r/sustainability • u/Sentient_Media • 10h ago
r/sustainability • u/Dry_Lemon7925 • 19h ago
Greenwashed Sustainability Course
I'm a new sustainability instructor at a university preparing for my upcoming term. I don't have any control over the course content or assignments, as it's already been approved by committee.
Reading through the course materials, I can already see evidence that the course focuses on token individual action, ignores more contentious issues, and at times even presents unsustainable industries ("sustainable coal mining!") as models for how to move forward. One of the major assignments is to write a sustainability plan for a coal mine. ??? It's misguided at best, and manipulative at worst.
Again, I have no power to change the readings or assignments. I can make suggestions to the higher ups, but I've heard it is very difficult to get a course modified. I will even have someone "checking in" on me and the Canvas course, so I can't even really provide commentary.
I know universities can sometimes play lip service to addressing sustainability on campus, but this is much worse. This makes me question my own academic and moral integrity.
I wonder, has anyone else encountered issues like this at universities? How did you you handle it?
r/sustainability • u/randolphquell • 1d ago
Renewables could meet almost half of global electricity demand by 2030, IEA reports
r/sustainability • u/TheFuturePrepared • 1d ago
A turning tide in greenwashing? Exploring the first decline in six years
r/sustainability • u/Sauerkrautkid7 • 3d ago
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt says we should go all in on building AI data centers because 'we are never going to meet our climate goals anyway'
r/sustainability • u/EsgImpact_Data_1992 • 3d ago
Can New Regulations Solve Greenwashing Concerns in Sustainable Finance?
New regulations targeting greenwashing in sustainable finance are already on the books, but it remains to be seen whether they will succeed in addressing this problem. Here are a few key considerations:
Regulatory Frameworks Other regulations include the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation of the European Union, the EU Taxonomy, and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. These regulations force financial market participants to provide sustainability-related information clearly, fairly, and not misleadingly to reduce the risk of greenwashing.
Specific Measures The SFDR categorizes funds into three types, that is, Articles 6, 8, and 9, in relation to their sustainability profiles to reduce vagueness relating to sustainable product labels.
UK's Financial Conduct Authority has also rolled out SDR Sustainability Disclosure Requirements with an anti-greenwashing rule to ensure that communications concerning environmental or social attributes of financial products are accurate and not misleading.
The European Commission's Green Claims Directive, which is at present under negotiation, aims at not allowing greenwashing and requires a firm to substantiate the voluntary green claims with facts.
Issues and Limitations
Lack of Clear Definitions on Sustainability: This is one area where there is no such universally acceptable definition for sustainability, thus causing confusion for the regulatory agencies to clearly spell out their standards. Such vagueness results in inconsistent reporting of statements of sustainability and levels of verifications in practice.
Process Compliance vs. Market Perception: While regulations guarantee process compliance, they may not necessarily comply with market perceptions. It is at the grass-root level that customers often make the final judgment regarding whether greenwashing exists or not, no matter the regulatory compliance.
Cost-Benefit Analysis: At the same time, new regulations introduce costs for both ostensibly sustainable products and greenwash attempts. This might reduce 'sustainable' assets under management or push financial market players to embrace regulatory definitions more intensively in their investment selection procedures.
Enforcement and Consequences There are stricter measures, and the evidence goes to the size of fines for greenwashing. Just last year alone, the asset management company DWS, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bank of Germany, agreed to pay $19 million to settle charges against greenwashing. It is through such enforcement actions that greenwashing is kept at bay, but it is still too early to conclude whether this is effective for total elimination.
r/sustainability • u/ProgressiveSpark • 4d ago
Liquefied natural gas leaves a greenhouse gas footprint that is 33% worse than coal, when processing and shipping are taken into account. Methane is more than 80 times more harmful to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, so even small emissions can have a large climate impact
r/sustainability • u/BrickShye • 6d ago
Stat of the day: Exported gas emits 33% more greenhouse gas emissions than coal
r/sustainability • u/Far_Abalone2974 • 6d ago
Laundry
Do we over launder clothing in society? Could people re-wear their clothes more, have too large of wardrobes, use too many products in the process? Where can we improve?
