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Finding Positivity in Sustainability:
Reflections of a Millennial Intern

Growing up in the socially aware and culturally diverse Bay Area, I have always been conscious of climate challenges and environmental mandates. My family composts, we own hybrid cars, and our shared calendar is from the Sierra Club. At college, too, I encourage recycling and find comfort in my monthly visits to Whole Foods. Yet I was unaware of the potential power of sustainability until this summer’s adventure with Sustainable Brands.

By Kelly Cook | Published 10 years ago | About a 2 minute read

Before working with Sustainable Brands, I failed to see any signs of sustainability in big business. Although I have always relied on big corporate suppliers for all sorts of products, I have often felt a sense of aversion or disrespect for these companies and saw their inherent goal of profit as simply destructive. Yet I continued to support this capitalist system I internally categorized as greedy and despotic. I was not all together pessimistic, but rather frustrated by a sense of futility in change and growth.

When I joined the Sustainable Brands team, however, my attitude completely shifted. As a volunteer at the SB ’14 San Diego conference in June, I was opened up to a world of corporate responsibility and sustainability teams. The collaborative sessions encouraged discussion between corporate and nonprofit, small and large business representatives. The attendees were devoted to pushing and helping each other find solutions to supply chain challenges or failed green marketing that would enhance sustainability and consider profit concerns.

In the office as well, I encountered sustainability successes across various industries. Shifts in economic thinking and management approaches reaffirmed the growing momentum for responsible development I had felt in San Diego. Sustainability efforts were no longer rare cases but increasingly the norm. Even CEOs and big-name executives were starting to advocate for sustainability and encourage holistic, responsible thinking.

My experience with Sustainable Brands has refreshed my appetite for more realistic change. Yes, climate change and unfair wages are still enormous challenges that will require a lot of focused effort to fix. Yet companies are increasingly devising business strategies that include responsible thinking because they are more aware of the social, environmental and, yes, monetary profits it generates. Coca-Cola, for example, recently launched its EKOCENTERs — solar-powered, self-sustaining kiosks that provide goods and services to impoverished, rural communities. Tapping into the future of sustainable vending machines, the EKOCENTERs both sell Coke products and offer safe drinking water and services such as Wi-Fi access. Innovative approaches such as EKOCENTERs clarify that sustainability is beginning to permeate existing modes of thinking.

I have realized that my initial tendency towards negativity is unsustainable. While criticism is essential for change, constant pessimism encourages stagnation because it engenders hopelessness. Growth requires channeling awareness of current challenges into constructive advice. Encouraging action and highlighting examples of success rather than drowning in panic and blame are crucial for increased sustainable progress throughout industries.