Sustainability is, in fact of three types: environmental, economic and social. Many definitions emphasise the environmental dimension, but what of the other two?

ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

It focuses on creating long-term economic growth without negatively impacting resources.

1. Companies can reduce their environmental footprint and save costs by recycling materials and reducing waste. In fact, there are good opportunities for entreprenership and new businesses in this field. 

2. Investing in renewable energy resources like solar and wind power reduces reliance on fossil fuels - the crude oil reserves in the world, on an average, will reportedly get exhausted in about 50 years from now. 

3. Governments should promote sustainable tourism that minimise environmental hazards, like Bhutan's high-quality yet low-impact approach.

4. Green building; using building materials and designs that reduce energy consumption and waste in the construction industry - an interesting example is that of the Bosco Verticale in Milan, two residential towers with 800 trees incorporated in their facade. 

SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

It focuses primarily on promoting well-being of people while fostering justice and social cohesion.

It includes the universal aspects of human rights, uniform access to resources, social inclusion, diversity yet engagement, and philanthropy, while maintaining sustainable development and being mindful of the consequences of their actions on the environment. 

LEGO earned the reputation of being the best company that prioritises corporate social sustainability; they undertook the initiative to sell pieces manufactured from plant-based plastics. 

As you can see, the lesser known two pillars of sustainability are majorly connected to the environment, and are therefore connected to each other. So the roots are in the environment; we keep the earth happy, and we keep ourselves happy.