Comments on: Andrea, AASHE’s Newest Staff Member, Introduces Herself http://www.aashe.org/blog/campus-operations/recycling/andrea-aashes-newest-staff-member-introduces-herself Ideas and commentary from the campus sustainability community Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:56:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Andrea Webster http://www.aashe.org/blog/campus-operations/recycling/andrea-aashes-newest-staff-member-introduces-herself#comment-321 Andrea Webster Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:40:21 +0000 http://www.aashe.net/staffblog/uncategorized/andrea-aashes-newest-staff-member-introduces-herself#comment-321 Dear Thomas, Thank you for your post and for your question. I am glad to hear that AASHE's efforts are serving you well. As our website states (http://www.aashe.org/about/about.php ), "AASHE defines sustainability in an inclusive way, encompassing human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods, and a better world for all generations." This definition may seem convoluted, so in order to better understand the concept of sustainability, let me start with the term, “sustainable development.” The most well known definition of sustainable development was published by the Brundtland Report in 1987, “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/42/ares42-187.htm). However, this definition, too, remains rather ambiguous. I recently found a great article on the International Development Research Center website (http://idrinfo.idrc.ca/) entitled, “Beyond Catch Phrases: What Does Sustainable Development Really Mean?,” published in October of 1990 by David Brooks, which explains the concept quite well. In the article, Brooks points out, <em>A better understanding of the idea of sustainable development can be found in a report by the World Conservation Strategy, which actually predated the Brundtland Report: “The emerging paradigm of sustainable development… seeks to develop strategies and tools to respond to five broad requirements: • Integration of conservation and development • Satisfaction of basic human needs • Achievement of equity and social justice • Provision for social self-determination and cultural diversity • Maintenance of ecological integrity These challenges are so strongly interrelated that it is difficult, and indeed unhelpful, to arrange them in hierarchical order. Each is both a goal itself and a prerequisite to the achievement of the others.” This definition…does not rely on one specific axis for explanation. It points to the many implications and interconnected aspects inherent within the term sustainable development.” </em>(http://idrinfo.idrc.ca/Archive/ReportsINTRA/pdfs/v18n4e/108930.pdf). I really like the World Conservation Strategy’s (WCS) definition for the exact same reason as Brooks. Sustainability encompasses so many factors that it is hard to truly understand the concept. A society (or even a single campus!!) must respond to each of the above bullet points in order to become a truly sustainable entity. Thomas asked how I would describe “Environmental Sustainability.” Sustainability is oftentimes described as encompassing 3 aspects: economic, social, and environmental. Environmental sustainability is only a portion of the overall goal and is, therefore, difficult to describe by itself. In fact, I would say that one cannot describe environmental sustainability without venturing into the world of the economic and social because, just as the WCS’s definition shows, they are all interconnected. (The most interesting definition of sustainability I have ever heard came from a close friend of mine, who described it as begin equivalent to the first law of thermodynamics. You might (or might not, as in my case) recall that the first law of thermodynamics states, “The increase in the internal energy of a thermodynamic system is equal to the amount of heat energy added to the system minus the work done by the system on the surroundings.” I am still trying to figure this one out. Anyone got any ideas?) In conclusion, I believe the first step is to understand the theory of sustainability; the second step, and, in my opinion, the most difficult, is to implement a concrete plan to actually accomplish sustainability. That’s where AASHE comes in! Dear Thomas,
Thank you for your post and for your question. I am glad to hear that AASHE’s efforts are serving you well.
As our website states (http://www.aashe.org/about/about.php ), “AASHE defines sustainability in an inclusive way, encompassing human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods, and a better world for all generations.”
This definition may seem convoluted, so in order to better understand the concept of sustainability, let me start with the term, “sustainable development.” The most well known definition of sustainable development was published by the Brundtland Report in 1987, “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/42/ares42-187.htm). However, this definition, too, remains rather ambiguous. I recently found a great article on the International Development Research Center website (http://idrinfo.idrc.ca/) entitled, “Beyond Catch Phrases: What Does Sustainable Development Really Mean?,” published in October of 1990 by David Brooks, which explains the concept quite well. In the article, Brooks points out,

A better understanding of the idea of sustainable development can be found in a report by the World Conservation Strategy, which actually predated the Brundtland Report: “The emerging paradigm of sustainable development… seeks to develop strategies and tools to respond to five broad requirements:
• Integration of conservation and development
• Satisfaction of basic human needs
• Achievement of equity and social justice
• Provision for social self-determination and cultural diversity
• Maintenance of ecological integrity
These challenges are so strongly interrelated that it is difficult, and indeed unhelpful, to arrange them in hierarchical order. Each is both a goal itself and a prerequisite to the achievement of the others.” This definition…does not rely on one specific axis for explanation. It points to the many implications and interconnected aspects inherent within the term sustainable development.” (http://idrinfo.idrc.ca/Archive/ReportsINTRA/pdfs/v18n4e/108930.pdf).

I really like the World Conservation Strategy’s (WCS) definition for the exact same reason as Brooks. Sustainability encompasses so many factors that it is hard to truly understand the concept. A society (or even a single campus!!) must respond to each of the above bullet points in order to become a truly sustainable entity.

Thomas asked how I would describe “Environmental Sustainability.” Sustainability is oftentimes described as encompassing 3 aspects: economic, social, and environmental. Environmental sustainability is only a portion of the overall goal and is, therefore, difficult to describe by itself. In fact, I would say that one cannot describe environmental sustainability without venturing into the world of the economic and social because, just as the WCS’s definition shows, they are all interconnected.

(The most interesting definition of sustainability I have ever heard came from a close friend of mine, who described it as begin equivalent to the first law of thermodynamics. You might (or might not, as in my case) recall that the first law of thermodynamics states, “The increase in the internal energy of a thermodynamic system is equal to the amount of heat energy added to the system minus the work done by the system on the surroundings.” I am still trying to figure this one out. Anyone got any ideas?)

In conclusion, I believe the first step is to understand the theory of sustainability; the second step, and, in my opinion, the most difficult, is to implement a concrete plan to actually accomplish sustainability. That’s where AASHE comes in!

]]> By: Thomas Yang Y http://www.aashe.org/blog/campus-operations/recycling/andrea-aashes-newest-staff-member-introduces-herself#comment-304 Thomas Yang Y Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:43:53 +0000 http://www.aashe.net/staffblog/uncategorized/andrea-aashes-newest-staff-member-introduces-herself#comment-304 Hello, Andrea, Welcome to AASHE. I read AASHE emails all the time. Thanks to AASHE's time and efforts. Can you give me a definition of ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY? I see several definitions. But I like to hear from you or someone in AASHE. Thanks. Thomas Yang Hello, Andrea, Welcome to AASHE. I read AASHE emails all the time. Thanks to AASHE’s time and efforts.

Can you give me a definition of ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY? I see several definitions. But I like to hear from you or someone in AASHE. Thanks.
Thomas Yang

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