In 1987, the Brundtland Convention defined sustainability as finding ways to live today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. As discussed in Chapter 4, the goal of sustainability was defined by developed, egalitarian-minded, mostly European countries, and the values of the participants impacted how they viewed sustainability. Chapter 4 also discussed that we don’t know what needs will be in the future, therefore we can’t know how sustainable we are in the present.
Think about how you view and define sustainability. How would do those around you define sustainability: ask three people (for example: a parent, a roommate, the TA for calculus office hours, your boss, or a store clerk). Report your answer and the most interesting answer you got from someone else. Did the three people have similar views as you? What surprised you? Is there any overlap with Dr. Allenby’s textbook?
Next, compare this to what past and future generations each would have thought about the concept (or myth?) of sustainability, especially the four components: environmental, economic, social, and cultural sustainability.