{"id":3261,"date":"2008-08-06T11:51:40","date_gmt":"2008-08-06T17:51:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress-367309-1145705.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=3261"},"modified":"2008-08-06T11:51:40","modified_gmt":"2008-08-06T17:51:40","slug":"towards-a-redefinition-of-sustainability-justin-van-kleeck-and-caroline-savery-6-caroline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainablog.org\/articles\/towards-a-redefinition-of-sustainability-justin-van-kleeck-and-caroline-savery-6-caroline\/","title":{"rendered":"Towards a (Re)Definition of Sustainability: Justin Van Kleeck and Caroline Savery. 6-Caroline"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear Justin… and Dear all!<\/p>\n

\"\"Special thanks to Jeff Strasburg<\/a> for helping us indulge our imaginations in this series!\u00a0 I’d also like to extend my gratitude to Justin for engaging me in this form.\u00a0 It has been edifying to explore concepts about sustainability.\u00a0 I hope that the readers of this “debate” have enjoyed the process as well, and I know I speak for Justin when I say: we welcome all comments!\u00a0 This a dialog, a free exchange of ideas, so tell us yours<\/strong> and help to fuel the mutual inspiration.<\/p>\n

(<\/em><\/span>Author’s Note<\/em><\/span>: I include the image above not only because, figuratively speaking, the “sun is setting” on our Sustainability dialog, but also because I will be travelling <\/em><\/span>westward-ho!<\/em><\/span> throughout the United States until the beginning of September. \u00a0My objective is to get some relief from my high-technology-based lifestyle right now, so the vacation will heavily consist of camping in <\/em><\/span>national parks<\/em><\/span><\/a>. \u00a0Therefore, I will blog if I am able to during this time, but if not… be prepared for both <\/em><\/span>the Sust Enable episode debuts<\/em><\/span><\/a> AND a bona fide blogging bonanza upon my return in early September.)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Without further ado,<\/p>\n

Here are my final thoughts, in conclusion.<\/p>\n

1) If you can learn to modify your life to be as close to environmental sustainability as possible, it is necessary that you proceed to do so.<\/strong> The human will<\/em> is one of the most powerful–and dangerous–elements on the planet. \u00a0At first glance, it might feel like “too much” to give up using a flush toilet (just for an example). \u00a0But is it really? \u00a0Think about the idea. \u00a0Get familiar with it. \u00a0Picture what it would look like to use a composting toilet in your home. \u00a0Maybe start with a little one, to be used only sometimes. \u00a0Soon, the consequences may not seem all that daunting. T<\/strong>here is always a choice.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Don’t let your true identity and dreams for what the world could be<\/em> become casualties of conforming.\u00a0 You only have one life, so use it<\/strong>, in the most effective ways visible.\u00a0 If many individuals decided that, deep in their hearts, ecocide felt wrong to them, that many persons when taken together comprise\u00a0a mutiny<\/em> against old, obsolete customs and beliefs.\u00a0 Your little action today plays a role in a social revolution, of the “green” kind.<\/p>\n

Human beings are alleged to be the most intelligent creatures on Earth.\u00a0 Let’s live up to that.\u00a0 If you perceive that your actions–such as using a refrigerator or an air conditioner unit, etc.–are harmful to the ecosystem in any regard (whether in terms of ozone, CFCs, manufacturing processes, etc.), it is your responsibility to cease doing so. \u00a0Life is happiest when the focus is on reducing dissonance between one’s ideology and one’s reality. \u00a0When my concerns about environmental change (EC) reached a climax, I tried to mediate that dissonance by throwing myself head-long into the Sust Enable project–and I learned a lot! \u00a0What does your fantasy project look like? \u00a0As Alison Wiley commented on Justin’s last post<\/a>, “More joy<\/strong><\/em>, less consumption!<\/em>”<\/p>\n

2) If you want to see sustainability, change MUST occur on the social level. <\/strong> This does not<\/em> mean that it is ineffectual to take any action on the individual level.\u00a0 However, this does <\/em>mean that thinking of yourself as an enlightened island of green consciousness is probably a waste of time and energy.\u00a0 I feel it is appropriate to split your time and efforts between enacting personal efforts<\/strong> (which includes educating yourself about options for reducing your footprint, trying new things, and involving your neighbors) and effecting social change<\/strong> (researching corporations, boycotting and petitioning, organizing community actions.)\u00a0 See the recent article “Widespread Sustainable Consumerism is More Vital than Taking Individual Actions”<\/a> for more information on the role of social movements.<\/em><\/p>\n

All things considered, here is my definition of “sustainability.”<\/p>\n

Sustainability<\/span><\/strong>: to live in a way that allows all others to live.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As the human community grows toward an understanding of the resources AND limitations of planet Earth’s biosphere, we must accept, not evade, the responsibility of that knowledge. \u00a0“Sustainable” is when humans accept the responsibility that comes with our great intellectual power, and using our maximal creativity, design personal- and community-based ways for living within<\/span> our Earth’s life-sustaining capacity, so that endless generations of people may learn, thrive, create and grow at the unnatural expense of no other life-giving systems.<\/p>\n

photo credit:\u00a0<\/strong>Luca Galuzzi – www.galuzzi.it<\/a>\u00a0under a Creative Commons 2.5 license<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear Justin… and Dear all! Special thanks to Jeff Strasburg for helping us indulge our imaginations in this series!\u00a0 I’d also like to extend my gratitude to Justin for engaging [ … ]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":17564,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,13],"tags":[1121,528,1129,1130,254,1123,1131,1132,1133,1134,1135,8512,446,289,319],"yoast_head":"\nTowards a (Re)Definition of Sustainability: Justin Van Kleeck and Caroline Savery. 6-Caroline • Sustainablog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sustainablog.org\/articles\/towards-a-redefinition-of-sustainability-justin-van-kleeck-and-caroline-savery-6-caroline\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Towards a (Re)Definition of Sustainability: Justin Van Kleeck and Caroline Savery. 6-Caroline • Sustainablog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dear Justin… and Dear all! 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