Sustainability implications

Yet perhaps we are moving too fast. The word “sustainability” can mean many things. To those with a heartfelt concern for our planetary home, the word now unmistakably bears both positive and negative implications, being conceptually inviting and yet distressingly vague or even abused. The essential implication of sustainability that we adopt here is that something of value should continue for an unlimited number of generations, serving a well-conceived and well-thought-out purpose. Yet the negative aspect of the word is undeniable too, for once a word becomes imbued with a certain “good feeling” or intrinsic worth, it can be exploited, used by the unscrupulous to sanitize or whitewash activities or products that are, on reflection, often highly unsustainable. In this context, a classic line from the Princess Bride is worth recalling: “Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.” Effective decision making needs more than good intentions or simplistic word associations: it needs painstaking analysis, reliable information, and wise and sometimes courageous choices between difficult alternatives.