Understanding sustainability

Through my professional and personal experience, I have come across several conversations and exchanges of thoughts that suggest a great deal of interest in sustainability. While a few have talked about their vital contributions, others have expressed their willingness to contribute.

On the other hand, I have also come across many individuals who think commercial, act commercial and stay commercial. These discussions clearly validate the fact that people need to be more aware of the vital role sustainability plays in our lives.

Of late, the terms "sustainable development" and "sustainability" are randomly used across different industries. It's almost a buzzword, a corporate mantra. We hear about sustainability, sustainable development, sustainable growth, sustainable agriculture and the most exciting of all - sustainable communities - bandied in various communications.

Adoring the date palm

The concept of sustainability is not new to us. Our community in the UAE and the GCC has demonstrated its commitment towards sustainability since time immemorial. To give you an example - I am sure you'd agree with me that it is impossible not to find a date palm tree in the front or backyard of a UAE national's house. Have we ever asked ourselves why we adore the date palm so much?

I remember when my father shifted his date palms from the old house to the new, I asked him why he did that when he could have bought a fresh lot. He answered: "I bought these palms as saplings and I have spent much of my time and resources to raise them and see them produce dates for us. I cannot just walk away and leave them; they are a part of me."

I prodded him about what was so special about the trees. He said: "They are a part of our lives and culture. It is one of the few trees that is used for multiple purposes; each of its parts serve a purpose. Whether it's the fruit or a branch, nothing is wasted." I still remember the days when my father used to spend more than half an hour everyday talking at great length to the trees and thanking the Almighty for blessing us with them.

My father and all his forefathers believed in using every possible derivative from the date palm. I would advise the younger generation to read more about this tree and its link to our past.

This example illustrates our attitude towards sustainability. Our ancestors have shown how they lived their lives in harmony with nature or in other words, in a sustainable manner.

It's time we took a few leaves from their book and revive the concept once again. I request all local municipalities and farm houses not to waste the date palm tree, or any of its components. It is painful to see ripe dates getting squashed by feet, or vehicles, on the streets.

In order to understand sustainability and sustainable community concepts, we need to understand the meaning of some of the terms such as sustainable development, sustainable community, and sustainable community indicators. We need to realise that our professional or personal concerns are linked to other issues in ways we may not have imagined before. We need to be inventive, or innovative, in making use of those indicators to help move a community towards sustainability.

To begin with, we need to believe in the basic concept that we as human beings are at the centre of all sustainable development that is taking place around us. Comprehending this principle will help us understand our roles and responsibilities as individuals and communities.

In a businessman's jargon, every activity needs to have an indicator. In this regard, sustainable communities need indicators as well. Therefore, by using indicators to measure sustainable development and sustainable communities, we can alter our perspective of the world. This, in turn, can change the way we recognise problems and resolve them, and help us develop new habits that will improve our communities.

We need to understand that sustainability is not really an 'environmental' movement; it is a people's movement as a community. It is a concept that underscores our role in the ecosystem. We need to learn how to integrate our economic and social lives into the environment in ways that maintain and enhance the world rather than degrade or destroy it.

Ali Bin Towaih is the Director of Energy and Environment Park (ENPARK).