09/14/06 Who is Sustainable?

Now what constitutes sustainability? I know that "sustainability" is currently the "it" word of the decade and I am more than aware that when "sustainability" is used in the same breath as agriculture it can make farming issues all warm and fuzzy for the metropolitan crowd. "Sustainability" commonly accompanies dialog pertaining to the environment. The "S" word can pop up routinely in discussions regarding U.N. relief work or economic development. Eco- celebrities like Bono frequently pepper their conversation with it. Webster's Dictionary defines sustainability as; "relating to or a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged, or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods.". Others have described sustainability as "about living, working and ordering society in ways which are environmentally "sustainable. Who fits the definition? The urban greenie who pats herself on the back for a "sustainable" shopping trip to Whole Foods or the farmer who continues