USP Develops Interactive E-Book Focusing on Sustainability Initiatives

An interactive e-book that addresses issues about sustainability was developed by teachers, researchers, students and specialists who work in teaching, research and extension projects and activities aimed at discussing topics in this area. The project was coordinated by the Sustainability Laboratory (Lassu) of the Polytechnic School (Poli) of USP. The book deals with issues about the use of plastic and electronics, food, housing issues and other topics that permeate society and can be thought about both individually and collectively. Teresa Cristina Carvalho, professor at the USP Polytechnic School, explains the importance of the subject, which is a general concern. 

The e-book has seven chapters, which range from sustainability from a general point of view to more specific subjects, such as its relationship with fashion, food, electronic devices and society. 

Sustainability

The United Nations (UN) uses the following concept to define sustainability: “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. For Teresa, the agenda, which is often reduced to the idea of ​​preserving the planet, also addresses other essential issues that cannot be left aside. “There is no way not to combine the environmental issue with the social issue and even with the economic issue”, points out the professor. 

In this way, sustainability is thought through these three interconnected pillars: environmental, social and economic. When discussing environmental issues, for example, it is also necessary to think about social issues. “For example, if we contaminate the soil, if we contaminate the water, the first impact will be on humans”, he explains. 

Sustainable consciousness at different levels 

Sustainable actions developed at the individual level are not disconnected from actions carried out in cities and on a global scale. Teresa points out that there is excessive consumption of plastic by people, which is often not disposed of correctly or recycled. The city, the scenario in which people live, also needs to be structured to receive individual initiatives. The professor comments that, in some cases, there is a lack of support from cities to ensure the correct disposal of materials. 

In the case of the planet, Teresa comments that there is a flow of export and import of illegal waste in the world and this includes electronics. For the teacher, it is important that actions are taken at a global level.

According to Teresa, the objective of the e-book is for people to interact with multimedia material, which includes audio and texts to facilitate the study of sustainability. The idea, too, is to take a critical look at problems and what can be done. One of the topics covered, for example, is the issue of ultra-processed foods. “We increasingly consume ultra-processed foods, such as cookies. Sometimes, there is also some plastic residue in this food and we are not aware of it”, she explains. In this way, the book helps to elucidate topics that are not so clear and widespread.