Whether making a presentation on campus or explaining to family members what it is that I actually do for a living, one of the questions I am asked most frequently is “What does ’sustainability’ mean anyway?” If I can remember it on the spot, I’ll spew out the oft-quoted definition of sustainable development from the Brundtland Report:
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
But that usually just leads to more questions, and sometimes more confusion. And it’s one of those dry definition that I don’t think quite does the term justice.
Although I’m generally not one to answer a question with a question, I often catch myself ditching the canned response and firing back: “What does it mean to you?” In the process, I’ve learned a lot about this all-encompassing term. To some it is about saving the planet from the perils of global climate change. To others it is about eating local, organic, and low on the food chain or protecting themselves and their families from the various toxins that can turn up in everything from deodorant to drinking water. Still others define sustainability as simply being part of a community and paying attention to personal relationships.
So what do I think it means? I used to spout off another textbook definition describing sustainability as the intersection of the the 3E’s – environment, economy, and equity (or equality). But I tend to see it more as the 3R’s (and I don’t just mean Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). For me It is about having RESPECT each other and our planet, taking RESPONSIBILITY for our own actions (and making responsible choices in everything we do), and understanding the many RELATIONSHIPS that take place in nature and society. If we can keep those three things in mind, I think we should all be in pretty good shape.
If you still aren’t sure what ’sustainability’ means, you are not alone. Just ask these people:
The rest of the story – and some possible examples of sustainability – can be found on the Sustainable Lawrence blog. But before you let anyone else tell you what they think, be sure to ask yourself what ’sustainability’ means to you.
David said,
August 27, 2008 at 8:58 pm
I find it interesting that so many people cannot define a simple term such as “sustainability.”
Sure, the word is used much more these days and more or less with a political tone relating to the environment, but that doesn’t change the meaning of the word.
To me it means, “The ability by one or more people to keep something, someone, or somewhere at a present or better state for an extended period of time.”
It doesn’t reference the environment, but I think that “sustainability” and “environment” are related these days anyways.
Vanessa said,
August 27, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Sustainability is making choices to better the environment while extending the life of our planet.