With the popularity of adopting waste solutions that cater to environmental sustainability, it’s no wonder that many misconceptions have popped up around doing so—not just about the sustainable waste solutions part, but around the concept as a whole. In other words, many businesses and executives within them believe things about sustainability that just aren’t true. This isn’t your fault or a moral failing; with any concept that comes into the mainstream conscience, the true nature of it is bound to get a little muddled. It’s sort of like a big game of telephone. As one person learns about the idea, when they communicate it to the next person, they accidentally leave out a bit of information, and so on and so forth, until what once was the truth becomes something entirely new—and maybe not entirely indicative of reality.
In shorter, more plain terms: as more people adopt an idea, its collective definition and nuances can change and vary. It could be said that this has happened with the term “sustainability.” Many businesses, both those that have adopted sustainable practices and those that haven’t, believe it to be a certain methodology, a rigid thing that either a facility is or isn’t. Some are stuck in a single definition of the word, failing to acknowledge that it has many more facets to it than meets the eye and that it isn’t always a black-and-white practice.
In addition to this, attitudes about sustainability have shifted and changed as the term has gained popularity. However, because, as we said above, definitions and nuance can change as an idea gains a following, these attitudes might be based on connotations that aren’t indicative of reality—hence why some businesses think that adopting sustainable practices is “too much work.”
Regardless of what your opinions are of the word, LJP Waste Solutions, as a waste disposal and waste recycling company, is here to set the record straight about sustainability. By providing sustainable waste solutions for years, we interact with the concept on a day-to-day basis and are experts on helping businesses put it into practice in a way that works for them. Below, we’ll address some common misconceptions about sustainability.
Primary Misconception: Sustainability Looks the Same for Every Business
While the sustainability ideal—that is, zero landfill—might be something many businesses aspire to, the reality is that sustainability is a practice. It’s a business actively putting the environment first day in and day out. Thus, because sustainability is something businesses do, not an abstract goal, it inherently must look different for every industry and every firm within that industry. A paper company, for example, might practice sustainability differently from, say, a cabinet manufacturer, but both can take actionable steps towards making sustainability of a higher priority in their practices. Both can reduce their environmental impact and work towards zero landfill initiatives, but the process, especially when it comes to the waste processing side of things, might look radically different.
With this idea in mind—that sustainability is practiced differently for every business—we have the knowledge base, we need to understand additional misconceptions.
● “Becoming a sustainable business is too much work.” Why? As we stated above, you’re free to practice the concept in your own way. If you’re worried that you’ll need to overhaul your waste processing in addition to overall company goings-on, we at LJP Waste Solutions can help with that. We’ve helped countless businesses embrace sustainability in their own way with our tailored waste processing solutions; let us do all the heavy lifting and auditing while you focus on sustainability from other standpoints.
● “Becoming a sustainable business is impossible with as big a company as I have.” Practicing sustainability doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing thing right away. Who says you’re not free to ease your way into it, adopting one new practice at a time? Holding yourself to an all-or-nothing, this-or-that way of thinking stops you from embracing any sort of sustainable practice at all. Remember, sustainability is a practice, and keep in mind that progress is still progress, no matter how small.
● “Even if I do practice sustainability in my business, it won’t make a difference.” If everyone thought like this, where would our planet be? Every small act when it comes to environmental sustainability matters to the Earth, the wildlife, and our communities. It’s only by acting in sustainable ways when we can that we can, collectively, work towards the brighter planet and future our children and grandchildren deserve. Nobody can fix all of the planet’s problems, but we all play our role in either acting against or contributing to them.
Contact LJP Waste Solutions for Personalized Sustainability Help
Our Mankato office would love to hear what you’re doing to practice sustainability, and we’d be even more thrilled to help you on the waste management front. Give our Mankato office a call now at 507-625-1986.