This thread has finally gotten around to finally acknowledging the fact that the level of over population will largely subvert attempts at any sustainability. Even William McDonough seems to think that if we simply redesign our lives that we can continue with this insane growth economy. I think we ecologists need to start emphasizing over population once again. I very rarely hear about this problem and it seems as if we have swept this under the rug long ago. Perhaps we need to revisit the Population Bomb for what it has to offer even though it was not perfectly accurate. If our leaders continue to use words like sustainability in their disinformation and misinformation campaigns, e.g., biofuels, ethanol, hydrogen, we should not be side-tracked into debates over semantics.
randy On 3/13/06 6:06 PM, "Warren W. Aney" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > "attaining sustainability is unfeasible if you want to include 6 billion > people. > There is no single technical or financial fix." > > Since sustainability relates to carrying capacity, either we attain a level > of sustainability that provides economic and ecological justice for all or > else a new level will be imposed on us by the forces of nature -- and that > new level of sustainability will be disastrous for the human species. > > "The best hope for the future is (I think) to grow in human solidarity and > renounce all forms > of violence -- physical, psychological, economic, ecological, etc." > > I wholeheartedly agree. > > Warren Aney > Senior Wildlife Ecologist > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Luis Gutierrez > Sent: Monday, 13 March, 2006 15:06 > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: SUSTAINABILITY Definition needed? Re: Solidarity & > Sustainability V2 N3 March 2006 > > > Leah Gibbons and Brandon Yarborough wrote: > >> Talking about what "sustainability" means is important, but what is more > important is >> that we actually DO IT! Does anyone know of any people, businesses, > governments, >> societies, cultures actually practicing sustainability? I recently learned > of an >> incredible concept and company helping people live sustainably. So far, > this is the best >> example I have seen and is what I believe to be the best hope for our > future. Check it >> out at www.mbdc.com. Something you won't find on this website is one of > the company's >> most recent projects--a totally sustainable city built for 2 million > people. Amazing!! >> If it can be done at all, it can be done world-wide. It's only a matter of > how badly we >> want it. > > Hello Leah and Brandon, > > I am familiar with the excellent work of architect William McDonough, > but I doubt that "If it can be done at all, it can be done world-wide. > It's only a matter of how badly we want it." Just as we cannot reverse > the law of gravity no matter how much we might wish to do so, attaining > sustainability is unfeasible if you want to include 6 billion people. > There is no single technical or financial fix. The best hope for the > future is (I think) to grow in human solidarity and renounce all forms > of violence -- physical, psychological, economic, ecological, etc. > > Luis ---------------------------------- Randy K. Bangert Department of Biological Sciences Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 86011
