The Ability to Endure

One source defined sustainability as the ability to endure. I rather like this definition because it is a lot easier to conceptualize than the overused term we hear every 3.5 seconds here on Furman's campus (see graphic).

But in all seriousness, sustainability is so much more than reducing, reusing, and recycling. While it is undeniably important that we are stewards with our planet and resources, I posit that by taking better care of ourselves, we can inherently take better care of our environment. 

Without even going into the expensive-devouring blackhole that is the meat industry (I'm not a vegetarian, but I at least understand where my food comes from - a highly recommended bit of knowledge), there are a number of basic health practices that could keep the nation (a.k.a. the people, a.k.a. YOU) from spending BILLIONS of dollars each year. 

If any of the following facts jump out at you, click them to read the full articles. 

Did you know that the costs of an average heart attack can be up to $760,000 (per person!)? 

What about Cancer? It is estimated that it can cost more than $260,000,000,000 a year (collectively).

And obesity can lead to annual medical costs of more than $140,000,000,000 nationwide.

Did you know that the United States pays more money into healthcare than any other country? And we don't even have the healthiest statistics! 

While I've obviously focused on the fiscal advantages to taking care of your body, the environmental benefits are innumerable as well. Some of the more obvious detriments are those of bottle and can usage when we can drink tap water (a luxury that other cultures would fall to their knees and praise God for while we think it's gross or weird), purchasing foods that have to be built rather than harvested, eating meats that are fed foods that have to be built rather than harvested, and just eating foods that cause us to experience the same health issues as mentioned above. 

You can say all you want about the "hippies" and "treehuggers" that go crazy with environmental sustainability. You can claim that you'll be dead before the world turns into the movie Wall-E and therefore you don't care about the environment. But one thing that every single human on this earth has in common is their body. It's time we start acting like life is worth living and living well.