where we ship pallets and bulk bags of malt. As a company we are trying to reduce our footprint. Our biggest obstacle right now is the polywoven 25kg bags, which under food safe rules, we cannot reuse.

Does anyone know of an alternative for Polywoven bags that are durable, can withstand the elements and travel long distances?

Please, if anyone knows of a supplier that may help me with this search, comment their website.

Thank you!

5 Comments
2023/11/22
23:15 UTC

3

Curious About How Sustainable Brands Balance Costs and Measure Impact

Hello folks!

As someone deeply interested in sustainability, I'm curious about how sustainable brands manage what seems like a tightrope walk. Specifically, I'm wondering about two things:

Balancing Costs and Pricing: How do sustainable brands balance the costs of maintaining eco-friendly practices with fair pricing for consumers? It must be quite a challenge to keep things affordable while sticking to your sustainable principles.

Impact Measurement: And secondly, how do these brands measure and communicate their sustainability impact? What methods or tools are used to track and showcase the environmental and social impact of their products or services?

As an advocate for sustainable consumption, I'm eager to learn more about the challenges of sustainable brands, from the perspective of those who are in the trenches. If you're part of a sustainable brand or have insights into this, I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences!

1 Comment
2023/11/22
18:33 UTC

1

JOB ADVICE: Sustainability consultant or green energy procurement/sourcing?

Hi everyone,

I currently work for a sustainability company (I just started full time after being an intern for 1.5 years) as a sustainability consultant. I have the opportunity to move internally to the green energy procurement team, and basically source green energy certificates. It's difficult for me to take the decision of moving teams, and some advices would be nice.

Consultant job isn't my favourite, I'm not too fond of a lot of customer meetings, but I really like the team and department I work at. The opportunity to move into green energy sounds really good as I would maybe see myself better in this field, rather than being a consultant.

Also, they basically offered to teach me the job even though I don't have experience in this, which I think is a great opportunity that probably won't come back. And as a junior I guess it would good for my career, even though it is the same with consulting (but I don't want to stay in this field my whole life).

What are your thoughts on this? Anyone working in green energy procurement and could give me an insight of how the job is like? Wondering if it's a very repetitive job or not.

5 Comments
2023/11/22
10:51 UTC

1

Career Change & Grad School? Need help choosing grad school programs

Hey all! I'm looking for any insight into choosing a grad school. I'd love to hear about your experience with grad school, breaking into the sustainability world, and any thoughts you may have about my background and aspirations.

I graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) (marketing with heavy stats and research courses) in 2019 with a 3.33GPA and a minor in Sustainability. I did not take any hard science courses in college (biology, chemistry, etc). My senior thesis was about communicating environmental issues. I was also in charge of implementing & monitoring a plastic bag recycling program across a Big10 University campus. For about three years I worked in different digital marketing/sales roles, not related to sustainability at all.

For the past year, I've been living abroad in SE Asia teaching English & Math. I'm thinking about my plans when I return back to the states next summer.

I've been doing a lot of research on different sustainability and environmental careers given my experience and interests. I've decided that grad school is the next step. I have had trouble breaking into the sustainability management world given that I don't have a hard science background. My eventual goal would be to work as an environmental policy analyst, policy advisor, PR or communications. I also think my time abroad would make me a qualifed candidate for any sort of international policy role, too.

I've been considering a few different online grad school programs. I realize that quite a few schools have MBA with a focus in sustainability. I don't want to pursue an MBA. My personal opinion is that an MBA is largely redundant if I already have my BSBA, but I could be convinced otherwise.

I haven't even started my application process because I don't want to send out mass applications. In no particular order, here are some online/hybrid programs that I've been debating between:

  • Harvard Extension School - MLA - Sustainability
    • Pros:
      • No admission requirements other than 2 pre-requisite courses through the HES
      • Harvard name & network; excellent distance learning
      • Relatively low cost compared to other grad school programs
      • Very flexible and customizable
      • Hands-on experiences
      • Offers professional certificates
      • Ivy league environmental network
      • 5 concentrations: Corporate Sustainability, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Environmental Policy and International Development, Sustainable Food Systems, and Natural Resource Management. (I'm interested in the two bolded options)
    • Cons:
      • Distance learning makes it difficult to build relationships
      • Most people take 1 course/semester and work full-time
      • Takes 2-5 years to complete
      • I don't have any current industry experience and I'm not sure I could get any of that experience until the capstone project or graduation.
  • American University- MS in Sustainability Management through the Kogod Business School (advertised as a STEM program)
    • Pros:
      • Located in DC
      • Can be completed in 12-21 months
      • Three career tracks (policy, business, environment)
      • International capstone project
      • Hands-on experience
      • Offers professional certificates
    • Cons:
      • Expensive
      • I worry about career opportunities afterwards (even though they advertise 92% of graduates are employed within 6 months)
      • Not sure how applicable this program is.
  • Columbia University - MS in Sustainability Management
    • Pros:
      • Located in NYC (I will be living in upstate new york beginning next summer)
      • Ivy league environmental network
      • Research & internship opportunities
      • 100% of graduates report finding work within sustainability
      • Integrative capstone experience with real-world experience
      • Welcomes career changers
    • Cons:
      • One of the more expensive grad school programs
      • Not online

All in all, my concerns with choosing a grad school are making sure that I am employable after graduation; acquiring hands-on experience during school; not taking out too many student loans.

