What's up with sustainability in 2022?

Google trends show how the keyword 'sustainability' has always been fluctuating, though the overall trend is upward. Compared to 5 years ago, the number of people looking up the term on this search engine was at an all-time high in 2021.¹  Even more intriguing is the fact that people in the global south has been showing more interest in it than those in the global north. What does that mean? On the surface, such progress can be perceived as something positive, for it appears that more and more individuals pay attention to and (hopefully) care about this issue. Thus, it is safe to say that a similar pattern is expected to continue even in 2022, especially with the pandemic being far from over, and natural disasters happening at even more horrifying frequencies and intensity.

Source: Google Trends, 2022

Here are 8 things that I believe should be highlighted, put into focus, and discussed more by all the activists, environmentalists, scientists, governments, corporations, and general public, in terms of sustainability and the environment (in no particular order of importance/significance). 

1. Transparency & accountability

Long gone are the days when corporations and countries could get away with polluting and damaging the environments without real world consequences. People demand real actions and not just pretty words on paper. COP 26, though heavily criticized as ‘business as usual’ and the most exclusionary summit ever,²  was at least successful in shifting the attention away from world leaders to the climate justice activists and indigenous communities – the ones leading the grassroots movement and protecting their lands – who camped outside the conference building and staged protests relentlessly to be heard. 

These days, big polluters are still trying to avoid taking responsibilities and continue to create false agenda to deceive the public. Just recently, Ecuador oil spill has been found to affect protected area in Amazon, and though the responsible party claims that no more leaks in its gas & oil pipes are found,³  we are not dumb. More pressure is now put on them as we realize that companies like Shell, BP, Nestle, along with USA, China and the EU emit more greenhouse gases than the rest of the world combined. Not enough significant progress has been made since the Paris Agreement in 2015,⁴  and this year, I am hopeful that it will be even harder for these polluters to dodge the crisis. There can no longer be business as usual if we want to keep global temperature rising to 1.5 degrees Celcius.  

2. Greenwashing

Greenwashing refers to a phenomenon when companies and organisations purposely mislead the consumers/audience by making a product, service, or the organization itself appear environmentally friendly or sustainable, when in actuality it is not.⁵  It is a marketing strategy used to drive more profit, and the fashion industry is often guilty of doing it with fast fashion brands like Zara, H&M, and Asos continue being called out for hypocrisy. Take H&M as an example. The giant fashion brand continuously rolls out new collection every 2 weeks, disregarding its sweatshop workers exploitation and welfare, ignoring the fashion waste it creates, while boldly launched ‘sustainable’ lines featuring recycled polyesters and cotton, or simply dedicating a page on its website on sustainability without providing anything specific to substantiate the beautiful claims. At the end of the day, such façade is put to build a positive image in order to continue exploiting people’s needs for fashion and drive sales even higher. 

It is time that consumers see the real intentions behind any greenwashing attempt, and not fall prey to cheap tricks performed by big players in the industry. To do so, Global Citizen has provided a simple guideline to identify greenwashing: be wary of green buzzwords (eco-friendly, recycled, vegan, conscious, ethically made, etc), research the company, and look for verification. Now that sustainability is on demand, greenwashing will be even more rampant. 2022 is the year for us all to step up the game and be smarter in choices we make especially when it comes to our daily consumption. 

3. Sustainable fashion

In line with the previous point, it is only right that the new year brings out real sustainable fashion to bigger audience and market. With the fashion industry being one of the biggest polluters with its synthetic dyes polluting the water and huge fashion waste that cannot simply be recycled, we have to rethink about our unhealthy relationship with fashion. What is it that drives us to keep buying new clothes when we already have plenty? Why can fast fashion brands sell dresses for as low as $10? How can we build a more sustainable wardrobe? Which brands should we support? How can we shop wiser and make better choices?

Slow fashion can be a solution with slower production schedules, small-batch collections, and zero waste designs. Instead of chasing trends (and clogging our landfills), these brands utilize enduring styles with layering options and create classic and versatile pieces. This encourages customers to build minimalist wardrobes and invest in garments that they keep for a lifetime.⁶ 

Another thing we can consider is to thrift and normalize borrowing or swapping clothes. Instead of buying a new outfit that we’ll only wear once for a party, we can just borrow from a friend or a family. We need to constantly remind ourselves that the most sustainable fashion is the one that we already have. It’s not about buying more from sustainable brands; it’s actually buying much much less, and taking care of the ones we own.  

Alternatively, more innovations are made in terms of sustainable materials. Tencel, a type of rayon made by dissolving wood pulp and using a special drying process called spinning, has been on the rise as producers look for better alternatives to polyesters. There are also true vegan leather (non PVC) like Piñatex (non-biodegradeable leather alternative made from cellulose fibres extracted from pineapple leaves, PLA, and petroleum-based resin), apple leather, and even mushroom leather. Hopefully we’ll see greener materials like these being used more widely in the future. 

