Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we’re facing right now as a global community. It affects each and every one of us and if we don’t do anything about it, life on Earth is at threat. That might sound a little dramatic, but it’s true. Luckily, neo ecology offers an answer to this great challenge and is thus a megatrend worth considering when you are starting projects or are reflecting upon your life.
Neo ecology asks us to rethink our resources, our consumerism, and our interaction with the environment. We cannot keep on living the way we currently do; we need to think more sustainably and find new ways to recycle, share, and economize on what we have.
Opportunities of Neo Ecology
Many of the exponential technologies offer great solutions that will help us combat climate change in accordance with neo ecology:
- 3D printing allows us to break down printed products and remodel them into something else; and people can also print everything at home, thereby reducing shipping emissions.
- Nanotech and biotech enable us to make our materials and our resources more efficient and durable, so we can use less.
- Sustainable energy sources are getting exponentially powerful too, and soon we can make the switch to using only clean energy in our cities, on our streets, and in our homes.
This megatrend is also forcing companies and organizations to think and act greener, as customers and users are gaining more awareness around the topic and make more sustainable consumer choices. For some companies, the transition will be hard, which gives green startups a great chance to overtake the market.
In addition, we’re seeing movements of sharing grow: Car sharing, sharing economy, shared living, etc. all work towards decreasing our waste and superfluous materialism.
Challenges of Neo Ecology
One thing is for sure, neo ecology demands us to rethink our current lifestyles completely, especially in the Western World. Right now we’re consuming way too much in comparison to the number of resources Earth has to offer. This is clearly seen by Earth Overshoot Day. This day marks the date when our demand for ecological resources in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. Last year in 2020, it fell on August 22.
Consider what might happen when everyone on Earth enjoys the same life quality and poverty is history? If we’re not careful, Earth Overshoot Day will already fall in spring. Sustainability needs to be the guiding principle in everything everyone does. Only in that way a high level of the living standard can be possible for everyone without us ending life on Earth. For neo ecology doesn’t mean that we need to sacrifice more and enjoy our life less. It just means that our systems for production and consumption need to become more holistic.
What You Can Do
Neo ecology is a much-needed trend, and not something that is going away any time soon. Here are a few things you can do to support the trend and prepare yourself for its consequences:
- Put pressure on companies to make greener choices by supporting organic, plastic-less, and recycled/recyclable products.
- Think sustainably when you’re developing your own projects. It will probably increase your chances of success.
- Evaluate your habits and lifestyle and find ways to live greener, like biking, eating vegetarian more often, traveling by train, buying second-hand, sharing, etc.
Those might all seem like small things, but they add up – especially if everyone does it. Be the change, pirate – you’re a changemaker after all! 😉
Curious to learn more about this trend? Here is a video about neo ecology and how it will affect our normal lives.
