Our Values: Part 1 - Sustainability
Value 1: Sustainability - Live in a way that doesn’t negatively impact the earth
Able Coffee Roasting’s values (sustainability, authenticity, and inclusion) are the foundation of what our company is built on. This post will take place in a series of three parts to dive deep into what is important to us. I will explain what our values mean, why I chose these particular concepts to be the base of Able Coffee Roasting, and how they may apply to you. Today we are touching on Part 1: Sustainability.
What is sustainability?
Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the resources available for future generations to survive. There are three pillars to sustainability: social, economic, and environmental. This means in order to be successfully sustainable, the subject needs to be socially accepted, economically viable, and has a low environmental impact.
For example, if someone said, “New York City uses too many resources, shut down the power throughout the city for a day,” it would be environmentally friendly, but would have a negative social influence for people who live there and a negative economic impact on businesses trying to stay open.
Here’s a photo of New York City’s busy streets. Imagine what would happen if they were empty and without power. It’d be quite eerie!
Even though something can be environmentally friendly, doesn’t mean it is truly sustainable. Here at Able Coffee Roasting, we work to fulfill all three pillars of sustainability: making our services environmentally friendly, financially suitable for customers, and having a positive impact on the communities we interact with.
Why did I choose sustainability as a value?
I have a passion for helping people and nature. As an Environmental and Ecological Engineering alumni from Purdue University, I have dedicated my life to providing the world with solutions to create a healthier and safer earth now and for the future.
I started my college career by studying civil engineering. I soon realized that my desire to help the greater good would not be fulfilled by designing bridges. During the first week of Junior year, I quickly took action to switch my major after this realization. At the time, I felt as if my world had been flipped upside down by my hasty direction; however, I’ve never been so sure that it was one of the best decisions I have made in my life.
Here’s a photo of how happy I was on my graduation day! I graduated with a major in Environmental and Ecological Engineering and a minor in Environmental Science.
Sustainability is a relevant challenge that the entire globe is facing and will continue to face for generations to come. Often, I see the media complaining about microplastics and the use of fossil fuels; however, those topics are just a symptom of a bigger issue. I believe that the biggest environmental threat is education and motivation. Able Coffee Roasting has been created to educate and motivate people, their children, and their grandchildren about how they can take action for a better world.
How does sustainability apply to you?
Referring back to the 3 pillars: social, economic, and environmental, these three aspects of sustainability take part in everyone’s daily life. For something to be truly sustainable it needs to be socially accepted by you, financially feasible for you, and beneficial to the environment.
Not only does sustainability impact our health, safety, and wellbeing today, but the definition states, “future generations,” which indicates that our children and our children’s children will face the challenge of sustainability, as well. It is a challenge that the world will be faced with for a long time.
Sustainability may also apply to you because you’re a good person and you want to do some good in the world! Making the decision to live a sustainable life not only benefits you, but helps those around you. By taking simple eco-friendly decisions, you are helping others live a better life.
Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the resources available for future generations to survive.
Overall, we value sustainability and we believe you should too! I’ve made it my life’s mission to help the world be a better place to live and I’d like you to join me in that mission. Please let me know in the comments how you incorporate sustainability in your daily life or how sustainable issues have personally impacted you. Until the next update, let’s keep making a difference!
