Sustainability has many definitions that vary by discipline and culture. We provide here a few concepts that may help you.
Commonly, we think of achieving sustainability as human development that balances environment, society, and the economy in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Netukulimk is the Mi’kmaw (First Nations, Canada) concept for “the use of the natural bounty provided by the Creator for the self-support and well-being of the individual and the community at large.” In this case, community refers to the interconnectedness of all things—land, animals, water, human beings, plants, customs, laws. For Mi’kmaw, this understanding comes out of wejisqalia’timk, which means literally “we sprouted from the earth” and this speaks to the generations and generations of Mi’kmaw who have lived in Mi’kma’ki. Sable, T. & Francis, B., 2012, p. 17.
These definitions are helpful to envision sustainability, but it becomes much more complex when we begin to dig into the details of how to achieve that.
Below are three videos (4-10 minutes) that help explain sustainability using natural science. The videos are from Sustainability Illustrated (where you will find many more!). The links here are for the English videos but are also available in French. Please, have a look at each one. There is some repetition, but that is good for learning!
1.1 Watch (~25 minutes)
1.2 Reflect (~20 minutes)
After watching the 3 videos above, reflect on the following questions. Remember that there are no “correct” answers to these questions, and your responses will likely change over time as you learn about sustainability.
1 – Describe sustainability. Use words appropriate as if you are explaining it to a colleague at work.
2 – What makes something (an action, a thing, a process) sustainable, or not sustainable?
3 – Describe the four principles of sustainability. Use words appropriate as if you are explaining it to a colleague at work.
4 – Describe the five principles of social sustainability. Use words appropriate as if you are explaining it to a colleague at work.
1.3 Keep Learning (optional)
1 – Discuss with colleagues about what sustainability means to them.
2 – If you enjoyed learning about sustainability using this lens and want a much more in-depth exploration, you could look at other resources and other ways of understanding sustainability before moving on:
- Check out our list of Sustainability Courses. Most listed are free, but certificates and longer university courses often have fees attached, which we try to identify clearly in the links.
- If you need more content about social sustainability, you can explore the two posts below.
- Have you heard of the” Triple Bottom Line?” watch this 4-minute video to understand how this framework can be helpful in expanding your ability to talk to others about sustainability.
Congratulations on finishing Part 1 of Learning Module 1!
Continue to LM1 Part 2. What are food systems? (~1.5 hours)
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updated 2024 December