what is sustainability?

Sustainability is a lot of things and can be defined a lot of ways, which I am sure is why you are here. Why else would you be on a page defining sustainability if you weren’t confused and overwhelmed by the flurry of definitions and explanations out there of what sustainability is? You’re probably like, no, duh, McKenzie, sustainability is a lot of things. Tell me something I don’t know.

Okay, stay with me here.

I’ve put three different definitions down below that I like a lot, and I think altogether, provide great insight into the world of sustainability while also defining it in a clear and succinct way.

One is from the school that I’m getting my Master’s of Sustainability Leadership at, so I am a bit biased.

So, anyways, if you want, read on:

Definition #1:

Hits the 3 P’s: Planet. People. Profit.

According to ASU’s School of Sustainability, something that is good for you and your community can be considered sustainable. Also, it must focus on the 3 P’s: people, planet, and profit.

People because it has to be beneficial to the community.

Planet because it has to be beneficial to the environment that the community is in.

And profit, because it has to make sense in the economy.

For instance, say a community that grows corn wants to completely shift gears and grow bamboo because they hear that’s more sustainable. Okay, great, but what about all the equipment that you already have, that’s perfectly good, that you use to plant and harvest the corn, and corn specifically? Or what about all the seeds and fertilizer and sprinkler systems (sorry, I don’t know much about growing corn) that work specifically for corn? Where will that go? Or what about the skilled, local workers that know how to grow corn but not bamboo?

So, suddenly, what started out as a great, sustainable idea for the planet, turns out not to check the other two P’s: people and profit. Your community that relies solely on growing corn is completely shaken and forced to learn how to grow bamboo or they lose their job. And then investing in all new equipment and processes, and discarding the old, is not good for the local economy. You see what I mean?

If it doesn’t check all three P’s, it’s not considered sustainable.

But, that’s one definition.

Definition #2:

Meeting our world’s needs now without compromising our future needs.

I really like this 1987 definition created by the United Nations Brundtland Commission: sustainability is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Simple. To the point. But then you combine it with the 3 P’s, and you know, it gets a bit more complex.

And lastly,

Definition #3:

Nature and humankind can coexist and be in harmony with one another.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency brings nature into the mix, saying that sustainability is about how the natural environment and humankind interact with one another. Sustainability is all about “creat[ing] and maintain[ing] the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations”.

That’s beautiful. I love that!

Also, maybe you believe in God and that He created this world, like I do. This last definition speaks volumes to me because I believe that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and the animals and mankind and everything in between. And saw that it was good.

So, maybe, showing our appreciation of all the good He created, making sustainable choices that encourage harmony with all His creation, is something that should be focused on.

That was a little tangent, sorry!

Anyways, that’s it for this week.

Hope this helped!

Signing off.