When thinking about what to do for this last project of NSC 491 I kept coming back to the question the class was presented with on day one: What do you think sustainability is and what is your connection with it? While I have gained significant knowledge about this topic and many definitions have been presented to the class by professors from diverse backgrounds, altering what I initially thought “sustainability” is, my reason and connection to the subject has remained the same. My love for this planet, and all the life that makes it the living organism it is, is my connection to sustainability and why it is necessary to consider.
The most pervasive definition we were given, coming from the Bruntland Commission, states that sustainability is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”. This definition seems logically thought out and effective in my mind. It is one thing to be fed a definition or formula and accept it, but understanding what it means and its pertinence is something different. The guest speakers, use of competency based assessment, assorted student backgrounds, and simply the structure of everyday class meetings has helped me gain that understanding.
In the comfortable lives that we live, it is sometimes difficult to realize that not all people, from our immediate community to the farthest reaches of the planet, are so lucky. While I have always tried to live with this understanding, being grateful for what is in front of me, one of the most important things this class has helped me become more conscious of is taking a step back and minute to think. Think holistically. Whether it is a good thing or not we are living in a globalized world where no one, no matter what continent you live on, what your race or ethnicity is, or what your culture values is all that far away. While I can turn on the faucet and let water steam into the sink’s basin, or value watering the lawn to keep up with the Jones’s, it cannot be forgotten that some people must make a daily pilgrimage for dirty water to survive another day.
Thinking holistically has also made me more conscious about how decisions that we make have a greater impact than the immediate outcome. Thinking in this systematic way allows for connections to be made that once seemed so distant. Everything we consume comes from somewhere and somehow made it to where it is now. How? Eating a burger we often forget about the forest that was chopped down to farm the cattle, and the fertilizers that are spilled into the soil to yield the most feed. We forget about the shipping which crosses great distances depositing pollutants into the air and pristine landscapes. When all things considered you begin to reconsider some everyday habits that day in and day out we mindless abide.
Holistic, systems thinking, also leads to wonder about why we do what we do. Every day we are faced with decisions and do our best to act in a manner we think is right and good; to act virtuously. Do we do what we need to do to obtain the happiness that Aristotle proclaimed the ultimate “good” of life? Or, do we only do what we think we need to do to bring happiness? Again, it becomes necessary to take that moments step back, look at our habits, and ask why we make that particular decision.
A concept regarding happiness that I have often struggled with, is what if in order for me to receive happiness I deny someone else that goal? Once more holistic, systematic, and sustainable thinking provides this answer. Someone else could very well be asking the same metaphysical question, and their reception of happiness could very well deny ME of it! This is why contract and community must be made between people, for while it may not be possible for equal opportunity for all, an attempt is the only sustainable thing to do. We currently have the ability to seek happiness, so how is it logical to act in fashions that deny future generations the same privilege?
In many places happiness, or even basic survival, do not allow for the “step back”. If day to day life is a struggle in itself, you may not be capable, or even realize the importance of sustainable thinking. This is why, to me, it seems a human obligation for those fortunate enough to not fear the morning to do what is possible for others to make it through another day, and even further to the future. This can be done in engineering a new source of fuel for a remote village, piping water to a desert community, or even throwing your plastic bottle in a recycling bin, riding your bike to class instead of driving, or asking if you really need to make that purchase. The little things may seem insignificant, but so also does a single brick in a house.
In our fast paced world, where cultural artifacts like ATM machines and drive through fast food windows constantly remind us of society’s expectations, it is easy to lose a connection with nature. We are so connected by our text messaging and email, but in an impersonal and seemingly forced way. The decline in civic engagement that has been substituted with video games and lonely personal contentment is a new social norm. We no longer know our neighbors, attend a public meeting, or simply take off our head phones for a chance to talk to someone at the bus stop. Studies show that in the 1950s people reported being happier than do so now, and while the present era definitely has more “stuff”, the lack of interpersonal relationships and civic engagement speaks loudly of a loss of cultural capital and personal happiness.
Writing a piece for a local paper; published or not; writing a letter of concern to a public official, read or not, still shows engagement and thoughtful attempt. Utilizing the power of thought and privileges we take for granted go beyond what most bystanders of today attempt, and make for a more worldly and passionate human being. When passion is gone, accepting the state at hand, a reason for sustainability is also lost.
So, why sustainability? Because the world is not on fire. There are reasons for concern and reasons change is necessary. There is inequality and bad habits that have spun out of control. Climate change is real and the rainforest is being depleted. Malaria does account for nearly one million deaths a year and AIDS even more. Resources are running out and if alternative methods to fuel the world are not found devastating outcomes will ensue. But - if the world is so bad, then why would it be worth sustaining? It is worth sustaining because there STILL IS GOOD. It is worth sustaining because as long as there are only a few polar bears left, there is still chance for life. As long as someone is still altruistic, others in need will be helped. There still lay landscapes that spiritually resonate an indescribable feeling. As long as dialogues take place ideas may be shared. Because as long as this unique and truly magnificent planet is enjoyed, there is every reason to sustain it for future generations to experience the adventure of life. Why sustainability? That is exactly why.