sustainability definitions

sustainability...

...is a big word, with myriad definitions.  Loosely grasped, its meaning is fairly intuitive: having the capacity to maintain indefinitely.  [but not just maintain, it implies support/providing for...] As typically applied, it refers specifically to maintaining conditions for human survival and development.  The beguiling simplicity and (humanly)universal appeal of the term indicate why it is drawn upon to support initiatives ranging from stream clean-ups to business investments - regardless of the underlying motivations and intentions.  With such general application, the concept has the potential to be meaningless: anyone can twist application to garner empathy, yet suit their own intentions.  However, general application also has the potential to be of considerable value: it can bring diverse interests to a common table for discussion. 

I see benefit in highlighting two entwined aspects of the definitional debate: abstract discussion and implementation.  For me, abstract discussion around the question of what sustainability means should be inextricably linked with discussion around how these meanings are manifest through planning and action on the ground - individually and collectively.  Yet it is fully possible for these to be divergently separate.  On the one hand, people can engage in serious debate or publish written word about the meaning of sustainability and live unsustainable lifestyles.  On the other hand, people can push for 'environmentally friendly' norms and behaviours, without fully considering the meanings and implications of action.  Ironically, they could also be living unsustainable lifestyles.  This separation is yet another manifestation of the theory-practice debate - a debate that raises its ugly medusa-head in other areas of this hypertext.  Most notably, this debate is recognizable in the frequently expressed notion of "walking the talk."  Talking about sustainability, without at least attempting to walk the path toward sustainability is morally untenable.