* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
As the documentary The True Cost tells us, consumer choice can impact on how the entire fashion industry functions. The film exposes how the fast fashion business model has terrible consequences for millions of people down the supply chain and on the environment as well. But it is not all grim: when given viable alternatives – and inspiration – consumers will opt for ethical and sustainable fashion. Livia Firth, one of The True Cost’s filmmakers, envisions each of us to become an “active citizen through your wardrobe”.
The same applies to other facets of our everyday lives, be it food, transport, or energy. At Sustainia we have been inspired by the many solutions that enable individuals and communities to make sustainable choices. For instance, Tom Cridland created the 30 Year Sweatshirt as a durable alternative to conventional garments, while Too Good To Go make restaurant leftovers available to those who want to save food (and money). These solutions echo with, in particular, Goal 12 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. It is about “doing more with less”. The good news is solutions are already readily available for us to make better choices for the planet and its people.
Through the global initiative Sustainia Living, we aim to demonstrate and communicate that the SDGs are not just lofty aspirations, but also within reach. However, it will take each and every one of us to reach the goals by 2030. This is why we have created Sustainia Living to put a human face on the SDGs. We want to show how the 17 goals resonate individually with all of us through the everyday choices we make, and how our choices in turn drive innovation for a sustainable future.
While Sustainia Living is global in vision, it is also local in action. Based in Denmark – a country with a long record in favouring trust, solidarity, social engagement, as well as an eco-friendly lifestyle – Sustainia Living is the perfect “lab” to test out sustainable innovation and demonstrate the viability of this vision. Together with The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation (KADK), Realdania and Fashion 4 Development, we bring together leading businesses and initiatives to accelerate Denmark’s pace towards a sustainable future, thereby displaying the opportunities and possibilities of sustainable lifestyle – in the country and abroad. We have already seen the immense potential in Sustainia’s collaboration with KADK, where budding architects and designers are shaping the future towards sustainability, through designing for people's living space, as well as their lives and needs within.
Sustainia Living will kick off with a launch event on February 8th at the Royal Danish Opera House in Copenhagen. It will be an evening of inspiration, during which Danish and international pioneers like Livia Firth, Claus Meyer and Connie Hedegaard will share stories of how sustainable innovation opens up new opportunities. A number of partners will join us, including UN Global Compact, Accenture, Danish Design Centre, Danish Fashion Institute, Danfoss, GRUNDFOS, NATURLI’, ROCKWOOL, AART Architects and BASF, who all help foster sustainable development within their respective industries.
Join us on our journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle, and together we can innovate a sustainable tomorrow – starting by making sustainable choices today.