4. Plant-based diet and zero waste lifestyle

It is no secret that animal agricultures contribute a significant amount to global output of greenhouse gases. To make matter worse, the world is also facing an influx of industrial and domestic waste that isn’t sorted, recycled, repurposed, or handled appropriately, all of which ends up in landfills, in the oceans, or even in our food in forms of micro plastics. That’s why, people have started to swap animal-based food on their plates with plant-based ones and lead a less waste life. 

According to Veganuary, 629,351 people took part in its campaign in 2022. That’s a new record, and up to ten times as many people are joining in without signing up. It further proves that plant-based lifestyle is now more appealing and accessible than ever. Both dairy and meat plant-based alternatives are forecast to grow through 2024, driven almost entirely by Millennials and Gen Zs, who choose these products for better health and because of their interest in sustainability and animal welfare, reports The NPD Group.⁷  It is no surprise that new start-ups making innovative plant-based consumables keep popping up and attracting investors, including big names like Prince Khaled and Leonardo diCaprio.  Plant Based News reports that the plant-based meat market has grown significantly in the past decade. In 2020 the market value of plant-based meat worldwide was estimated to be worth $6.67 billion, and according to Statista it’s expected to increase over the next few years and reach $16.7 billion by 2026.

When it comes to zero waste, a similar trend can be observed. The movement is currently gaining momentum in the world, and zero waste communities and content creators can now easily be found in social media. In Indonesia, there are now local communities such as Sustaination and Zero Waste Indonesia, and zero-waste shops or bulk stores can easily be found in many big cities. Although some people perceive the movement under a negative light due to its stereotypes – elitist, exclusive, or even white – at its core, zero waste life is something that we all can benefit from.  The world is drowning in waste: plastics, medical, chemical, paper, fashion, electronics, you name it and we have an abundance of it. Thus, adopting a more conscious lifestyle and trying to reduce waste is extremely important. We may never achieve the zero in zero waste, but that’s not the point. At the end of the day, it’s about consuming less, and not disposing things too easily in the name of practicality. 

5. Environmental and climate justice

NAACP states that environmental and climate justice is a civil rights issue. We all depend on the physical environment and its bounty. Toxic facilities, like coal-fired power plants and incinerators, emit mercury, arsenic, lead, and other contaminants into the water, food, and lungs of communities. Many of these same facilities also emit carbon dioxide and methane — the No. 1 and No. 2 drivers of climate change. But not all people are equally impacted. Race — even more than class — is the number one indicator for the placement of toxic facilities in countries hit by climate change.⁸ 

As it is clear that climate crisis hits the most vulnerable communities the hardest, the environmental and climate justice movement itself highlights the importance of addressing the many practices that are harming communities nationwide and worldwide while fighting for the policies needed to rectify the impacts of climate change. Organisations like NAACP is working hard to advance a society that fosters sustainable, cooperative, regenerative communities that uphold all rights for all people in harmony with the earth. 

We are fortunate enough to live in an era in which resources to explore and study such issues are ubiquitous. There is simply no excuse not to take action against injustices and inequalities faced by many people who are impacted by climate change when these very people are not even the drivers of the destruction of environment itself. 2022 is the year of the tiger according to the lunar calendar. Hopefully it’s also the year of amplifying BIPOCs’voices and standing together as a collective to demand for change and protect the earth, cause the billionaires and governments will not save us. 

6. Animal rights

We can’t talk about the environment without talking about animals. As an animal rights enthusiast myself, I want to encourage people to respect and appreciate non-human animals, both domestic and wild animals. Some main concerns in this field are of course to provide better treatment of animals, and to acknowledge that they, too, have the rights to live without pain and exploitation. 

Looking back to 2021, many accomplishments were recorded that set a positive precedent to the movement from here onwards. When it comes to animal testing, more countries and states in the US have banned the barbaric practice.  Mexico, for example, becomes the first country in North America to ban animal testing for cosmetic. Five US states banned the sale of animal-tested cosmetics, meaning eight in total now have such a ban in place: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada, and Virginia. The European Parliament passed a historic resolution that calls on the European Commission to develop an action plan to end experiments on animals across the continent. And, introduce animal-free research in its place.⁹ 

Many countries have also enacted laws for better and humane treatments of animals. PBN reports that France has banned circuses from using captive wild animals; the UK government officially recognized various sea animals as sentient including cephalopod molluscs (squids and octopuses, for example) and decapod crustaceans (like crabs, lobsters, and shrimp); Argentina became the first country in the world to effectively ban salmon farming; and many more. Leading travel company Expedia also declared it would stop selling holiday packages that include captive dolphin, whale, and other cetacean shows. Seaside animal sanctuaries can still be advertised, as long as they do not offer interactions or performances. 

