Sustainability the journey, not end point

Reading a publication called The Green Graduate by Samuel Mann from Otago Polytechnic, I was intrigued to read that in 1864 George Marsh wrote "Man has too long forgotten that Earth was given to him for usufruct alone, not for consumption, still less for profligate waste."

The legal term "usufruct" is appropriate, I read, since it refers to the right to use and benefit from a resource, but not damage or alienate it. So it seems being "green" and having concerns about our current consumer-based society and its lack of sustainability, has a long history. In fact I could not help wondering if George was a long lost relative of mine!

Samuel also comments in his book that at about the same time John Ruskin observed that an "economic system that creates glittering wealth also spawns illth" ie poverty, pollution, despair and illness.

I'm sure the same evening that I was reading this book a radio report said "the gap between rich and poor in NZ was at its greatest ever", no doubt spawning lots of "illth"!

How do these observations relate to us all being "sustainability practitioners"?

Otago Polytechnic has recognised that sustainability is something that affects all of us, whatever our job, trade or profession, so they are ensuring that whatever subject the students at Otago Polytechnic are studying, sustainability is integrated into the study programme of every student; it is not an optional extra or something a few "experts" study. Thus all their graduates will have the ability to apply sustainability ideas into their future work situations, be that nursing, information technology or veterinary nursing, etc.

If we take this idea and apply it to our lives and our own working situations, then all of us too can be sustainability practitioners as we go about our daily lives. In fact, if we take this a step further we can be sustainability "teachers" as we share our ideas and beliefs with those around us.

Living in a sustainable manner is the major challenge that faces us all today. I believe we can take up this challenge and find ways to become a more sustainable society.

Firstly, we can recognise it is a journey not a destination, so we'll learn and adapt as we go along, making improvements step by step. Secondly, we can recognise that it should be a local community-led process, with a family-centred approach, that allows us to work out how to change the ways in which we think and live. Examples can be found at inspiringcommunities.org.nz, and I like the initiatives being undertaken by those involved in the Victory Community Centre in Nelson.

Sustainable Whanganui will host Laurence Boomert on Saturday, September 22, at 6.45 pm, Quaker Meeting House, 256 Wicksteed St, with his presentation "Community Solutions for Today", which features community can-do success stories from the on-line database "Bank of Real Solutions".

Sustainability means moving from competition to cooperation, more sharing and setting limits on the resources we all use. We can help this process by becoming regular sustainability practitioners/teachers in our daily lives.

Graham Pearson is a Sustainable Whanganui Trustee and actively involved in Castlecliff's Coast Care project.