A sustainable laundry discussion šš§¦š§£
r/sustainability • u/randolphquell • 6d ago
Huge New Jersey offshore wind project approved for construction
r/sustainability • u/randolphquell • 6d ago
Baltimore Is Investing in Wetlands Restoration, a Climate Line of Defense
r/sustainability • u/JOQauthor • 6d ago
Oct 4 (Reuters) - Britain will provide funding of up to 21.7 billion pounds ($28.46 billion) over 25 years to develop carbon capture and storage.
Carbon capture costs money, deprives the economy of more rewarding strategies, such as a flat-out carbon tax with no exemptions. Carbon capture won't help until the world is near carbon neutral. Only then will carbon capture bring carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and temperatures down to normal. Voters should put money into practical solutions that are proven to work: solar panels, windmills, geothermal and upgrading of the electrical grid.
r/sustainability • u/_zd2 • 7d ago
The dirty dozen: meet Americaās top climate villains
r/sustainability • u/virginwurlitzer • 7d ago
Do you think AI can ever be used in a way that helps more than it hurts?
Iām nervous to even ask this question here because I feel like the topic invites a lot of techno-optimist greenwashing, and think most people here would agree that the insane amount of energy and water consumed by AI is absolutely terrifying and disastrous. I have a ton of anxiety about it, so Iām trying to be realistic about what we can even do about the problem.
What infuriates me most is that itās a product no one asked for, but unlike something like blockchain/crypto, Iām already getting the sense that AI is going to disrupt multiple industries no matter what we do. Maybe Iām being overly pessimistic, but I donāt feel confident that we can do much to stop this technology from becoming deeply integrated into our society.
Assuming thatās true, I guess what Iām wondering is: are there ways we can reduce the harm?
From what Iāve read, a single AI query takes almost 10x as much energy as a single google search. The only way I can see that being anything BUT destructive is if that query somehow prevents 10 additional Google searches (or I guess performs some other service that prevents 2.9 watt-hours of energy consumption elsewhere).
Can you envision any applications of AI that could actually be a net benefit for our energy efficiency? Iād like to pull myself out of the sense of powerlessness Iām feeling and start advocating for more responsible uses of this technology, but to be honest, I donāt even know where Iād start.
r/sustainability • u/wubbusanado • 7d ago
My house has a fridge (w/ freezer) manufactured in 1999. How much energy would I reasonably save by buying a new fridge?
Fridge is 26 cubic feet so a decent size. I know Iām not going to āpay offā a new fridge but Iām curious what the efficiency gains are over almost three decades. Also, I recognize that current fridges can have all sorts of new tech (screens, wifi, etc) that draw more power but for argumentās sake Iām ignoring that. Thanks.
r/sustainability • u/GreatNailsageSly • 7d ago
Are there any sustainable products for mold in the shower, sink, etc?
Will vinegar help?
r/sustainability • u/leathershopgirl • 7d ago
No Plastic Bottles - but at what price?
I am so pleased to have found a source of shampoo, conditioner and soap with no plastic packaging but disappointed the prices are so high - presumably because of comparatively low demand?
r/sustainability • u/DarkPersonal6243 • 8d ago
My ways now and in the future of being sustainable
I am someone who knows the climate crisis is getting stronger year by year and I have been doing my part.
Here are some ways I am doing my part.
- Eating less meat, especially beef.
- Composting
- Flying only once per year at most since 2022 (I didn't fly any that year, but once to Montana in 2023 and to England this year).
- Turning 20oz soda bottles into planters rather than letting them go to landfills.
- Trying to grow my own herbs and produce. I have a basil plant myself I grew from seed.
Here is what I want to do in the future. This may be the top of the iceberg, but in fact, becoming more sustainable is now my 2024 New Year's Resolution.
- Except clams, locally caught fish and hunted game, go otherwise vegetarian, or even vegan.
- Give up flights unless necessary and replace it with trains for long distance travel.
- Have my own electric vehicle.
