What Is Sustainability?

Summary

Sustainability is about preserving resources for future generations by balancing environmental preservation, social equity, and economic viability—known as the 'three pillars' of sustainability. The term refers to practices that allow natural and human systems to endure without exhausting resources. Historically rooted in forestry, sustainability now encompasses a broader spectrum, aiming to address the challenges of environmental degradation and resource depletion. As human demand grows and the planet's ecosystems decline, sustainability emphasizes innovation and cooperation to secure a balanced and sustainable future for both people and the planet.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Sustainability is about preserving or maintaining resources for the long term.
• 🔄 It involves practices like recycling and using renewable energy sources to reduce resource depletion.
• 🌱 The term originated in 1800s Germany, focusing on managing forest resources for continuous use.
• 📚 Georg Hartig's definition emphasized using forests for maximum benefit without compromising future generations' needs.
• 🌐 The Brundtland Commission's definition from 1987 is widely recognized, emphasizing meeting current needs without compromising future generations' abilities to do the same.
• 🔁 The example of aluminum soda cans illustrates a shift from linear consumption to a cyclical, more sustainable model.
• 💹 Sustainability encompasses economic benefits, such as job creation and profit from recycling industries.
• 🌎 The 'three pillars of sustainability' include environmental preservation, social equity, and economic viability.
• 👥 Social equity in sustainability means fair treatment, especially in addressing global poverty and environmental exploitation.
• 🌳 Environmental preservation is a key pillar, focusing on protecting the Earth's ecosystems.
• 💼 Economic viability ensures that sustainability is not just environmentally friendly but also financially feasible.
• 🌟 Sustainability is seen as a critical conversation for society, essential for the survival and nourishment of future generations.

Q & A

What is the basic definition of sustainability?

Sustainability is the capacity to endure or continue, meaning a product or activity can be reused, recycled, or repeated without exhausting the resources or energy required to create it.

How is sustainability related to the environment?

Sustainability is related to the environment through the preservation of natural spaces, the use of renewable energy sources, and the reduction of resource depletion to maintain ecological balance.

What does the term 'three pillars of sustainability' refer to?

The 'three pillars of sustainability' refers to the interlocking factors of environmental preservation, social equity, and economic viability, which are all necessary for true sustainability.

What is the historical origin of the term 'sustainability'?

The term 'sustainability' first appeared in forestry studies in Germany in the 1800s, when forest overseers began managing timber harvesting for continued use.

How did Georg Hartig define sustainability in 1804?

Georg Hartig defined sustainability as utilizing forests to the greatest possible extent but in a way that future generations will have as much benefit as the living generation.

What is the widely quoted definition of sustainability from the Brundtland Commission?

The Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as meeting 'the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.'

Can you provide an example of sustainability from the script?

An example of sustainability is the recycling of aluminum soda cans, which has led to a billion-dollar recycling industry, created jobs, and reduced environmental impact.

How does sustainability address social equity?

Sustainability addresses social equity by ensuring fair and equal treatment of people and communities, particularly in eradicating global poverty and preventing environmental exploitation of poorer regions.

What is the economic aspect of sustainability?

The economic aspect of sustainability requires that human development depends on the long-term production, use, and management of resources as part of a global economy.

How does sustainability differ from environmentalism?

While environmentalism often focuses on the protection of nature, sustainability seeks to balance environmental, economic, and social interests, encouraging innovation that merges these interests rather than setting them in opposition.

Why is sustainability considered important in today's society?

Sustainability is important because it addresses the critical issue of managing limited resources and ecosystems to ensure the survival and nourishment of future generations amidst escalating global demands and environmental degradation.

Outlines

00:00

🌿 Understanding Sustainability

The first paragraph introduces the concept of sustainability, explaining its association with resource preservation and activities like recycling and renewable energy use. It provides a historical context, tracing the term back to 19th-century Germany and its evolution to the modern definition. Sustainability is defined as the capacity to endure, emphasizing the reuse and conservation of resources. The paragraph also discusses the three pillars of sustainability: environmental preservation, social equity, and economic viability, which are essential for an activity to be considered sustainable. An example of aluminum can recycling is given to illustrate the economic and environmental benefits of sustainability.

05:00

🌎 The Three Pillars of Sustainability

The second paragraph delves deeper into the three pillars of sustainability: Planet, People, and Profit. It discusses the importance of integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations for an activity to be sustainable. The paragraph highlights the influence of American environmentalism on the concept of sustainability and contrasts it with earlier debates that often pitted the environment against the economy. It emphasizes the need for coordinated innovation to balance environmental, economic, and social interests. The paragraph concludes by stressing the critical importance of sustainability in the face of declining natural resources and escalating demand, urging action for the preservation of the Earth and the well-being of future generations.

