Why Sustainability Is Missing the Real Problem | Chetan Solanki | TEDxIIM Bangalore

The speaker, a professor, introduces the concept of sustainability, emphasizing that the complete story is often missed. He shares his personal journey, having left his job and home in 2020 to travel the country by bus, aiming to make the world truly sustainable. He quotes E.F. Schumacher: "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." He then poses questions to the audience, asking if humanity is making things bigger, more complex, and more violent, and thus behaving like "intelligent fools." He asserts that modern humans are the "most stupid animal ever existed on this planet" and seeks to explore where we are going wrong with sustainability. The speaker highlights a critical imbalance: while AI, computer technology, and mobile technology are growing, essential elements for human survival like air, water, and soil quality are degrading. He questions whether this situation represents modernity or stupidity, concluding that "there is terribly wrong in this world." He contrasts modern definitions of sustainability with traditional village life, where everything was produced and consumed locally, using local materials, without ever being labeled "sustainable." In contrast, today's "sustainable" buildings are often glass facades, energy-intensive, and air-conditioned, certified by various ratings. He argues that this modern definition of sustainability has forgotten to account for something crucial. The speaker notes that since moving from his village to cities and eventually to Europe for his PhD, there has been a significant focus on innovation and efficiency. Terms like "circular economy," "net zero," and "decarbonization" are prevalent. While policies and technology development are important, he believes these terminologies give a false assurance that we can continuously grow while simultaneously taking care of the environment. He states that this approach is not working; while we are growing, we are failing to protect the environment. This leads to a "wrong signal" that we are living sustainably, missing a vital part of the story. The consequence of this oversight is evident in worsening global warming and climate change, with increasing floods, droughts, heatwaves, forest fires, ice melting, and sea-level rise. He asserts that our understanding of sustainability is flawed; we haven't told the right story. He emphasizes that the stories we tell our children shape future generations and questions if we are telling the complete and correct story of sustainability. The speaker defines truth in Indian philosophy as something that does not change with time. He argues that the human body and buildings are "untruth" because they change and decay. However, 2+2=4 is truth, as it remains constant regardless of economic growth. He then presents a crucial truth for sustainability: while science, technology, and economy can grow, the planet itself, its minerals, and its soil are not growing. Everything we use comes from the planet. He challenges the audience to explain how the number of clothes, cars, and buildings can be growing if the planet and its resources are finite. He concludes that this is "mathematically impossible" because humans cannot create extra atoms. This "finiteness of the planet and its resources" is the missing part of the sustainability definition. He draws an analogy to personal finance: when our salary is fixed, our expenses are fixed. Similarly, we intuitively understand the finite capacity of a cupboard or a hall. Yet, we fail to apply this understanding to the planet, conveniently forgetting its finiteness and violating it daily through increasing consumption, which he deems "mathematically physically impossible." The core message is that on a finite Earth with finite resources, our consumption can only be finite. Science, technology, policy, and economic growth cannot overcome this fundamental truth. He encourages the audience to repeat this mantra: "On the finite Earth, with finite resources, we can only have finite consumption." He stresses that this applies to "my consumption" and "all of us" in every daily act, from brushing teeth to using AC, as every consumption results in carbon emissions. Currently, humanity is consuming resources equivalent to 1.8 Earths. To live sustainably, we must reduce our consumption to one Earth, which means cutting it roughly by half. He argues that this reduction doesn't require policy, technology, or investment, but rather a conscious choice to "not do something." He links this to the concept of "deep meditation" in India, where the greatest joy comes from doing nothing. This understanding forms the basis of the "finite earth movement," aiming to bring this simple truth to 8.3 billion people: the planet and its minerals cannot grow, so consumption must be finite. He adds another reason for finite consumption: while individuals can grow their income and capacity to buy, nature cannot keep supplying more. He asks the audience to adopt the mantra: "I can afford, but nature cannot." The speaker introduces a three-step sustainability framework: 1. **Understand consumption:** He explains that even a simple act like brushing teeth involves a complex chain of manufacturing, packaging, transport, energy use, and resource extraction (for water, pipes, ceramic, mirror, electricity), all leading to carbon emissions. He created "consumption literacy" training to help people understand their consumption patterns. 2. **Understand what to do:** Recognizing overconsumption, he emphasizes focusing on the root cause: energy consumption and carbon emissions. He introduces a character called "Tupi" representing a 360-degree approach: * **T**ravel less * **U**se items wisely * **P**urchase cautiously * **E**at carefully * **E**liminate electricity waste Each category contributes 20-25% to global carbon emissions. 3. **Understand how to do it:** He provides an "action filter" or "design filter": * **Avoid** what is avoidable: For example, avoiding summer vacations to the Himalayas, which can result in significant carbon emissions (10,000 km travel for a family = 2,000 kg CO2 = cutting 2-3 trees). Also, avoid packaged food (one Swiggy order = 1 kg CO2). * **Minimize** if avoidance is not possible: Achieve this through efficiency, combining activities, and cooking locally. * **Generate locally/Eat seasonally and regionally:** Avoid foods like dragon fruit from China, which have vast carbon footprints. The speaker concludes that true sustainability is not about continuously doing more, or even doing things more efficiently and innovatively. It is about "learning how much we can do" and aligning ourselves with nature. He warns that if we fail to live within the planet's boundaries, humanity could face extinction like the dinosaurs. Sustainability is about aligning with nature, following the truth that 2+2=4 in real life, and understanding that on a finite Earth with finite resources, our consumption must be finite. He urges everyone to consider whether "nature can also afford what you are going to afford