The past few days have grown my knowledge considerably in the supply chain and sustainability sectors. One of the most shocking things I’ve learned is how harmful certain activities are to the environment around us. Many companies are compromising our future due to incineration creating toxins that hurt both the planet and our health. Even the disposal of many products are being dumped in landfills, polluting the water and air. Recycling is a helpful activity but in the scope of things, it’s not enough to fix everything. As a whole getting rid of single-use items, ending fossil fuels, and striving for a zero-waste future is a priority. The idea of a closed loop system or a ‘crade-to-cradle’ approach eliminates waste all together and takes it a step further from ‘cradle-to-grave’ which simply focuses on eliminating less waste. Cradle-to-cradle is when waste is created by is designed to move to a new process, instead of discarding the waste is it used for something else. A cradle-to-cradle approach is effective because it drives economic growth, improves competitiveness, lowers costs, and increases resource efficiency all while promoting zero waste. Industrial symbiosis also focuses on sustainability while having a mutually beneficial exchange of waste and byproducts between three or more parties. One firms waste therefore become a useful product is another companies supply chain. Sustainability of a whole is all about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. There are things constantly moving through the system and there is few regard to what happens to all of it after use and the disposal process. It is a materials economy and a linear system on a finite planet. A linear system is difficult to do in the long term. The system as a whole is very difficult to manage which is why what happens after the products get used is so often disregarded. Sustainability is quite easy to incorporate into our everyday lives to make for a better planet and environment for all. Some of the most common ways to do this is by utilizing reusable products as opposed to single use products that use an excessive amount of plastic. Drinking out of reusable water bottles, metal straws, taking tubberware of food, and reusable food bags instead of plastic can be extremely helpful to the environment and making our current situation different for future generations.