Seeing progress made in fashion industry regarding fur and leather has also made me feel more hopeful. Italy made headlines when it announced plans to implement a permanent ban on fur farming. One of the world’s largest luxury fashion companies, Kering Group, dropped fur from all of its brands (Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and Brioni, to name a few) for ethical reasons.¹⁰   All in all, 2022 should be looking up for our non-human animals, and we should be in the forefront of making sure humans move away from their over-dependency on animal products, which clearly bear dire consequences to earth and human’s race at large. 

7. Green energy and the danger of Net Zero

At present, the world’s main sources of energy are still fossil fuels. Though fossil fuels production dropped in 2020, the combined production of natural gas, crude oil, and coal in the U.S alone climbed by 2% in 2021 to 77.14 quadrillion British thermal units. Based on forecasts in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), EIA expects U.S. fossil fuel production to continue rising in both 2022 and 2023, surpassing production in 2019, to reach a new record in 2023.¹¹  This is clearly a contrary to many people’s wishes to transition away from fossil fuels.  Sadly, there’s just so much money at stake and political struggles when it comes to fossil fuels, and as much as we want the end of the era for this extractive industry, the world’s governments aren’t ready yet to drastically make the switch if it means losing dollars and influence in energy distributions. 

However, we are in dire needs of clean energy sources if we want to truly thrive on earth with 1.5 degrees warming. One of the climate goals from COP 26 is to accelerate the phase-out of coal and encourage investment in renewables.¹²  Without specific numbers, measurements, and real commitments, these goals are nothing but pipe dreams, though. It’s just another smoke screen big polluters set to do business as usual, as they advance the ‘net zero’ agenda to sell false hopes.   

What is “net zero”? Quoted from a comprehensive report by Corporate Accountability, 

“The idea behind Big Polluters’ use of “net zero” is that an entity can continue to pollute as usual—or even increase its emissions—and seek to compensate for those emissions in a number of ways. Emissions are nothing more than a math equation in these plans; they can be added one place and subtracted from another place. This equation is simple in theory but deeply flawed in reality: These schemes are being used to mask inaction, foist the burden of emissions cuts and pollution avoidance on historically exploited communities, and bet our collective future through ensuring long-term, destructive impact on land and forests, oceans, and through advancing geoengineering technologies. These technologies are hugely risky, do not exist at the scale supposedly needed, and are likely to cause enormous, and likely irreversible, damage. There is a clear evidence that “net zero” climate plans are simply the latest attempt by polluting industries, and the neoliberal governments doing their bidding, to escape responsibility to act to address climate change or to repair the damage they’ve imposed on ecosystems and frontline communities. Their proposed plans could even worsen the climate crisis.¹³” 

 

As such, I am now left wondering whether clean energy will ever become mass-produced and truly be the new norm.  After scouring through the Internet, I found another report that somehow projected hope. International Energy Agency (IEA) believes that improved policies and COP26 climate goals are set to propel renewable electricity growth to new heights. According to the executive summary report, the growth of renewable capacity is forecast to accelerate in the next five years, accounting for almost 95% of the increase in global power capacity through 2026. However, this can only be achieved when the governments can address four main barriers to faster growth of renewables:

 “For wind and solar PV projects in advanced economies, various challenges to permitting and grid integration have led to lower-than-planned capacity being awarded in government auctions. In emerging and developing economies, stop-and-go policies, the lack of grid availability and risks concerning off-takers’ financial health are hurting investor confidence, resulting in elevated financing rates. Lack of remuneration and targeted policy support for flexibility are an issue in all countries. In addition, challenges concerning social acceptance of wind and hydropower projects caused an increasing number of countries to delay or cancel planned projects.”¹⁴ 

IEA, Annual renewable electricity capacity additions, main and accelerated cases, 2014-2026,
IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/annual-renewable-electricity-capacity-additions-main-and-accelerated-cases-2014-2026

I’m convinced that the future should be green. Providing clean energy is vital to ensure the continuation of human race and establish a fairer society and more inhabitable earth. Every one of us has to make sure that governments and big polluters are held accountable and deliver their promises. We can also keep demanding for clean energy in our own communities, either by pressuring representatives in local governments, supporting local marches/protests, switching our banks to the ones that do not support fossil fuel companies, investing in clean energy, or simply finding ways to live a greener life. 

