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As the climate started to sound the alarm, the concept of “sustainability”, which officially entered our lives in 1987 with the Brundtland Report and is searched millions of times on Google every day, has become our new reality. 

This concept, which aims to prevent the depletion of our resources, holds humanity responsible for transferring the nature we use to the last drop to future generations. So what is our responsibility in this regard?

In this article, we explain where and why this concept, which has become the fashion word of the internet and catches our eye everywhere, enters our lives, defines sustainability with its three basic dimensions, in the most simplified form, and gives examples of sustainability from within life.

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What You Need to Know About the Concept of Sustainability

• What is Sustainability?
• Three Main Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
• A Eco Friendly Life with ecordingApp

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What is Sustainability?

From the second half of the 19th century, Western societies began to discover that their economic and industrial activities had a significant impact on the environment and social balance. 

The ecological and social crises experienced caused us to understand that the Earth is not as limitless as we thought and led to the search for a more sustainable lifestyle.

Corporate sustainability, on the other hand, in the report Our Common Future, presented by the Brundtland Commission in 1987, as'meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'.

EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) defined this concept as “creating and maintaining conditions in which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations”.

Three Main Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

A sustainable life cannot be achieved only by respecting the environment. If we want to leave a just and cleaner world to future generations, we have to consider many things. These factors can be explained on three grounds: 

1. Economic Development

The supply and demand market is consumer in nature and modern city wheels require more and more resources. 

At this point, economic development requires a business or country to use its resources efficiently and responsibly so that it can operate sustainably in order to generate a continuous operational profit.

In a sustainable economic development model, especially in the developing world, people are given what they want without compromising their quality of life and the financial and bureaucratic burden of doing the right thing for a sustainable life is minimized.

2. Social Development

A social development model that respects the environment; It includes protecting human health from pollution and the negative effects of environmental factors, maintaining access to basic resources without compromising the quality of life, meeting the houses we live in and basic needs in a way that respects nature.

One of the last and most important elements of the social development model is education. In a sustainable social development movement, people are educated about protecting the environment, encouraged to participate in environmental sustainability and warned of the dangers we may face if we do not protect our nature.

One of the last and most important elements of the social development model is education. In a sustainable social development movement, people are educated about protecting the environment and encouraged to participate in environmental sustainability.

3. Environmental Awareness and Protection

As humanity, we need natural assets to survive. In order to create a more livable world and to offer a fair life to future generations, production materials, energy fuels, land, water, etc. We need to make sure that we consume natural resources such as natural resources at a sustainable rate.

A sustainable development model that respects the environment and nature; explains how we should protect ecosystems, air quality, sustainability of resources. It focuses on threats to environmental health and is concerned with how technology can shape a greener future.

We all know more or less what we should do to protect the environment. With small steps such as giving importance to recycling, avoiding food waste and preferring recyclable products, we can be part of the solution, not the problem.

A sustainable development model that respects nature; explains how we should protect the sustainability of resources. It focuses on threats to environmental health and is concerned with how technology can shape a greener future. 

A Eco Friendly Life with ecordingApp

Every day we make choices in our lives that affect the environment, climate and other species. In order to protect nature and the Earth, there are many things we can do to minimize our environmental footprint.

If you are willing to adopt sustainable living habits, be more sensitive to the planet and leave a clean Earth to future generations, but don't know where and how to start, meet ecordingApp!

ecordingAppis a mobile application where you can meet your own and the world's needs with the ecoPoints you acquire, when you confirm the tasks given for the benefit of the world, take action against the global climate crisis. 

With ecordingApp, you can measure and share your social impact, challenge your friends, and track the social and environmental impact of your verified tasks. 

ecordingApp for a more sustainable life with ecordingApp:

• Make Recycling a Part of Your Life

It takes 1.7 Earths to meet the needs of current humanity, whereas there is only one Earth. Moreover, there is now a continent called the “Great Pacific Garbage Vortex”, which is thought to be 3 times the size of France and 2 times the size of Turkey and consists of garbage. 

