Thanks to Sustainable Cities Collective, I came across this video which asks the question of ‘what does sustainability mean to you’ of a group of bloggers and community activists who attended Greenbuild 2008. Take a look
‘Green’ and ‘sustainability’ are complex terms, it seems to me. Both evoke all kinds of associations for many people; some commonly shared, and some not. It’s like looking at a collage, where your eye is drawn to one area, then to another, but difficult on first or even second glances to get a whole picture. A lot of what you see here in this video is a sampling of some of these, and illustrates the point pretty well.
Some people in this video see green as a set of guidelines upon which to base a lifestyle – recycling, composting, carpooling, net-zero event planning. Others see it as the basis for self-expression, like the guy who makes art from trash, or the fellow who has created a natural prairie landscape in his backyard. Others see it as a political imperative, with involvement in protests and appealing to national leaders to put sustainability to the forefront.
The voices in this video which stand out the most for me in this are the ones that draw a parallel between the issue of sustainability and that of community – that we’re all in this together, across individual communities, disciplines, and industries. For me, this idea de-fragments the collage of issues and approaches, and begins to coalesce into something that looks like a common purpose.
Voices coming together from individuals, companies, and governments is an important equation. Much like we’ve seen in the video, decisions from various sectors on how to plan or revitalize cities, to better source materials to raise quality of life without squandering resources, and how to (quite frankly) save money while we’re doing it, should be a cooperative, and community-building effort. This is what will bring the issues of sustainability away from the provinces of the unwashed protester raving in the street, and put it squarely on the shoulders of established industry, where the real power is.
Where individual efforts and lifestyle changes are important, I believe it is cooperative industry, and the government policies that support it, that will make the real difference to how a robust approach to sustainability will unfold. It also brings the issue into the present, and not as some obfuscated agenda item to be dealt with ‘by our children’.
So, what are your thoughts on this video? What stands out most for you?
Cheers!
Rob.
About Rob Jones
Interesting video. Most of the people I came across with see “being green” as closely tied with “being socially responsible.” They believe that what you do should be empowered by the community you live in, since that is the only way they believe they can make a difference. Green suddenly is not just for people that care for the environment; green is becoming a synonymous to being ethical as well.
This video also highlights how some people feel overwhelmed regarding the environment, and are under the impression that, whatever they could do for the environment just wouldn’t be enough – they don’t feel empowered to act. We need to be more strategic on how businesses – and the government – approach this issue. I remember reading a study a while ago on how everyone believes that we need to be more “green”, but then no one really wants to change their habits and lifestyle. We need to be more positive about what we can change – and that even small changes do matter.
Thanks for your comments, Sofia.
I do think that the next step is about empowerment, and I think the thing that will get us there is unwavering leadership. This will best come from those who currently sit in power, the influencers that already have a political or economic collateral to affect change at the highest levels. My view is that the struggle to change lifestyles is all about cultural expectations and pressures. Leadership on this score will be important too, although I think affecting cultural change is the harder task.
Cheers again for comments!