SEATTLE AVENUE

“Sustainability” and “sustainable development” are terms you’ve probably heard a lot lately and no doubt will be hearing even more as we move into the future. Sustainable development is not always easy to define nor are the myriad definitions always agreed upon by all. My favorite happens also to be one of the simplest. In 1987 the United Nations in a publication known as the Brundtland Report defined sustainability as follows: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Seems fair enough doesn’t it?

Though most would agree that environmental considerations are paramount, the one thing sustainable development cannot do is focus solely on environmental issues. It is imperative that any sustainable development plan be comprehensive and incorporate economic and social issues as well. And there is no need for it to be limiting, with a little imagination a sustainable future can stimulate technological innovation, advance competitiveness, and improve our quality of life.

Global warming will not recognize national borders and any solutions will have to come from a global effort. It is imperative that we, all of us, the current stewards of our planet, live responsibly and work together to pass a healthy ecosystem onto our children. None of us can do this alone but we all can do this together.

It may require asking some tough questions and making some personal sacrifices, but in the end the reward will be not stealing the future from our children. Most of us can make an immediate difference by making small changes in the way we live: what we drive, how we conserve water and abate water runoff, increase the energy efficiency of our homes, lower consumption, increase recycling, think about where and what we purchase. As Gandhi once said, we start by “Being the change we wish to see in the world”.