Sustainability

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Sustainability
April 13, 2008
St. John's Episcopal Church, Worthington, Ohio
Fred Yaeger Dave Patton
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Sustainability
Background. What is Sustainability ? What is
Simply Living ? What is Sustainable Worthington
? Why work locally ? What you can do.
Spending/investing locally locally owned
businesses vs chains
Walking, biking, mass transit (high person-miles
per non-renewable fuel spent)
Support locally grown food
Create integrated land-use rules that strengthen
bonds between residents, businesses and
organizations.
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Some Assumptions
Consumption
Beyond a point, consumption of more material
things results in
a) little additional well-being, or
b) no additional well-being, or
c) less overall well-being.
Resources
Resources that humans command (individually and
collectively) are limited.
Needs
Humans have many needs that cannot be satisfied
by acquiring some material thing.
Well-Being
What does well-being mean?
Physical, material, emotional, sexual, social,
spiritual
Maslows hierarchy of needs
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Maslows hierarchy of needs
morality creativity spontaneity problem
solving lack of prejudice acceptance of facts
Self-actualization
FULFILLMENT
self-esteem, confidence, achievement, respect
Esteem
friendship, family, sexual intimacy
Belonging
COMFORT
security of body, of employment, of resources, of
morality, of family, of health, of property
Safety
SURVIVAL
breathing, food, water, sleep, sex, excretion
Body
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Fulfillment and Consumption
http//www.eoearth.org/image/Great_transition_3-2.
gif based on book Your Money or Your Life by
Dominguez Robbins
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Fulfillment and Consumption
http//www.eoearth.org/image/Great_transition_3-2.
gif based on book Your Money or Your Life by
Dominguez Robbins
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Fulfillment and Consumption
http//www.eoearth.org/image/Great_transition_3-2.
gif based on book Your Money or Your Life by
Dominguez Robbins
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Fulfillment and Consumption
http//www.eoearth.org/image/Great_transition_3-2.
gif based on book Your Money or Your Life by
Dominguez Robbins
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Fulfillment and Consumption
http//www.eoearth.org/image/Great_transition_3-2.
gif based on book Your Money or Your Life by
Dominguez Robbins
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Fulfillment and Consumption
http//www.eoearth.org/image/Great_transition_3-2.
gif based on book Your Money or Your Life by
Dominguez Robbins
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Fulfillment and Consumption
http//www.eoearth.org/image/Great_transition_3-2.
gif based on book Your Money or Your Life by
Dominguez Robbins
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What is sustainability?
A characteristic of a process or state that can
be maintained at a certain level indefinitely.
--- wikipedia
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What is sustainability?
Meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generation to
meet their own needs." --- World Commission on
Environment and Development, Our Common Future,
pp. 4, Oxford University Press, New York, 1987.
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What is sustainability?
Living on the interest rather than the
principal" -- economics educators
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What is sustainability?
"Future generation is the most important" ---
Confucius
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What is sustainability?
"Treat the Earth well.  It was not given to you
by your parents.  It was loaned to you by your
children." --- Kenyan Proverb
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What is sustainability?
The earth belongs to each generation during its
course, fully and in its own right. The second
generation receives it clear of the debts and
encumbrances, the third of the second, and so on.
For if the first could charge it with a debt,
then the earth would belong to the dead and not
to the living generation. Then, no generation can
contract debts greater than may be paid during
the course of its own existence. -- Thomas
Jefferson
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What is sustainability?
The ability to provide for the needs of the
world's current population without damaging the
ability of future generations to provide for
themselves. When a process is sustainable, it can
be carried out over and over without negative
environmental effects or impossibly high costs to
anyone involved. --- several sources
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Three aspects of sustainability?
The ability to provide for the needs of the
world's current population without damaging the
ability of future generations to provide for
themselves. When a process is sustainable, it can
be carried out over and over without negative
environmental effects or impossibly high costs to
anyone involved. --- several sources
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Three aspects
Environmental Performance
Social Inclusion
Economic Development
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The Sweet Spot gt Sustainable

aka the Triple Bottom Line
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What is sustainability?
General
Specific
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Simply Living
Established 1992 Grassroots organization Non-profi
t charity 501(c)3 Office - Clintonville
above Aladdins Restaurant (by Olentangy Village,
Giant Eagle, Mozarts) No membership criteria
except annual fee (30, 45, 20) Over 800
members (most in Central Ohio, but several
outside Ohio) www.SimplyLiving.org
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Simply Living
Purpose
Ourselves and Others
Educate
To live responsibly and sustainably...
In joyful relation.
With the earth and With each other..
Environmental, Social and Economic
justice.
Rooted in principles of..
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Simply Living
Simply Living supports
Goals achieved by a person acting alone.
Goals achieved by a group acting together.
Each person deciding what, if any, projects
he/she wishes to actively engage in.
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Simply Living
Projects - move forward ONLY if people choose to
actively participate (no coercion, no
assignments)
Earth Institute Discussion Groups (e.g.,
Voluntary Simplicity) Bookstore Playgroup Peak
Oil Global Warming Learning Group Radio Station
- WCRS 102.1 98.3 Low Power FM Simply
Healthy Innovative Transportation
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Sustainable Worthington
First meeting Nov 2006 Inspired by Simply
Livings Oct 2006 conference, Do It Here! Do It
Now! Grassroots organization Not a non-profit
charity 501(c)3 No office No membership
criteria (no fees, do not have to live in
Worthington) 150 members on main mailing
(e-mail only) www.SustainableWorthington.org
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Sustainable Worthington
Purpose
Promote and conduct sustainable activities in
Worthington
Develop a more walkable, bikeable, bus-friendly
community Encourage year-round access to locally
grown food Support a greener community Build a
more vibrant community and local economy
Work with other communities to develop regional
sustainability practices
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Sustainable Worthington
Projects - move forward ONLY if people choose to
actively participate (no coercion, no
assignments)
Current and Past
Year-round farmers market (over 1,100
volunteer hours) Support city leaders in
increasing sustainable development practices Lead
exploration of development of Worthington
Community Garden Educate and support residents
about in-yard gardening Support Earth Day removal
of invasive plants in Rush Run Educate and
support creation of first Rain Garden in
Worthington Assist in the creation of sister
Sustainable Communities in
Westerville Clintonville Grandview
Pickerington
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Sustainable Worthington
Explore Sustainable Worthington !!
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Why Work on Local Sustainabililty Projects ?
Most people have more success working on local
projects.
Local changes in sustainability usually have more
impact on your life because most people spend
the vast majority of our time locally.
Change usually comes faster locally.
The more sustainable the local community, the
more resilient and less susceptible to
uncontrollable factors.
Its not 0 vs 100. You can mix your time
between local, personal, and broader
sustainability projects.
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What You Can Do
Prioritize
Plan
Just Do It !!
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What You Can Do
To-Do Lists
www.consumerreports.org, search 20 free ways to
save energy http//green.yahoo.com, search top
ten ways to be green www.simplyliving.org,
click on Energy Reduction Resource List
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Record Your Sustainability Journey
World
Nation
State
Community
Group
Friends
Family
Self
Environmental
Economic
Social
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Questions, Comments
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www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/EC/EC-686.html