Movement Profile
Doing good can be difficult when the solution to one problem causes another. The magnitude and extent of the challenges ahead are slowly being recognised, and solutions are being implemented sporadically. In theory a commendable effort, but in reality the sporadically, localised, and far too narrowly targeted resolutions are adding insult to injury in the big picture. We can see this in how we, in the EU, are using first-generation biofuels to meet renewable energy targets. While trying to reduce CO2 emissions we cause hunger in developing countries, as more and more land is being used to produce maize for biofuels. Our approach to tackling problems needs to be far more holistic, to consider social, environmental and economic aspects together. This way, the solutions will be long-lasting instead of just serving as stop-gaps.
This vision, of creating truly sustainable solutions through a more holistic approach, is the key foundation of SustaIN – an independent, non-profit NGO based in Aarhus, Denmark. If that is to happen, politicians cannot be able to get away with simplified solutions and populist rhetoric, because citizens do not yet understand the complexity of the issues and the implications of the solutions being proposed. That is why SustaIN’s primary activity is to educate the public about these matters in ways that engage and motivate people through the vision of a better future.
To do this, we need to rethink the idea of the good life. We shouldn’t just buy into the idea that the good life equals a higher level of consumer spending, but rethink what really matters to us, and then dare to build a vision of a better future on this vision. Our cities are unhealthy to live in, stress is a disease, mass unemployment is raging and biodiversity is being destroyed along with wild nature by the current approach to agriculture and urban development. SustaIN argues that it does not need to be this way – if we start by believing things could be different. From there, we can take the next step of actively involving ourselves in political discussions, community initiatives and changing our own lifestyles.
Promoting citizen involvement
With a lifespan of only a year and a half so far, SustaIN is a novice in the field. However, what the organisation lacks in age, it makes up for in drive, and with its immense network, it can be hard to detect the novelty. We are growing at a rapid pace, expanding in several different directions.
Basically, our objective is to facilitate action that improves impacts on environmental, social and economic issues. And how do we manage that? Mainly by increasing awareness about these issues and ensuring that citizens are involved and informed about their own role.
SustaIN is mainly run by volunteers, and it is their involvement and passion for the cause that make it possible to reach the required audience. More than 30 volunteers are currently involved in different aspects of the organisation, and they do not take their commitment lightly.
SustaIN’s primary way of increasing awareness is through the annual Sustain Festival Aarhus, a sustainability festival that focuses on involving citizens in the movement and informing them about sustainable alternatives. Here, sustainable businesses have a direct way of getting their products out to the consumer and networking with each other.
Citizens can gain insights into sustainable development and learn how to achieve a more sustainable lifestyle. The festival includes swapping and second-hand markets, concerts, exhibitions, workshops, documentary film screenings, seminars, lectures, debates, sustainable fashion shows, B2B conferences and the Aarhus Sustainability Entrepreneurship Award Show. The diversity of activities makes the festival attractive for many different types of people to participate, which increases citizen involvement.
A specific way we promote citizen involvement is a workshop during the festival, conducted in collaboration with the organisation Sager der Samler. Here, citizens divide themselves into groups and come up with ideas for how to make their local community more sustainable – from shared toolsheds to better bike paths. After the workshop, we provide office space and guidance on how to make these ideas work in reality.
A need for sustainability
SustaIN’s rapid growth is an indication of the importance of our mission. SustaIN currently consists of four full-time employees and about 30 volunteers, with considerably more during the festival. They are ambassadors for the organisation, and they recognise the fact that people want to live more sustainably, as long as it does not negatively affect their quality of life. And that is what SustaIN is all about – meeting people on their own playing field.
At SustaIN, we don’t use finger wagging. We don’t blame people when we talk with them, but try to make them see the positive effects of making their lifestyles more sustainable. We need radical change, but we also need to start somewhere. A great way to get citizens involved is to show them how accessible sustainability can be. To aim for ordinary people, we catch their interest and rely on them to engage their own networks. We do not expect people to commit fully to new ideas they encounter for the first time. If you foist too much on them, they will jam the brakes. For example, if you tell Peter, who has never exercised before, that he has to run a marathon, he probably does not see the point, and will not start running at all. But if you slowly show him the advantages and joys of physical exercise, he might end up running a half marathon, which is much better than nothing.
We ease people into the lifestyle by giving them the opportunity to join us at the festival for a fun and educational experience. They can take home with them whatever will work in their daily lives. This way, they don’t feel pressured, which makes it more likely for them to continue down the sustainable path.
Furthermore, there truly is a need for businesses to think outside of the box, to invent new sustainable initiatives for the challenges ahead. But it can be difficult to rethink something that is already firmly rooted in society. SustaIN is involved in generating motivation for entrepreneurs and businesses that want to have sustainability as their main focus. Through its business network, SustaIN facilitates networking possibilities and professional discussions that assist in developing ideas and making their products more widely known.
Making a difference
Though SustaIN is still relatively new, the festival is already well known. It has many participants, and since SustaIN has a franchise model that enables others to use the concept and name, several other Danish cities have conducted sustainability festivals of their own. The influential businesses that SustaIN collaborates with have made an impact, as have the powerful supporters and proponents. Among these are Jakob Bundsgaard, Mayor of Aarhus, and Jens Joel, EU and international climate spokesman and member of the Danish Parliament. In 2013, then-environmental minister Ida Auken visited the festival. The support of powerful figures, attendance at the festival and the media coverage that follows make it impossible for Danish politicians not to know of SustaIN and our objectives. It shows decision-makers that Danes want sustainability to be put on the political agenda.
In 2013, the festival’s keynote speaker was Michael Braungart, co-author of Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things and an internationally recognised sustainability advocate. His interest in the festival drives home the significance of SustaIN’s work and the opportunities we create. Braungart’s participation increased the festival’s visibility in the international community, giving SustaIN an even better opportunity to involve citizens in sustainability.
SustaIN keeps on evolving. This year, we are expanding the festival concept by taking it on tour nationally. During the summer, several Danish cities will have their own Sustain Festival for the first time. And that is not all. In the future, we hope to expand the festival even further to include several cities all across Europe, collaborating with local initiators.
Quotations:
“I think the Sustainability Festival is quite fantastic, because it is a part of telling the good story of why sustainability is good. It is a part of celebrating life instead of blaming us all and giving a bad conscience, and it focuses on solutions and opportunities. So a positive message which is a part of moving the world – that is something I fully support.”
– Ida Auken, Danish Minister for the Environment
“Sustainable entrepreneurship is completely vital for … the service and the welfare we would like to have, can go hand-in-hand with a sustainable world. Therefore I welcome the initiative from the Sustainability network very much.
– Jakob Bundsgaard, Mayor of Aarhus
“Thank you for doing this!”
– Michael Braungart, co-author of ‘Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things.
Tags: Movement Profile