In addition to reducing the number of wastes we use in our daily lives, especially plastic, you can throw your waste into recycling bins and contribute to its reuse. On the other hand, you can both reduce the consumption of resources and prevent environmental pollution to some extent.

In addition to reducing the number of wastes we use in our daily lives, especially plastic, you can throw your waste into recycling bins and contribute to its reuse.

In ecordingApp, you can earn ecoPoints by verifying recycling tasks such as throwing 1 pet bottle in the plastic recycling bin, throwing 1 dead battery in the waste battery bin.

• Pay Attention to The Labels

If we manage to push the overshoot forward by only 5 days each year, in 2050 the resources provided by a single planet in a year will be enough for us. You can be a part of this success by using environmentally friendly and sustainable products that respect nature. 

If the product you purchased has three consecutive white arrows on it, it means it has been recycled.

You can earn ecoPoints by verifying that you have purchased a product made from recycled material on the ecordingApp.

• Let Your Home Be Nature-Friendly Like You

You can save energy and benefit both your home economy and the world by choosing LED bulbs instead of classics, not using your electronic devices while plugged in, and running your washing machine on a short program and at low temperatures.

You can collect ecoPoints by verifying savings tasks in ecordingApp and meet your needs from the ecordingApp Market.

• Don't Put Food You Can't Eat On Your Plate

A third of the food produced worldwide is thrown away without being eaten, placing an increasing burden on the environment. 

Every food that is thrown into the trash causes the energy, water and workforce spent on it to be wasted, while it negatively affects the traveler with the methane gas it releases into the air when not properly disposed of and left to rot. 

You can avoid food waste by filling your plate as much as you can eat and having a planned food shopping. You can multiply your ecoPoints by verifying that you have not left food on your plate in the ecordingApp. 

More info: https://ecording.org/ecordingapp/

ecordingApp Download Link:: https://ecording.org/ecordingapp-indir/

The packaging of the products we consume is as important as what is inside of the product. Plastic packaging production in Turkey constitutes 40% of the total packaging production. In 2018, 3.66 million tons of plastic packaging was produced in Turkey only. We can build a more livable world by taking sustainable steps in order not to harm nature. (Source 1)

The deposit refund system application that we have been waiting for starts this week. With this decision, it will reduce the burden of the environment for years and cause nature to breathe a little. It is an application that we have been waiting for a long time to take back the packages produced with the deposit system from paper, plastic and metal packaging after the paid bag application.

8 critical impacts of the deposit refund system on our world

1) It is expected to reduce the rate of plastic bottles in the oceans by up to 40%. (Kaynak 2)

2) By 2023, the deposit return system for single-use plastics increases the recovery rate to 30%,₂ resulting in 50% less CO2. (Source 3)

3) Reducing 263,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions will reduce waste by 85% and prevent 33,000 tons of waste material from entering the ecosystem each year. (Source 4)

4) According to Eunomia's research, 62.3 million TL will be saved in reducing greenhouse gas emissions that increase climate change, and approximately 57.7 million TL will be saved by preventing air pollution. (Source 5)

5) Re-use of the product, which is produced by supporting sustainable production, without the need for primary raw materials for the production of new bottles by glass and pet bottle manufacturers, will be encouraged. Thus, the glass bottle can be recycled and used indefinitely, and the plastic bottle at least 12 times. (Source 6)

6) In our country, an average of 20 billion beverage packages are produced annually, including glass, metal and pet products. By 2041, this number is expected to reach 52 billion beverage packages. (Source 7)

7) Plastic production accounts for 3.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Every 1 kg of plastic equals 6 kg of CO2,₂ which is 12 times the amount emitted by a cardboard box. (Source 8) (Kaynak 9)

8) According to Greenpeace's research, cardboard is more than 80% biodegradable, but unfortunately, we destroy 4 billion trees a year and use it to make cardboard, rewinding the cycle. (Source 10)

Its single-use packaging ensures that greenhouse gas emissions are reduced and there is less waste in the ecosystem, thanks to the deposit return system. With this newly taken decision, we wanted to share with you this important step we have taken as a society for a more livable world and its possible effects. 

