#sustainability The pillars are represented by environmental protection, economic viability, and social equality.

If you think about it in terms of a Venn diagram, you can start to understand that sustainability can only be achieved if all three pillars are balanced, and one look at our actual world will tell you that we are unfortunately nowhere near achieving it.

As previously mentioned, the three pillars are interconnected at the root of sustainability, and the systems represented within each sphere of influence are similarly connected. However, balance does not always mean equal, and in this case, one piece of the puzzle might be more important than the others.

According to Thwink, the biosphere, aka the environment itself, is the most important of them all — by protecting the environment, we're protecting our own future. Regardless of the social or economic systems in place, neither can exist if there is no environment for them to exist, and thus, environmental protection must be the first pillar that’s brought into balance. Without it, the others would fall.

In economic terms, the Economic Viability pillar looks to businesses and companies, to minimize their own environmental footprint. They are working to become more sustainable, waste less water, find ways to reuse and recycle materials, and invest in renewable energy or clean technology. At the same time, businesses that still use fossil fuels or those that choose not to engage in eco-friendly farming practices throw the other pillars out of balance.

In social terms, sustainability relates to several concepts: one’s personal journey to sustainability and the sociological one. As individuals, we have the power to make eco-friendly changes in our daily lives. We can choose to live a vegan or zero-waste lifestyle, drive a clean vehicle, recycle, and eschew chemicals or materials that are harmful to the environment. From a societal standpoint, the quest for balance is harder.

Social equality is harder to nail down. We don’t usually think of social justice in terms of environmental protection, but we should.

To reiterate, the three pillars of sustainability is clearly an abstract concept, but that does not mean that they are outside of our control. If anything, the practical application of these concepts is firmly in our own hands, as is the fate of our world.