Sustainable Sustainability

Sustainability.

I was thinking about this and the whole brouhaha about how we should all be concerned about planet earth.

Carbon emissions is a big problem. Let's solve it.

How?

Carbon credits, apparently is an answer. So company A has money but polluting the hell out of the earth. Company B doesn't have money but isn't polluting as much (or has developed an algorithm to prove that they are actually reducing the carbon in their environment). So company B will get some money and bear the brunt (and the guilt)of some carbon pollution from Company A. Everyone is happy. Right?

Eventually, Company B will exhaust it's carbon credits but will use the money from company A to buy carbon credits from company C in a third world country at a lower cost. Company A continues to pollute at will, of course (and probably more than normal because the associated guilt of pollution is washed away with the profits that, let's say, the pollution enables).

So what's in all this for poor mother Earth?

Just the inevitable death.

No one cares about mother Earth. People need to be honest about it. All they care for is themselves. It's the selfish gene, stupid.

So how do we translate this selfishness into something that can help mother Earth sustain?

Sustain ourselves so we can all live for at least 100 years - in near perfect health.

Let's say we make the above the goal for every individual on the planet. Then create a charter for what'd really help prolong the health and wellness of mankind. Focus on longevity because that's what we want to achieve out of the sustainability initiatives.

Now what would that charter for a longevity lifestyle might contain? Answer could be easy enough.

Reduce food. Reduce travel. Reduce electronics exposure. As much as possible, stay closer to natural environs. Consume less as an individual. Consume less as a household and community.

Then what happens?

If individuals consume less, companies will produce less. If individuals insist on products for their own longevity, companies will rethink their supply chains. Markets, the bane of civilization, will readjust expectations.

Pollution will come down and mother Earth will breathe. Hopefully.

Children should be taught to live for healthy longevity. If you must compare to compete, then compare on who is better today to achieve the goal of healthy longevity. That should do it. Hopefully.

Let's keep hoping.