Keywords

💡Sustainability

Sustainability refers to the capacity to endure or continue, particularly in terms of environmental and resource management. It is about ensuring that current activities do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The video emphasizes that sustainability is not just about recycling or renewable energy but also about preserving natural spaces and managing resources wisely. For example, the script mentions how recycling aluminum soda cans has become a sustainable practice, reducing waste and conserving resources.

💡Renewable Energy

Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, are highlighted in the video as a key component of sustainability. These energy sources are sustainable because they are naturally replenished and do not deplete the Earth's finite resources. The video uses renewable energy as an example of how sustainability can be achieved by harnessing energy in a way that does not exhaust resources.

💡Natural Spaces

Natural spaces like rainforests and coral reefs are mentioned as areas that need to be preserved for sustainability. These ecosystems are crucial for biodiversity and provide essential services to the planet. The video underscores the importance of protecting these spaces to maintain the balance of the Earth's ecosystems and ensure their availability for future generations.

💡Recycling

Recycling is presented in the video as a practical example of sustainability in action. It involves reusing materials, thereby reducing the need for new resource extraction and decreasing waste. The video notes that recycling aluminum cans has become a significant industry, creating economic benefits while also conserving resources and reducing environmental impact.

💡Three Pillars of Sustainability

The concept of the 'three pillars of sustainability' is central to the video's message. These pillars—environmental preservation, social equity, and economic viability—are interdependent and must all be considered for an activity to be truly sustainable. The video explains that sustainability is not just about the environment but also about social justice and economic health, as illustrated by the need for fair treatment of people and communities and the requirement for economic feasibility.

💡Environmental Preservation

Environmental preservation is one of the three pillars of sustainability and is defined as the protection of the Earth's ecosystems and resources. The video stresses that sustainable activities must safeguard the environment to ensure long-term survival and nourishment. It gives the example of managing timber harvesting for continued use, which was an early application of the concept of sustainability.

💡Social Equity

Social equity is another of the three pillars of sustainability and involves treating people and communities fairly and equally. The video highlights the importance of eradicating global poverty and preventing the environmental exploitation of poor countries and communities. It suggests that sustainability requires a fair distribution of resources and opportunities, ensuring that all people benefit from sustainable practices.

💡Economic Viability

Economic viability is the third pillar of sustainability and is defined as the ability to sustain economic growth and development without depleting resources or causing environmental harm. The video explains that sustainability must be economically feasible, meaning that human development depends on the long-term production, use, and management of resources within a global economy.

💡Brundtland Commission

The Brundtland Commission is mentioned in the video as the source of one of the most widely quoted definitions of sustainability. Established by the United Nations in 1987, the commission defined sustainability as meeting 'the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.' This definition has significantly influenced the way sustainability is understood and pursued globally.

💡Environmentalism

Environmentalism is related to sustainability and is discussed in the video as a movement that advocates for the protection and restoration of the natural world. The video notes that environmentalism and sustainability have much in common, with sustainability often seen as an evolution of environmentalism. It also points out that while earlier environmental debates often pitted the environment against the economy, sustainability seeks to bridge this gap by finding solutions that balance environmental, economic, and social interests.

💡Resource Depletion

Resource depletion is a critical issue discussed in the video in the context of sustainability. It refers to the consumption of natural resources at a rate faster than they can be naturally replenished. The video emphasizes the need to address resource depletion to ensure the availability of resources for future generations and to prevent environmental degradation.

Highlights

Sustainability is about preserving or maintaining resources.

Sustainability is associated with recycling, renewable energy, and preserving natural spaces.

Sustainability means a product or activity can endure or continue without exhausting resources.

Biological systems like wetlands and forests exemplify sustainability by remaining productive over time.

Sustainability is about long-term resource preservation rather than quick consumption.

The term sustainability originated in 19th-century Germany in relation to forestry management.

Georg Hartig's definition of sustainability emphasized future generations' benefits from forests.

Sustainability now includes preserving natural spaces, wise resource use, and equitable distribution.

Sustainability seeks to balance societal growth with environmental protection.

The Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as meeting current needs without compromising future generations.

Aluminum soda cans exemplify a shift from linear to cyclical use of materials through recycling.

Recycling creates economic benefits, jobs, and reduces environmental impact.

Sustainability encompasses environmental preservation, social equity, and economic viability.

Sustainable activities must protect the environment, ensure social equity, and be economically feasible.

The three pillars of sustainability are Planet, People, and Profit.

Sustainability is influenced by historical and cultural views on nature in the United States.

Environmentalism and sustainability share common goals but sustainability seeks a more balanced approach.

Sustainability encourages innovation to merge environmental, economic, and social interests.

The future of our planet and its inhabitants depends on sustainable management of resources.

Sustainability is crucial for the survival and nourishment of future generations.

Transcripts

So what is Sustainability?

You’ve probably heard the term sustainability in some context or another.

Maybe you’ve used some product or service that was labeled as sustainable, or maybe

you're aware of some campus or civic organization that focuses on sustainability.

You may recognize that sustainability has to do with preserving or maintaining resources.

