The bigger picture is that If we are to develop a sustainable society, and indeed, preserve the conditions of life on Earth, we have to change our understanding of civilization and, consequently, embrace new ideas or reframe myths and half-truths. The key goal of being more sustainable is simply being less unsustainable.
The sustainability issue has gone mainstream, and due to this, the quest has actually lost focus. Economic, social and environmental sustainability demands have created an ocean of concepts, from forestry to water supply, from fishing to high intensity agriculture, from genetics to famine.
All these issues are important and require attention, as outlined in the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and in the strategies and policies the European Union is gradually introducing. However, sometimes we can’t see the wood for the trees. The most important lever towards developing a more sustainable economy is, quite simply, reducing the use of unsustainable material.