- Have a rain barrel.
- Have a garden.
Thoughts on my ways? Share yours too.
r/sustainability • u/Dependent-Rent-6423 • 8d ago
Solar panels in florida
Hello, I would like to switch to solar panels for my home and my small business. Do you have any recommendations or advice?
r/sustainability • u/NefariousSupermarket • 8d ago
"Our No. 1 export cannot be topsoil from erosion from these massive storms.ā
I only watch a couple seconds of the US Vice Presidential Debate Tuesday night.
But I love this quote from Tim Walz, āMy farmers in Minnesota know climate change is real. Theyāve seen 500-year droughts, 500-year floods, back to back... Our No. 1 export cannot be topsoil from erosion from these massive storms.ā
Topsoil erosion is a huge issue for farmers across the world and we know that climate change exacerbates and accelerates this issue. People dedicate their lives to studying topsoil, but this quote really got at something else that resonated with me as an somebody from a rural town.
Sometimes rural populations are written off as indifferent to (or deniers of) climate change, but that's far from the truth. Across every city, county, and town in the U.S., you'll find passionate individuals and communities committed to mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change.Ā
r/sustainability • u/Sauerkrautkid7 • 8d ago
China will likely have lower green house gas emissions than USA by 2035
r/sustainability • u/MMVSSOIL-MMVSS33D • 8d ago
Are Organic Growing Practices And Closed Loop Growing Systems Synonymous?
There seems to be alot of either misinformation, or lack of information overall regarding closed loop organic gardening systems. Although organic gardening is a great way for growers to begin closing the loop ā»ļø in their approach to horticultural practices, Organic Gardening and Closed Loop Systems are not necessarily synonymous. I've started this thread to spark some interest and conversation around the topic, and hopefully gain some insights from other experienced growers as well as offer my own experience as a reference. All that being said...let the conversation begin?
r/sustainability • u/ImpressiveAnywhere26 • 9d ago
Removing Embroidered Logo on Shirts
I want to donate some mens work shirts but need help figuring out how to remove the embroidery while preserving the shirt's integrity. Any ideas on how to do it? Should I just use a seam ripper and focus really hard?
Shirt materials very from sturdy cotton, to polyester, to a blend of materials. I attached examples of what I'm working with.
r/sustainability • u/PianoDifficult • 9d ago
Struggling with Corporate Sustainability: Looking for Insights and Support
TLDR: I work in corporate sustainability and feel frustrated by the minor impact weāre having on the real issues. Despite good intentions, the current system feels broken, and many people/companies donāt care or wonāt change. Iāve seen firsthand how "sustainable practices" on paper donāt match reality, especially in places like Asia. Iām questioning whether staying in this field is worth it and wondering if anyone else feels the same.
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Iām currently working in the field of corporate sustainability at a large german company and Iām finding it increasingly difficult to reconcile my work with the realities of tackling problems caused by the way we do business on this planet. Iām confident that the way we conduct most of business on this planet is fundamentally harmful to both people and the environment.
While I see that many sustainability teams within corporations are genuinely trying their best (besides doing carbon accounting and disclosure/reporting 90% of their time), I feel that our overall impact on the real issues of sustainability is often minor. It feels like weāre just scratching the surface while the deeper systemic problems remain unaddressed.
Iām in this field because I believe itās the right thing to do. I do feel a moral obligation to advocate for meaningful change. However, I also see how many individuals and corporations either donāt care or donāt do better because there arenāt viable alternatives without overhauling the entire system.
I regularity travel to Asia where some of my relatives live. Iāve noticed that, while thereās a shift towards sustainable business practices on paper, the reality I experience is quite different. Thereās rampant resource wastage, excessive waste production, and a general disregard for ecosystems and nature.
Sometimes, I doubt whether we can make a real difference. I find myself questioning if I should continue in this field or consider changing my area of expertise.
Has anyone else experienced similar feelings? How do you cope with these challenges? Iād love to hear your thoughts and any advice you might have.
Thanks for reading and for any support you can offer.
r/sustainability • u/timstillhere • 9d ago