We often associate sustainability with things like recycling, using renewable energy sources

like solar and wind power, and preserving natural spaces like rainforests and coral

reefs.

However, unless you have an inherent interest in sustainability, you probably haven’t

thought much about what the term actually means.

This video provides a basic definition of sustainability.

Simply put, sustainability is the capacity to endure or continue.

If a product or activity is sustainable, it can be reused, recycled, or repeated in some

way because it has not exhausted all of the resources or energy required to create it.

Sustainability can be broadly defined as the ability of something to maintain itself.

Biological systems such as wetlands or forests are good examples of sustainability, since

they remain diverse and productive over long periods of time.

Seen in this way, sustainability has to do with preserving resources and energy over

the long term rather than exhausting them quickly to meet short-term needs or goals.

The term sustainability first appeared in forestry studies in Germany in the 1800s,

when forest overseers began to manage timber harvesting for continued use as a resource.

In 1804, German forestry researcher Georg Hartig described sustainability as “utilizing

forests to the greatest possible extent, but still in a way that future generations will

have as much benefit as the living generation."

So while our current definitions are quite different and much expanded from Hartig’s,

sustainability still accounts for the need to preserve natural spaces, to use resources

wisely, and to maintain them in an equitable manner for all human beings, both now and

in the future.

Sustainability seeks new ways of addressing the relationship between societal growth and

environmental degradation, which would allow human societies and economies to grow without

destroying or over-exploiting the environment or the ecosystems in which those societies

exist.

The most widely quoted definition of sustainability comes from the Brundtland Commission of the

United Nations in 1987, which defined sustainability as meeting “the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

As a quick example of sustainability, think about aluminum soda cans.

In the past, many soda cans were used and thrown away without a whole lot of thought.The

practice of throwing them away was unsustainable, since ready sources of aluminum are limited

and landfills and trash dumps were filling quickly with wasted cans.

Consequently, governments and private corporations began to recycle aluminum soda cans, and today

more than 100,000 soda cans are recycled each minute in the United States.

A billion dollar recycling industry has emerged, creating jobs and profits for the workers

and businesses employed in that enterprise, while at the same time using limited resources

more thoughtfully and reducing the impact on the environment.

The process has become cyclical rather than linear, resulting in the continued use of

materials.

But sustainability is about more than just the economic benefits of recycling materials

and resources.

While the economic factors are important, sustainability also accounts for the social

and environmental consequences of human activity.

This concept is referred to as the “three pillars of sustainability,” which asserts

that true sustainability depends upon three interlocking factors: environmental preservation,

social equity, and economic viability.

First, sustainable human activities must protect the earth’s environment.

Second, people and communities must be treated fairly and equally—particularly in regard

to eradicating global poverty and the environmental exploitation of poor countries and communities.

And third, sustainability must be economically feasible—human development depends upon

the long-term production, use, and management of resources as part of a global economy.

Only when all three of these pillars are incorporated can an activity or enterprise be described

as sustainable.

Some describe this three-part model as: Planet, People and Profit.

Our current definitions of sustainability—particularly in the United States—are deeply influenced

by our historical and cultural relationship with nature.

Many American thinkers, writers, and philosophers have focused on the value of natural spaces,

and those ideas contributed to the environmentalist movement that emerged in the second half of

the 20th century.

Grassroots environmental organizations like Greenpeace and the Sierra Club advocate for

the protection and restoration of nature, and they lobby for changes in public policy

and individual behavior to preserve the natural world.

Seen in this way, Environmentalism and sustainability have a lot in common.

In fact, some people think that our current conversations about sustainability are the

next development or evolution of environmentalism.

However, earlier environmental debates often pitted the environment against the economy—nature

vs. jobs—and this dichotomy created a rift between those supporting one side of the debate

against the other.

Many of the current discussions involving sustainability hope to bridge the gap by looking

for possibilities that balance a full range of perspectives and interests.

Sustainability encourages and provides incentives for change rather than mandating change, and

the three pillars of sustainability emphasize this incorporation.

Essentially though, sustainability looks for coordinated innovation to create a future

that merges environmental, economic, and social interests rather than setting them in opposition.

In some ways, sustainability is the most important conversation taking place in our society today.

The earth is our home, and it provides all of the things we need for our survival and

nourishment.

However, that home has limited resources, and our collective future will depend upon

the successful management and use of those resources.

We are living in a critical time, where global supply of natural resources and ecosystem

services is declining dramatically, while demand for these resources is escalating.

From pollution, to resource depletion, to loss of biodiversity, to climate change, a

growing human footprint is evident.

This is not sustainable.

We need to act differently if the world and its human and non-human inhabitants are to

thrive in the future.

Sustainability is about how we can preserve the earth and ensure the continued survival

and nourishment of future generations.

You and everyone you know will be affected in some way by the choices our society makes

in the future regarding the earth and its resources.

In fact, your very life may well depend upon those choices.