Sustainability History Project

[This post was written by Jan Steinbock, Sara Davenport, Kimberly Sherwood, and Christopher Milton. The post and complements previous students’ analysis of the question “What is Sustainability?”]

What is sustainability? Is it a concept, a set of actions, or is it just the latest buzzword that companies and media groups are now using to bolster their rating and support from the “concerned” public masses? The truth, if there is a truth, is entirely debatable and far too complex to fully express in a single blog-post that is comprised of five hundred or so words; however, there are a few facts that we, a group of students involved in the study of sustainability, have agreed will help build a firm foundation for a working definition of sustainability in regards to issues that surround the topic.

First off, sustainability can no longer be defined as a uni-dimensional system. Sustainability issues are multidimensional problems; therefore, each individual, as stewards to the spaces which we inhabit, must understand that sustainability issues need to be conceptualized on at least three fronts: environmental, economic and social. These three pillars are, for the most part, equal. They rely on one another; and, in regards to all except the environment, would fail if not supported by the other two. Although sustainability requires a multidimensional system, it is difficult for most of us to imagine that system. It is too easy to remain stuck in our current paradigm and not see what is possible. Therefore, it might be most useful to this first blog post to help contextualize and define these other forms of sustainability so that we can then look at ways to maximize benefits and minimize waste within all three pillars.

Economically, it is important for not only the individual person to be concerned about sustainability, but it is also essential for organizations to be concerned with it. Organizations have a huge impact on the world socially, economically, and environmentally; however, more often than not, large corporations use a huge amount of resources and produce a huge amount of waste in a world with finite resources. This creates groups of people who cannot afford the products and who are negatively affected by waste. Although these companies can add to the problems that surround sustainability, organizations also have the power to affect change in society and in other businesses for the good. A company with sustainable values can help define what is acceptable and not acceptable in terms of practices throughout the world’s economies. Moreover, sustainable organizations can help create sustainable communities, both inside and out of the organization.

While sustainability is important economically, the social context and definition is equally as vital and arguably its most useful role. The structures that create social inequality are often built on systems that have supported a uni-dimensional or bi-dimensional system of sustainability. A new system that incorporates all three is a system that can engage issues of inequality.

Poly-dimensional systems of sustainability hold individuals accountable and help right many of the injustices that originated with the Enlightenment of Western society. Just as nature creates webs of interdependencies, we should mimic nature so that each element is supported by one another. It is vital that sustainable systems involve as many different elements as possible in order to support the system’s entirety and possibly establish it as a system with integrity. It truly is our nature.

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