1st ENTRY - Sustainability

 

SDG 17 - One of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015 is "responsible consumption and production," often known as SDG 12 or Global Goal 1. "Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns" is the official wording of SDG 12. Goal 12 of the Sustainable Development Agenda aims to improve the quality of life for all people by increasing their access to essential services, green and decent employment opportunities, and other means of reducing their environmental impact. The 12th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) comprises 11 objectives that must be met by at least 2030, with progress being tracked using 13 different metrics.

With the development of environmental concerns, we've seen a large number of businesses adopt methods that help the cause. The sustainable argument is established by considering not just environmental concerns (as is commonly assumed), but also societal and economic ones. Despite the fact that many firms claim to have done so, reality indicates otherwise. Many times, sustainability has been utilized unethically as a marketing tool, tricking people into purchasing their items.

Sustainability has been a hugely popular concept in recent years, which has led to its misuse. Businesses, whether purposefully or unwittingly, have benefitted from sustainability while also contributing to behaviors that have nothing to do with sustainable development. This is known as greenwashing, a compound term fashioned after whitewashing.

We've been witnessing the consequences of greenwashing in various industries for a long time, but some of the more intriguing ones are in the food business. While governments have supported and promoted agricultural techniques disguised as sustainable, and consumers have supported and consumed so-called bio, organic, and free-range food without any background checks, these industries have thrived.

For the sake of "sustainablity," Apple, for instance, has cut back on packaging and promotional materials. In their most current package, they no longer include the charger or earbuds, but keep the same price; this goes against the principle of sustainability in our everyday lives. It's going to cost us more to get a new charger and earbuds in an entirely other box. As a result, much too many were expended on the packing of the goods. It is very evident that these businesses have been utilizing the meaningless phrase "sustainable" to explain their ridiculous prices.

Ideally, sustainability would reduce our workload, lower our costs, and improve the quality of our daily lives. However, observations in the actual world have shown otherwise. To get a better understanding of the problem at hand, one need just visit a mahallah café. This is the only cafe where I ever buy food. In an effort to "lessen" the use of plastics and packaging, they are selling the food containers individually for 30 cents apiece. I am the type of person who would purchase takeout and pay the extra 30 cents for packing because I love staying in my room.

My eating habits changed when I discovered "masakan panas," a service wherein customers place individual orders rather than selecting from a predetermined menu. I placed an order for Nasi Bujang at 2:00, and I'll be picking it up as soon as class concludes at 3:00. When I got there, the food was already packaged in a paper box with two smaller plastic containers holding the soups and sauces. I was taken aback by the total when I went to pay. It was originally priced at RM3.50. "Is the packaging free? They genuinely had another packet of soups and I wasn't paid for it?"

I'm amazed and grateful all at the same time. But it's a little strange that I have to pay an extra 30 cents for packing before this, but they don't even charge me the same when I get the same type of meal. Rice with a side dish. Without my 30 cents for the packing, the shop may have survived. This certainly contradicts the concept of sustainability and is unjust to other students who have already paid for the items that have been provided.

Another thing that irritates me is how useless the paper straw is. Imagine being unable to finish your frappuccino because your straw has reached the end of its useful life due to it becoming soggy as a result of being too cold. Not to mention the papery, disagreeable aftertaste that is sometimes hard to remove. The fact is that paper straws disintegrate fast in liquids, rendering them useless. When the straws come into touch with moisture or liquid, they disintegrate and decay swiftly. This means that if you don't drink your beverage right away, you'll have to use a fresh straw, defeating the point of having a paper straw in the first place.

Allah designed a world in which everything is in harmony through the principles of sustainability and circularity. Humans must act calmly, intelligently, and justly to preserve this delicate equilibrium. Allah hates wastage, pollution, and destruction more than anything.