You’ve probably heard “sustainability" several times but barely know what it means. Even if you do, widely spread misconceptions keep you from going green and contributing your quota to preserving the earth.

This guide will help you better understand the concept of sustainability. In this article, you will learn about the collective responsibility for healthy living and environmental well-being through sustainability.

What Is Sustainability?

The United Nations Brundtland Commission (1987) defines sustainability as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future to meet its own needs.

It’s an ecology practice acknowledging that the human environment is an exhaustible resource that must be preserved and nurtured for the good of the earth and the wellness of all living/non-living things.

Recently, nations of the world have continued to make conscious efforts to see that their quest to meet their needs does not further make the planet vulnerable to the threats of climate change.

The bottom line: To be sustainable means to be responsible for the conversation of natural resources and the protection of the ecosystem. You must know that doing all these is crucial to healthy living and environmental wellness.

What Are the Importance of Sustainability?

Sustainability gives hope for a better future. And before we get to some sustainability best practices, let’s start with why it is important. The art of sustainability is important for many reasons. Here are some of them: 

Sustainability improves public health. 

You may not know this, but pollution can cause life-threatening illnesses like bronchitis, lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases, etc. However, sustainability can improve public health by reducing pollution and conserving natural resources.

Think about it: When life is more sustainable, the number of people requiring medical attention reduces. Thereby reducing resources that would have been used on sick patients. It also helps the government channel resources into other vital areas.

Additionally, simple acts like supporting community gardens, public transportation, walking, and bicycling improve air quality. 

On top of that, sustainability helps the government to channel resources to other essential areas instead of spending on flooding and other issues that come with pollution. 

Sustainability improves food security.

Food security is the backbone of every stable economy, and sustainability can be instrumental in achieving that.

For instance, implementing agroecology and organic agriculture can eradicate hunger, making the economy more viable. Also, conserving water, plant, land, and animal genetic resources makes the ecosystem resilient to natural disasters and the threat of climate change.

Prevents extinction of species.

Poaching, habitat loss, and exploitation have made Mountain Gorillas and Giant Pandas near extinction. According to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), nearly 150 endangered species go extinct daily.

The good news? Adopting a sustainable lifestyle can help stop the further extinction of endangered species.

First, the increasing popularity of the vegan diet and meals makes it possible to eat sustainably. Besides that, green food is nutritious and healthy; they benefit significantly in preserving endangered species.

Best Sustainability Practices for Healthy Living & Environmental Wellness

This section will walk you through some of the best sustainability practices for healthy living and environmental wellness.

• Invest in eco-friendly home care products: Eco-friendly home care products are made with no harsh, non-biodegradable-based chemicals.

In contrast, conventional cleaning products have harmful chemicals that can cause poisoning, respiratory irritation, skin irritation, and even allergic reactions.

However, tons of greenwashing brands are parading as sustainable cleaning products. A perfect way to identify a genuine eco-friendly home care product is by checking the ecolabel certification.

Melaleuca has many sustainable cleaning products that let you play a part in the earth's sustainability. The products are called Ecosense and are made with plant ingredients, such as surfactants from palm and coconut oil., thyme, and citric acid found in lemons.

• Use essential oils: Essential oils have many health benefits. It can help bolster mood, reduce pain/anxiety, and be used for skin treatment. Melaleuca’s essential oil, namesake, is extracted from the alternifolia plant, making it 100% pure and organic.
• Invest in organic beauty products: Besides being harmful, non-organic beauty products can trigger allergic reactions. Sei Bella by Melaleuca is a beauty product designed to empower women to own their beauty. It provides top-quality hair, cosmetics, and skincare products. Also, the ingredients used in producing Sei Bella beauty products are organic.

Achieving Healthy Living & Environmental Wellness with Melaleuca

Now that you have a clear understanding of the importance of going green. You must be careful of non-organic brands disguising themselves as organic brands.

To vet the authenticity of an “organic product,” you check for the ecolabel certification issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

You can also check out Melaleuca’s products. They have manufactured hundreds of organic products that cut across healthcare, pharmaceutical, personal care, and home products.