5.2 Rule 2

Every day, we create new substances or compounds—at such a rapid pace that they accumulate beneath our bubble and cause all sorts of problems for people, animals, and the environment. The same effect occurs with substances from the Earth’s crust: these substances accumulate under the bell jar (biosphere) and cannot be broken down or absorbed into our natural cycles. The strange thing is that we have actually studied very few of these substances for their long-term effects. Yet we allow these substances to be released on a large scale. As a result, these substances accumulate in both our ecosystem and our bodies.

What you can do to avoid breaking Rule 2

Duurzaamheidsprincipe 2 zegt niet dat we helemaal geen chemicaliën mogen gebruiken. Het is moeilijk om nu een samenleving te bedenken die zou kunnen functioneren zonder chemicaliën. Het gaat erom dat we er anders mee om gaan dan nu. Voorbeelden van oplossingen:

  • Reduce the number of chemical types, increase reuse or efficiency
  • Use biodegradable alternatives
  • Keep non-natural substances in closed cycles so they do not leak into the environment
  • Improve testing and assessment methods to better assess risks

Below are a few real-world examples.

Less packaging
Inspiration from nature
Fewer types of plastic
Modular design
By leading a healthy lifestyle, we reduce our use of medication
Make shoes from recycled materials
Use old fishing nets to make carpet tiles
Make bioplastic from fish waste
Use castor oil to make carpet
Eating organic food reduces pesticide use
By not eating meat, we can reduce the use of pesticides and antibiotics