Additionally, my understanding of sustainability in the real-world is that it is more like a philosophy or way of thinking, rather than a hard science. This is part of my hesitation with grad school. I can apply sustainability in almost any role or at any company that I work with, so why does a Masters in Sustainability make a difference? No sustainability career that I've ever heard of is linear which makes the decision to follow it that much more difficult!

I welcome any & all thoughts, feedback or advice!

- What do you think about these schools? Have you attended any or have any experience with any of these programs?
- Am I chasing an oversaturated market?
- Is prior work experience necessary? Or any hard science courses?
- How much of a disadvantage do I have if I don't have an engineering or STEM background?

0 Comments
2023/11/22
08:33 UTC

0

Thinking of doing a masters in Australia

Hi everyone, this is my first post on Reddit. :) I’m currently an international student (Sri Lankan) living in Tokyo Japan and will be graduating in March 2024. I have decided to apply for my masters in Australia for the 2024 intake.

I was wondering if it’s possible to get a well paying entry level job in the field of data analytics or sustainability ?

I’m currently completing an undergraduate degree in digital business and innovation and hoping to apply for masters in sustainability. I have no experience in the field of sustainability which is why I thought doing a masters in it would be great (and I want to work in that field in the future). For data science I will continue developing my skills through online courses.

In terms of location, I will be applying to University of Sydney but I’m open to any location with good opportunities tbh.

My work experience in Japan had been mainly English teaching, culture awareness programs for schools kids and I’m also working as a recruitment consultant (mainly cold calls , sales , scheduling etc. )

Please let me know what you think ? 😊

Edit : btw I’m 22 (F)

4 Comments
2023/11/22
04:19 UTC

694

Grass vs clovers

Hi, it's me again.

What's your opinion on grass lawns vs clovers lawns?

It's been a while but I've heard that some species of clovers are great for lawn usage instead of grass and kind of want to know if one is better than the other or both are equally bad.

Image source https://xoxojackie.com/i-switched-to-a-clover-lawn-follow-the-transformation/

61 Comments
2023/11/21
20:54 UTC

3

Finding Sustainable shops/restaurant globally

I am trying to find sustainable shops/businesses which can spark ideas on what other practices I can reduce to reduce my planet footprint. I have been doing research and spent a quite a time recently. I found Ganddee.com / InGoodCompany/ Canopey.
I liked Ganddee.com as they have online shops/stores/deals from sustainable businesses and give a mobile app . The thing is they are only based in London.
Canopey is also good but since they are selling the products directly so I am expecting it doesn't have all the extent of sustainable shops/products.

I live in Berlin and would love to know if there is something like Ganddee/InGoodCompany in Berlin/Germany. I don't like to shop a lot, but when I do would prefer to do at standalone shops who are trying to be more sustainable instead of fast fashion/ unsustainable practices.

8 Comments
2023/11/21
20:27 UTC

1

Manual Fabric Shaver Recommendations?

2 Comments
2023/11/21
16:59 UTC

8

Need advice for bulk sustainable dishes...

I work at a day program for adults who have disabilities. I'm trying to move away from single service tableware. Here are characteristics I'm searching for:

-Reusable plates, bowls, flatware, cups, and mugs for 300+ people

-Can withstand high temp dishwasher

-Shatter resistant

-Not too heavy if possible and stackable

-Dividers on plates

-Microwavable

-Sustainable - Some plates have weird chemicals. Some companies provide a caution that they may contain dangerous chemicals.

Edit: Also, if you could suggest a company for bulk that would be great!

Thank you!

9 Comments
2023/11/21
14:25 UTC

7

Farming vs foraging

So I grew up on a farm and learned to forage very early on. Could anyone recommend books or articles on the impact of farming over foraging? I’m curious to find out.

19 Comments
2023/11/21
11:48 UTC

2

In dire need of advice (quarter-life crisis)

Hi, I have been thinking about getting into the ESG sector for quite some time. However, I don't know what I should do for me to even be considered for entry-level positions. I have an undergraduate degree in business and operations management and have worked for 4 years in a bank in the US and legal production firms. With this background, I know it's going to be hard for me to be considered for ESG positions. Although my positions include legal research and policy writing I know it could be beneficial in some way, but then I have zero idea what roles to go for. Should I get a master's degree in sustainability? or should I get myself certified in those fields? My passion lies in sustainability and CSR and I see myself doing this in the long run. I hope the professionals here could give me some advice, I'd appreciate it. :)

7 Comments
2023/11/21
05:24 UTC

8

What If?

Social equity, economic stability, environmental sustainability.

The highways in the U.S. were part of a national defense bill. Would it make sense to line major highways with solar panels roof-like structures. Electrical power harnessed could help reduce coal burning emissions at electrical generation plants and strengthen infrastructure for EV. This would assist in keeping roadways dry during rain and snow. Add small heated tiles that melt snow in the winter.

16 Comments
2023/11/20
19:57 UTC

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