stripping down sustainability

The main force behind this blog is the current ECOdemic - the infiltration of the "green" movement into so many aspects of our society today, especially the arts, the media, and the market. But with so many catch phrases and definitions associated with the word "green," before I get this blog rolling I think it's important that I step back and define what the concept of sustainability means to me.

Sustainability: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

This is the general definition crafted by the 1987 World Commission on Environment and Development (also known as the Brundtland Commission). The definition is broad and general, and can be interpreted in a number of ways.

One of the greatest misconceptions about sustainability is the perception that it is a purely environmental agenda, one that requires sacrifice of higher standard of living. In actuality, the concept of sustainability is often broken down into to 3 parts - economic, environmental, and social sustainability, which interact in sustainable development.


Sustainability requires change, not sacrifice; it is a new quality of life. It is not necessarily a goal to reach or an ultimate outcome, because it deals with the most dynamic processes: human society and our natural resources.

Rather, sustainability is a way of being, a recognition of the interdependency of humans and the earth, and humans ourselves. Sustainability is a part of this ideology built on the idea of interconnectivity, a philosophy allows the individual to view herself not as her own entity, but rather as a unique component of her society and her environment, each of which work to shape her as well.

Today being "green" is sexy, it's fun, it's cool, and it's getting easier every day - the trick is to continually think critically about the different "shades" of green. Because in a society born out of raw individualism, creating a culture of sustainability is going to take a massive transformation of our current way of life, and the values and norms by which we measure our standard of living.

The question is, is a "green" fad going to send us in the right direction, or does spreading the idea of sustainability through consumerism and popular culture contradict its inherent purpose?