Esra Gökşin

Plastic pollution has increased tremendously. From the placenta of the baby in the womb to the deepest pit in the world, we find plastic almost everywhere. There are islands of plastics in the world. According to the researches, we consume as much plastic as a credit card a week. Plastic dispersed into the environment from the clothes we wear and the products we use has become involved in our food chain and even the air we breathe.

What is most interesting fact about the plastic pollution is that almost half of the plastic waste consists of packaging that we usually use for 10-15 minutes and throw away. Therefore, it is especially important that we remove these single-use plastics from our lives as much as possible. In fact, we can minimize our plastic consumption on vacation in a few simple ways:

1)Traveling with a bag containing a water bottle, a cloth bag and a storage container

500 billion plastic bags are used each year, with an average product use time of just 15 minutes across the world.. Ayrıca Globally, 481.6 billion plastic bottles are used each year. The number of plastic bottles purchased in the world per minute is 1 million.. If we carry a bag with them while we travel, we can avoid most of the plastic waste outside.  

2) Eating ice cream in a cone, not a bowl

By eating the ice cream in a cone instead of a bowl, we will not create a waste that will be used for 10 minutes and remain in nature for centuries. In addition, if we buy from ice cream shops instead of plastic packaged ice creams, we will make a healthier choice.

3) Bringing your own soap instead of disposable hotel shampoos

We can prevent this plastic waste by bringing our own soap instead of the small plastic shampoo bottles placed in hotel rooms. We can buy our own shampoo by supporting local producers and buy natural products from them, handmade and without plastic packaging.

4) Dine in instead of take out

A lot of plastic waste comes out when taking packaged food from outside. Styrofoam foam and other plastic packaging in which the food is placed are both non-recyclable and poses a threat to our health. Therefore, going to the restaurant instead of ordering is a healthier and waste-free option.

5) Reject using the plastic straw

Plastic straws (apart from some medical uses) are one of the most useless plastic items. Always specify that you do not want a straw when drinking outside, because unfortunately the majority of businesses do not have such sensitivity and serve everyone with straws even if there is no need. 

6) Washing hands instead of using wet wipes

If you prefer to wash your hands with soap and water instead of using wet wipes while eating out, you will be doing a good thing for yourself and the environment. Wet wipes are not recyclable due to their structure and remains in landfills for centuries, it is also harmful to health due to the chemicals it contains.

7) Demanding a ban on single-use plastics

To ban single-use plastics in Turkey, you can sign the campaign launched by Greenpeace. While a total ban on single-use plastics may sound impossible at first, banned in the European Union. Among the banned products, there are plastics that have alternatives such as plastic straws, forks, plates and spoons and cause unnecessary pollution. Turkey also needs to take this step and it is our responsibility to demand it.

Duru Barbak

With the recent extreme weather events, broken temperature records and ecological disasters, more and more people are becoming aware of environmental problems. This has led consumers to turn to more sustainable and environmentally friendly options in their shopping. 

In addition, we can say that this sustainability trend is most prevalent among the young generation. Therefore, it would be more accurate to consider this environmentalist consumption habit not as a short-term trend, but as a long-term preference that will now become the new normal.

Now, if brands want to be permanent, they must put sustainability at the core of their work. This sustainable transformation can be experienced in different ways in different sectors. For example; transition to ecological materials, energy savings with new technologies or the least possible use of resources can be achieved. The main purpose of this transformation is to minimize the damage caused by the work done to nature and to leave a livable planet to future generations by considering sustainability as the first priority, not profit.

Sustainability has now become a necessity rather than a choice. With less than a decade left to fight an existential threat like the climate crisis, it is vital that companies are part of the solution along the way. In addition, it seems that sustainable transformation will also turn into an economic imperative, as practices such as carbon tax that hold companies responsible for their carbon emissions are coming.

The fact that consumers are sensitive to the environment makes them think about the cost of the product they buy to the planet. In this way, they can distinguish between brands that only aim to provide marketing without relying on sustainability, and those that really care. Therefore, it is of great importance to include this transformation at every stage and to be as transparent as possible and openly share the new steps taken for sustainability.

Duru Barbak