Sustainability - living in such a way so that one's needs are met without compromising the planet, other human beings, and our humanity.
How does this look in the lives of those living in the cities, the burbs, and the small town? How does this look in my life?
I live in a single-family unit with a yard in a suburban subdivision outside of town. Maybe that explains why I've gone to the Web to find a definition for sustainability.
Suburban neighborhoods are the essence of what isn't sustainability. Let's take a peak, shall we?
1. Garages - Nothing hurts my sense of frugality than a garage packed with abandoned goods someone, sometime thought was a good idea to spend hard earned money on.
2. Lawns - Barbara Kingsolver says it best "Cities there [in Arizona] function like space stations, importing every ounce of fresh water from distant rivers or fossil aquifers." Using this precious water for the vanity of lush green lawns is heart breaking.
3. Vehicles - In Phoenix, even bike commuting enthusiasts like myself sit behind the wheel of a gas-guzzler way too often in order to remain connected and, often, in order to live the status quo life that's been handed to us.
4. Obesity- It's usually due to lack of vigorous activity and an abundance of fast, fried foods. Not only is the sustainability of the person at risk, but it's indicative of the habits that risk the sustainability of the Earth.
Most people seem to busy with families, children, hobbies, bills, and work to worry about whether or not their habits, desires, and lifestyle is sustainable for the planet. But I am convinced this is just a facade.
If the Green Movement has shown anything, it's that people do care. Or rather, they want to care.
In the end, practicality and animal instinct are the enemy.
It seems more practical to buy the cheap brand rather than the Green brand, to eat the chicken just like "everyone else" so as not to inconvenience others, to take 20 minutes to drive some place rather than the hour and a half to bike there.
Consumerism is really just an extension of animal instinct. Building our nest and making it bigger and better is not an artificial urge; it's how we're programmed.
The solution is vision, a vision of sustainability that merges practicality and a long-term investment in family, community, and planet.
I live in a single-family unit with a yard in a suburban subdivision outside of town. Maybe that explains why I've gone to the Web to find a definition for sustainability.
Suburban neighborhoods are the essence of what isn't sustainability. Let's take a peak, shall we?
1. Garages - Nothing hurts my sense of frugality than a garage packed with abandoned goods someone, sometime thought was a good idea to spend hard earned money on.
2. Lawns - Barbara Kingsolver says it best "Cities there [in Arizona] function like space stations, importing every ounce of fresh water from distant rivers or fossil aquifers." Using this precious water for the vanity of lush green lawns is heart breaking.
3. Vehicles - In Phoenix, even bike commuting enthusiasts like myself sit behind the wheel of a gas-guzzler way too often in order to remain connected and, often, in order to live the status quo life that's been handed to us.
4. Obesity- It's usually due to lack of vigorous activity and an abundance of fast, fried foods. Not only is the sustainability of the person at risk, but it's indicative of the habits that risk the sustainability of the Earth.
Most people seem to busy with families, children, hobbies, bills, and work to worry about whether or not their habits, desires, and lifestyle is sustainable for the planet. But I am convinced this is just a facade.
If the Green Movement has shown anything, it's that people do care. Or rather, they want to care.
In the end, practicality and animal instinct are the enemy.
It seems more practical to buy the cheap brand rather than the Green brand, to eat the chicken just like "everyone else" so as not to inconvenience others, to take 20 minutes to drive some place rather than the hour and a half to bike there.
Consumerism is really just an extension of animal instinct. Building our nest and making it bigger and better is not an artificial urge; it's how we're programmed.
The solution is vision, a vision of sustainability that merges practicality and a long-term investment in family, community, and planet.
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