While analyzing sustainability and debating the differences between sustainable practices in countries across the globe, I cannot help but wonder about the sustainable practices of different cultures that are not seen first-hand but rather play out behind the scenes. Particularly, the practices of Indigenous communities and native communities of the East.
Indigenous communities have had a special relationship with nature since time immemorial. The practices of these communities must have promoted a closed-loop economy for nature to have thrived the way it has for centuries before the onset of colonization and the Industrial Revolution.
Indigenous communities have often performed regenerative farming. Rather than leeching the nutrients from the soil, regenerative farming promotes the proper distribution of energy and actually reduces the carbon emissions emitted during the process of farming (Viswanatha, 2021).
Other than farming practices of Indigenous communities, communities in the East also have histories of sustainable practices which have found their way into contemporary life. There can be many reasons attributed to the inclusion of such sustainable practices; particularly a variable like purchasing power. For those communities, who cannot afford new products all the time nor can they afford sustainable products retailed at a price premium; simple “homemade” sustainable products are their best bet.
India is the second-largest cotton producer in the world which is already an extremely sustainable textile. Interestingly, India is a pioneer in recycling and reusing old clothes and garments. Old saris and ‘kurtas’ are often restitched and repurposed to become long-lasting bags used for a variety of things (Ketki, 2021).
https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/from-a-saree-to-a-bag-recyclart–333125703679550057/
It is interesting to consider what would happen if these common practices found their way to the West and whether there would be an increased price point on these items as there so often is. In any case, “developing” nations have their own way of sustaining nature which often gets swept under the rug and I think we would all fare better if we adopted these practices to fit the Western environmental, social and economical context as well.
References:
Viswanathan, L. (2021, August 3). How indigenous sustainable farming practices mitigate the impacts of climate change. Indigenous Climate Hub. Retrieved February 3, 2023, from https://indigenousclimatehub.ca/2021/08/how-indigenous-sustainable-farming-practices-mitigate-the-impacts-of-climate-change/
Ketki. (2021, December 27). Sustainability Lessons from traditional Indian practices. Curiosity Saves the Planet. Retrieved February 3, 2023, from https://curiositysavestheplanet.com/sustainable-lessons-from-india-intro/
Hi Annesha,
I’m always interested in other countries’ sustainable practices, and thanks to your blog post, I know more now! For example, I like how people in India will use old clothes and garments and sew them into bags; this is simple, but not many people are doing them. Hopefully, we will be able to see these actions in the West, as you said. Looking forward to your next post 🙂
This is such an interesting topic!! It is really interesting to look at sustainability from a different perspective. In Europe our view is often Eurocentric and in America sustainability is often only viewed from their North American perspective, so I must confess that I am not very informed on what sustainability is like in other cultures and countries. I really enjoyed learning that India has a culture of repurposing old clothes into something new, who knows how many clothes could be saved from ending up in landfill if America and Europe started doing this.
This blog raises an important issue concerning Indigenous and aboriginal cultures in the East’s sustainable practises, which are frequently disregarded in debates about sustainability. These cultures have a special bond with nature and have been implementing environmentally friendly techniques for generations. Recognizing and learning from their behaviors is critical, especially as we try to construct a more sustainable future. It also raises the question of whether similar techniques might be implemented in the West and what the consequences would be. Overall, this post gives useful insights regarding the significance of recognizing and learning from sustainable behaviors in other cultures.