Facets of Sustainability
"Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" is one widely accepted definition of sustainability. Stated differently, it involves reorganizing our life support systems - agriculture, transportation, energy production, etc. - so that life on Earth can be sustained indefinitely.
With approximately 6.7 billion people on Earth now and a projected 9 billion by mid-century, we must find ways of reducing consumption of resources if we are to avoid dramatic environmental degradation and the potential of global ecosystem collapse. This is a particularly important challenge for Americans who consume more per person than any other people on the planet. If everyone on Earth (just the current population) consumed as much as the average American, we would need four more Earths just to harvest for resources! We have the knowledge and technology to change, but we also require the will to make it happen.
Sustainability does not just consider the environmental dimension; the social and economic dimensions are what round out the “triple bottom line,” a standard of ethical responsibility many corporations, institutions, and governments have adopted as a guiding principle. The fact is, if we want our and future generations to enjoy a healthy, equitable, and prosperous Earth, then we must correct our behaviors and policies now to reframe the way we live.
Environmental awareness is all about taking pride in our campus, taking responsibility for keeping it clean and taking action to help sustain the environment for a better future.
