by Telma Gomes*
 
Would you agree that people in general already got to the conclusion that our modern living style does not lead us to where we want to be? Yes, individually, we all want to live in a peaceful, just, balanced, healthy and happy world, but as a paradox, our actions and behaviors lead us to create more and more of what we don't want: violence, corruption, destruction, illness and depression.  "Why is that? Why do we collectively create results that nobody wants? What keeps us locked into old tracks of operating? And what can we do to transform these patterns that keep us firmly in the grip of the past?" - these four questions come from Otto Scharmer and Katrin Kaufer, in their book called 'Leading from the Emerging Future'. Their answer to these questions is about the difference from operating from an ego-system or an eco-system basis.
 
How then can we shift from the ego-system, where the 'self' is the center and the mindset of 'the more I have, the better', no matter if it is to the expense of something or somebody else, to the eco-system basis, where the self is benefited by the greatness of the whole?
 
The sustainability concept has been evolving within the last 50 years in an attempt to respond in a more proactive form to all of these questions and to the challenges we are actually facing ... extreme poverty, hate and discrimination, violence, climate change, unbridled consumerism, nature destruction, food waste on one hand and starvation, on the other hand.
 
It is urgent that we all understand the correlation between our actions and behaviors and the consequences that we don´t want. It is urgent to bring more education about how to sustain human life on planet earth indefinitely. It is urgent that we develop our creativity towards building a sustainable society.
 
The Sustainability Compass mobile app has been developed as one way to attend this demand to not only bring more awareness around sustainability but to inspire people to move from thinking to acting and even, moreover: Think Smart, Act Smart!
 
The way the Sustainability Compass found to be more effective is by using technology as a means to do that. We invite the user to reflect and plan strategically his/her projects and plans and then take more informed and appropriate action steps.

 
Why the Sustainability Compass app is unique:
 
- It is based on Science: the content is built upon two scientific based frameworks. First is the 4 sustainability principles, developed by The Natural Step founder, Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt plus more than 20 years of robust scientific research. Second is  Dr. Manfred Max-Neef’s “Human-scale development”, which defines the basic human needs;
- The app does not bring ready answers... instead, it brings important questions that will lead to reflect about aspects that maybe otherwise the user would not take into consideration in his/her mobile casino real money no deposit projects. The Canadian author Bob Willard writes about them: The questions gently help us realize that we w a n t to live more sustainably - that it is important to us";
- By downloading the app (either from the Apple store or from Google playstore), the user receives the Sustainability Card Deck that can be printed and used in many different group dynamics  and to inspire meaningful conversations;
- the app is available in four languages  -  English, German, Spanish and Portuguese - with the plan to expand to other languages.
 
In the next articles, you will learn how to make the best of the Sustainability Compass App: with the Sustainability Card Deck and also within a business context.
 
*Telma Gomes is a brazilian sustainability consultant living in Sweden. She owns Kaleydoscopio.