8. individual vs collective movement

My last point here is more of my personal opinion, and may not be backed up by solid data. For years I’ve seen discourses online pitting individuals against each other. Nihilists ridicule people who lead a vegan lifestyle, choose reusable over disposables, try to reduce domestic waste, or voice concerns about pollution and deforestation. This group of non-believers, believing that individual action doesn’t matter and will never bring about change, decries the so-called vanity of others. On the other hand, activists reject the nihilistic notion and press the importance of individual movements. They truly believe that even a drop in the ocean can create a ripple. Are they wrong and too naïve? 

The truth is, there is no collective without individuals. Every big revolution in the world starts from a group of few people who stand for their beliefs and march forward despite the huge boulders up front and the seemingly impossible task. Having faith and acting fearlessly based on it are the first step to any successful movement. Thus, no individual action is small enough as long as we also share the knowledge and spirit to larger groups of people. That’s when our individual movement turns into a collective one, which holds more power and force to topple even the most corrupt government. It is true that replacing plastic straws to glass straws will not save turtles from extinction, but when enough people make the producers realize that the disposable plastic business is no longer profitable, they may rethink of their business models to fit people’s wants. Take meat alternatives as an example. Few years back, there weren’t enough plant-based products available in supermarkets to attract larger audiences. However, with more demand from the vegan communities and flexitarians alike, we can now easily find plant-based alternatives to almost anything in the market: non-dairy milk, vegan cheese, vegan steak, and even world’s first plant-based salmon fillet. Greta Thunberg alone would never be able to change the world, but with the inspiration she gives, hundreds and thousands other young climate activists can be born. They are the future. Our collective movements are indispensable factors to win this battle against hyper-consumerism, exploitative industries, and capitalism. And everything starts from us; you and I – multiplied by millions. Do not let certain individuals pit us against each other when in actuality we are on the same side – the Earth’s side. 

I’d like to end my lengthy post in a more positive note. We may not live long enough to witness the change we want to see, but the next generation of sapiens will, and our action today determines the look of the future earth they will reside in. The future looks bleak, but it is not set in stone.

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1 Google Trend, 2022^↩
2 Meredith, S. (2021, November 5). COP26 sharply criticized as the “most exclusionary” climate summit ever. CNBC. Retrieved February 2, 2022, from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/05/cop26-sharply-criticized-as-the-most-exclusionary-climate-summit-ever.html ^↩
3 Valencia, A. (2022, January 31). Ecuador oil spill affected protected area in Amazon, government says. Reuters. Retrieved February 3, 2022, from https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ecuador-oil-spill-affected-protected-area-amazon-government-says-2022-01-31/ ^↩
4 Team, B. R. C. (2021, November 12). Climate change: What are the big polluters doing to cut carbon emissions? BBC News. Retrieved February 3, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/news/58956714 ^↩
5 Mlaba, K. (2021, August 20). Greenwashing: What Is It and How to Avoid It. Global Citizen. Retrieved February 3, 2022, from https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/greenwashing-what-is-it-and-how-to-avoid-it/ ^↩
6 Stanton, A. (2022, January 26). What Is Slow Fashion? The Good Trade. Retrieved February 3, 2022, from https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/what-is-slow-fashion ^↩
7 Tullio, A. (2021, November 10). Gen Zs and Millennials Will Drive Growth of Plant-based Foods in the U.S. Over Next Few Years. The NPD Group. Retrieved February 3, 2022, from https://www.npd.com/news/press-releases/2021/gen-zs-and-millennials-will-drive-growth-of-plant-based-foods-in-the-u-s-over-next-few-years/^↩
8 NAACP. (2021, November 17). Environmental & Climate Justice. Retrieved February 3, 2022, from https://naacp.org/know-issues/environmental-climate-justice ^↩
9 Webber, J. (2022, January 5). Here Are Over 40 Ways Society Stepped Up For Animal Rights In 2021. Plant Based News. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://plantbasednews.org/opinion/the-long-read/animal-rights-2021/^↩
10 Webber, J. (2022, January 5). Here Are Over 40 Ways Society Stepped Up For Animal Rights In 2021. Plant Based News. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://plantbasednews.org/opinion/the-long-read/animal-rights-2021/^↩
11 EIA. (2022, January 21). EIA expects U.S. fossil fuel production to reach new highs in 2023 - Today in Energy - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). U.S. Energy Information Administrations. Retrieved February 6, 2022, from https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=50978 ^↩
12 COP26 Goals. (2021, October 26). UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) at the SEC – Glasgow 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2022, from https://ukcop26.org/cop26-goals/ ^↩
13 Bragg, J., Jackson, R. R., & Lahiri, S. (2021, June). The Big Con: How Big Polluters are advancing a “net zero” climate agenda to delay, deceive, and deny. Corporate Accountability. https://www.corporateaccountability.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/The-Big-Con_EN.pdf ^↩
14 IEA (2021), Renewables 2021, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2021^↩