Discussion of Sustainable Strategies for Living

1) Over time, growth and resource consumption have been inextricably linked. Population growth and rising living standards have always meant an increase in the consumption of natural resources. Resource consumption will accelerate in the coming decades, as natural resources such as fossil fuels and water are consumed much faster than the planet produces them.

Exploring the idea of sustainable development, Sarah Susanka explained to the audience that humanity needs solutions that will allow people to live in dignity, while using less and less materials. This idea underlies the strategy of sustainable development, as architects are looking for new ways to grow and improve the quality of life without attracting additional resources. It seems that Susanka’s sustainable strategies could work in my life because in practice, the principles of sustainable development can be implemented at several levels. The first level assumes openness and involvement in one’s own life, as well as interaction with all interested parties on the basis of consideration of their interests. The next level relates to a responsible attitude towards one’s own life. The main idea is not to follow some common rules, but to listen to own heart, to be able to use every moment of life in the most efficient way, as well as to stay a “student”, as it means to learn everything new, extracting useful experience from each situation.

Actually, this is not about the immediate cessation of the use of any resources, but about the cessation, at the first stage, of the irrational growth in the use of environmental resources. The latter is difficult to achieve in the world of growing competition, the growth of such current indicators of successful economic activity as productivity and profits, but changes always begin in the minds of people, and by changing one’s own attitude to life and the use of resources at the moment, people can achieve impressive results in the future.

2) After completing the personal energy meter on the EPA web site, I have realized that I need to make some changes in my life because I assumed that the situation is better than it actually is. I got averages in this test in comparison to regional average and national average in the USA. However, I strongly believe that every person is responsible not only for own life but also for the resources of our planet because we actively influence the environment in the process of our vital activity.

The first sustainable strategy, which I am going to implement in my life, is to reduce my home energy carbon footprint. It means to use daylight more often than previously, to turn off lights in those rooms, which are not used right now, as well as to replace incandescent light bulbs everywhere in my living environment.

The second strategy is associated with heating. It seems that it is better to warm the house one time than to use extra heating every year. Moreover, according to scientific data, it is more useful to sleep in a cool room, which means that I can reduce heating at night.

The third strategy lies in the area of purchases. I have realized that I need to minimize my purchases of new products, especially when the speech is going about resource-intensive goods. Very often my purchases are dictated by simple wish to buy something new, but the main idea is not to have always new things, but to live in ecologically friendly environment, where every person is responsible for own way of leaving and the way he or she interacts with the natural world around.

The fourth strategy is associated with transportation. I am going to use the motto: drive less and drive green. It is very important try to use my car as less as possible, because bicycle is a good alternative for the walk on short distances. People are so accustomed to drive a car that they no longer realize that the distance can be walked, cycled or while enjoying the nature, it is better to go with friends on their car instead of taking my own car.

Finally, the fifth strategy, which I am going to use, is to use less paper. Nowadays there are many electronic devices, which we use on a constant basis, and it is always possible to write down something using text editor or special program on the phone, without using paper.

Thus, such trends are serious challenges for my future life, but at the same time, they provide great opportunities even to my further self-development: innovation and the principle of achieving more with fewer resources will be key factors for sustainable development.

Work Cited

Susanka, S. “Not So Big: The First Step in Sustainable Living.” Youtube, Apr 2, 2015. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hPlFZPUdq8&t=3423s&list=PL81117E5DB565C5AC&index=6

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]
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