This is a first for me: I have been suspected as a bot by WordPress as I tried to post a response on my friend Richard Jurin's new blog.
Richard's first post was:
As my first blog post, I will present my simple definition of sustainability as: Living within the limits of nature’s ecosystem services. And to live together in communities that are equitable, regenerative, resilient and adaptive. That opens up a lot of questions before we start and I intend to get there as the blog proceeds. I am not naive and clearly recognize that some big changes are needed before we land in some future Eden (we should not think paradise, although compared to today, it may seem so when we get there). Notice I said ‘get there.’ In all my talks I start out with “I’m often asked: “Will we ever become a Sustainable Society?” I always answer: “Without a doubt.” Then I get the wistful smiles waiting for the magic bullet answer. Sorry there isn’t one, but there are a set of principles that can guide us down that path – or should I say rabbit hole, because we have to get dirty before we can realize the truths that exist all around us that we blatantly ignore. So if you want to climb down this rabbit hole, give me a response and let’s begin!
Peace and Love Richard
And I responded:
It's good to see this beginning, Richard. I shall follow your thinking with great interest. I appreciate seeing your definition of sustainability, even though I find it wanting. I've taken to expressing the core dilemma of our time in this way:
How can we all live well, now and in the future, without compromising the ability of the planet to enable us all to live well?
Some call this the 'sustainability problématique', and for me, the key words in this are "all" and "all". That is, it's communities everywhere that need to be "equitable, regenerative, resilient and adaptive" if we are to see sustainability. I am, it should be said, much less hopeful than you are than humanity will be able to rise above its manifest self-interest to get anywhere near this.
But, being a bot in the WordPress view, this did not make the cut. Whilst it is really good to see social media companies cracking down (and not before time) on injurious text, little did I think I'd be on the front line. Maybe it was those two French words – scare bleu! ...
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