Sustainability: A balance between the environment, the economy, and society
At SPECTRAFORCE, the Sustainability Committee, ECOPHORIA®, seeks not only to educate others on environmental issues, but also to encourage them to live more sustainably. ECOPHORIA® initiates sustainable projects and leads environmental initiatives both inside and outside the work environment. Global sustainability is part of the culture at SPECTRAFORCE. “Sustainability is the ability of a society to make a conscious and responsible use of its resources, without depleting them or exceeding their capacity for renewal, and without compromising access to them by future generations.” (Coelho, 2019). With that said, we believe sustainability is a set of conditions that allow a balance between the environment, economy, and society. This is why environmental issues are of great importance to ECOPHORIA®, but also issues related to the economy and society, including issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion alike. With all that said, we want to bring attention to Juneteenth.
Juneteenth: Saturday, June 19
Juneteenth day, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day, is a federal American holiday that commemorates Texas’s abolition of slavery for all emancipated African American slaves on June 19, 1865. Juneteenth has been informally celebrated since 1865, but Texas was the first state to make it a state holiday in 1980. Its name is a mixture of the words “June” and “nineteenth”, to be celebrated on June 19th and referred to as the celebration Juneteenth. Most recently, the President of the United States made Juneteenth a federal holiday. While this day should not only be celebratory, it should also be a reminder of how far we have come and how far we still need to go. On Juneteenth day we learn more about our history and past, together, recognizing the human rights of all people, and respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion, without discrimination based on “race, color, sex, language, religion, national or social origin, economic position, birth, among others.” (La Constitución de Los Estados Unidos de América, 1787).
Human Rights and the Environment
Why do we talk about human rights when the focus of ECOPHORIA® is environmental issues? What is the relationship between these topics? The answer is: because a safe, clean and healthy environment is essential for the complete, proper, and fair enjoyment of the human rights of all people, without discrimination based on “race, color, sex, among others.” (La Constitución de Los Estados Unidos de América, 1787). Environmental Rights are as important as the other Universal Rights stipulated in 1948 by the United Nations in the document “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” (the document that stipulates what should be considered the standard of basic equality and human dignity). We all have the right to environmental protection!
Call to Citizenship
We invite citizens to build a fair world, where we educate ourselves not only to enforce our rights, but also to respect and value the rights, individuality, and diversity of all equally.
“To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.” – Nelson Mandela.
Resources:
Coelho, F. (27 de 05 de 2019). Significados. Obtenido de Significado de Sustentabilidad:
Kaur, H. (18 de 06 de 2020). CNN. Obtenido de Lo que debes saber del día llamado Juneteenth y por qué se habla tanto de eso ahora.: https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2020/06/18/lo-que-debessaber-del-dia-llamado-juneteenth-y-por-que-hay-tantos-hablando-de-eso-ahora/
La Constitución de los Estados Unidos de América. (1787)
Vázquez, L. G. (18 de 06 de 2020). as. Obtenido de Juneteenth Day en Estados Unidos: ¿qué es, cuál es el origen del nombre y por qué se celebra el 19 de junio?:
https://us.as.com/us/2020/06/18/actualidad/1592493513_679484.html
