What is Sustainability?

The Hidden Value of Shoveling Snow...

Yesterday morning while shoveling 30 inches of snow off the back deck amid visions of palm trees and sunshine, I began thinking about my next blog post. My thoughts ran deep like the snow as I realized there are so many things I would like to write about—green homes, green living, sustainable lifestyles, and cultural dynamics in business, how to solve the real estate crisis, social entrepreneurism, sustainable business models, evolution, education, and the list goes on. But how and where to begin, I wondered and which topic should be first? And most importantly should there be a method to the madness or should I just take off and see where it all leads me.

Yes and Yes were my answers.

When I recognized recurring words and themes in my posts ideas I decided it may be wise to start with some general definitions of a couple of important terms. Even if my definitions are wrong, I thought, I would at least have some clarity and perhaps even continuity of thought and reasoning in my posts that would eventually follow. There were two ideas at the top of my list—Sustainability and Green.

So later in the day when I was back inside all cozy and warm, I set out to ask the following three questions:

1. What is ‘sustainability’?
2. What is ‘green’?
3. Why should anyonecare? (Not a term but a natural question to ask after the first two!)
   

Great questions—probably more than one blog post can adequately cover so I’ll start with sustainability. First, let me say that my perspective on these issues is exactly that—my perspective. I certainly do not claim to be the authority on these topics although I do believe I have reasonably good understanding that’s expanding more every day. I invite the reader to contribute their own thoughts, ideas and/or feedback on the definition of sustainability.

Many people use the term sustainability interchangeably with green, as in ‘living green’ to preserve environmental resources, etc. I must admit that I was one of them for a while. But as I explored deeper I began to realize that the subject of sustainability has considerably more depth than green. Exploring its meaning is like pealing an onion with each piece leading to another piece. But this is not an ordinary onion. I have come to realize that it is a bi-directional onion (what a concept!) in that the trail leads both inward and outward. I’ll come back to that later.

Sustainability as a stand-alone word is a broad and general term making reference to the capacity of a system to endure in the midst of its own ever changing maze of subsystems. A system is sustainable when a steady state of optimal balance is maintained both within and between its subsystems. This balance preserves the primary system as a whole along all of its subsystems so as to ensure its overall continuance.

When we look at the world as a system, we see that there are countless subsystems—ecosystems, environmental systems, biological systems, economic systems, cultural systems, social systems, etc. All of these subsystems come together to make the world what it is. So a world system is sustainable if and only if the individual and collective subsystems are sustainable. In other worlds, a sustainable world is a nested array of sustainable subsystems built one upon the other.

In simpler terms a sustainable world is a continuous world.

It is generally agreed that there are three key dimensions of sustainability: social, environmental and economic. This is a useful model because it simplifies the nesting of subsystems within other subsystems as alluded to in my earlier description above. The vast majority of the world’s subsystems fit into one of these three groups.

Thus, sustainability is about simultaneously giving weight to each of the three groups and taking care that desirable results in one do not lead to undesirable consequences in another. The concern is that an imbalance for any duration could somehow compromise the stability of the greater whole.

A socially just, environmentally sound and economically stable world is a sustainable world with regard to the human experience. The activities and outcomes within each are mutually beneficial to the activities and outcomes in the other. The net result is preservation of the world as a whole for the common good and continuance of present and future generations.

A common phrase used to capture this concept is ‘the triple bottom line.’ The triple bottom line makes way for credible scientific rigor that can guide critical decision making which can then help guide and manage human activities. This makes the triple bottom line a useful model for aligning our intellectual knowledge and understanding with real world practices.

In practical terms, sustainable living strives to keep social, economic and environmental issues, strategies, policies, processes, technologies, and human forces within some degree of harmony and balance of one another. And this is true for any type of activity, event, product or business.

In conclusion, sustainability is not an option if we humans are to stay in the game. We must either figure it out or be prepared to get out.

Okay, I admit I may have gone off the deep end here a little—or not. I suppose it depends on your perspective. The definition I’ve laid out here may also be viewed by some as an over-simplification of something that is very complex. Regardless, it’s amazing what can come to you while shoveling snow. I can only imagine what value may be waiting for me when I finally get around to cleaning out the garage!

To be continued on another day provided there is one.

If you've read this far you must be interested in the subject. Please post your thoughts on sustainability if you feel moved to do so. Any and all comments or feedback are most welcome.

Toward a better world,

john